So I was able to get my Fall Garden in this Weekend.
It was about two weeks late from when I should have gotten it in - not necessarily from temperature or amount of sunlight, but the placement of sunlight. In my case, by about the second week of October the path of the Sun has changed significantly enough to where the house blocks a great deal of it after 12 noon or so.
I always build up in my mind that planting my garden is this heroically difficult task that will take me hours. I do not quite know why this is: in point of fact the whole thing can be planted in one hour or possibly two if I am being quite deliberate about it. In point of fact I am not that deliberate: this year's planting took perhaps an hour, spread over two days.
The planting this years is similar to other years: garlic (my one unfailing crop), spinach (three varieties), lettuce (two varieties), leeks (two varieties), beets (two varieties), Austrian Rye, Black Rye, and Winter Wheat. Approximately 3/4's of the garden is planted and except for some overwintering onions, a basil plant and Black-Eyed Pea plant that have not perished yet, and the surviving sweet potatoes that survived the annual decimation of harvest, it is empty and quiet.
I never feel like I have done a sufficient job to actually match what should be a garden planting, but maybe that is because I follow many "real" gardeners who actually do a good job. Myself, I seem to just get it in and see what takes.
On the bright side, it always makes for a surprise when something grows.
"Austrian Rye, Black Rye, and Winter Wheat" sounds like a craft-beer.
ReplyDeleteGood for you. You lapped every wannabe who never got off the couch.
ERJ - It does, does it not?
DeleteThe difficulty with grain here seems to be the humidity will get it before the seed heads fully set. The attraction of the Austrian Rye is that it is supposed to be a quick grower, so hopefully I can beat the weather. That is the theory, anyway.
Don't knock yourself for what you can do.
ReplyDeleteIt's more than we've done in a few years.
And now our tractor is being cantankerous.
Now when you get to the Ranch; then you won't be surprised by how long it could take, if that is what you want. ;-)
You all be safe and God bless.
Linda - Ugh. Tractors are useful beasts when the work, pains when they do not.
DeleteMy father fenced off something like 120 ft x 60 feet for a garden, so there will be more than enough room there for as much garden as one might want...
I hope you enjoy it when you get there, TB. :)
DeleteThe more I think about it, the more I'm glad that it isn't real practical to plant fall garden crops up here. It gives me a longer break between now and the spring planting season, which I am shortening up by building a greenhouse!
ReplyDeleteEd, there is something to that. There are times when almost feel like I have to plant; an enforced break would not be a bad thing (although to be fair, there is little enough to do for Winter gardens).
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