Vegetable Garden Update September 08

September is a time for transition in the vegetable garden. I would say aside from April and May, September and October are the most important months for the vegetable garden and gardener. This month finds many crops ripening or growing past their prime, plus new crops need to go in. Planning is very important prior to planting so think ahead to not only this fall planting, but your spring planting as well. A little trick I do is to place my vegetable markers in beds the vegetable will be planted in next year. It will always be a different bed. This way I don't have to try to remember where I planted those tomatoes last year so as to plant them in another spot this year. Also, I can plan for when the garlic is harvested in May what I will plant to replace it in the summer garden.

As you are pulling spent plants and crops, if you do not intend to plant new crops it is vitally important to clean the bed out, add an inch or two of compost and I like to cover my beds with weed free straw. Some folks plant a cover crop of rye; but I never have so I can't vouch for its effectiveness. I may try it this year in a bed or two though. Once your beds are cleaned and/or planted, you can sit pretty until late February or early March.

Tina's Vegetable Garden Update:
The zucchini is finished and has been pulled. I bet I harvested at least 25 zucchini from the three plants I planted. Squash vine borers eventually did them in even though I did apply Sevin. I can say though that they lasted the longest ever this season.

Tomatoes are still going strong!

Peppers just as strong.

Eggplant are still coming in. I have really enjoyed the eggplant and I believe I will plant a plant again next summer.

I have one lone cucumber vine. Fortunately it is still producing heartily.

The beans are still going strong.

Zinnias have taken over the southern end of the vegetable garden.

The banana trees are taller than 15 feet and very happy and healthy.

The basil is going strong.

Garlic I did not harvest in the early summer is resprouting, as are the onions I planted in the spring.
The gourds are still going strong. Many folks think that just because the vine looks all ratty and the plant looks dead that the vine is over and done with. Not true. The gourd leaves that are oldest do wear out by this time each season, however, there is tons of new growth still coming in. The vines have enough energy making green stuff to keep going until the first hard freeze. Even light frosts don't always harm the plant. I leave my gourds in place until this freeze comes. I believe it helps the rind to thicken up. No scientific evidence of this fact, but it is just my hunch.

I have not watered this vegetable garden since early July. I believe it is because it is in part shade and planted so heavily that the soil is shaded, thus reducing water loss. I can also say that the brick pathways have been a success. I had to rework this entire garden last fall, actually moving it over about 6 feet. I redesigned the beds and added the free bricks in. This year the garden has been fairly weed free, easy to traverse, and very productive. And I think it looks nice too.


Skeeter's Vegetable Garden Update:

My little Georgia veggie garden continues to produce some yummy treats. Here you see one of several little harvest we had since our last update on August 15.

Roma tomato continue to thrive in our garden so they will be sure to find a spot in the garden next year. Hot peppers continue to grow and produce. Next year we will only plant ONE hot pepper plant because we had way more then we needed plus I had burns on my fingers and face more then once due to the little firecrackers! I will NOT mess with them next year but to keep the Saint happy, he and he alone will have one plant for his homemade salsa.

We harvest two more Egg plants with our latest gathering of goodies. Here you see the last of the funny shaped cucumbers as the vine has now dried up.


I am showing you this picture as a reminder. When picking squash, take a knife or some sort of cutting device as snapping it off the vine with your hands is not so smart. Argggg...

Look at how different all three of these squash look. They came off the same plant! Why does the one have little bumps?













The squash plant grew like a vine and was over 6 feet tall. Here you see the Saint holding it up to show you how tall it has grown. It continues to have blooms. I have never seen a squash plant trail such as this one. Is this normal?

The Bell Pepper plant that we replaced is now producing a really big pepper. We should be picking this one soon. The Purple Peppers have tiny baby's on them but we're not expecting them to mature but you never know!

We have about 5 gourds of decent size. I had hoped for many to make birdhouses for next spring. I am not sure these will be large enough. The one to the left may be large enough for a chickadee or wren to call home.

Surely this one will be large enough to be crafted into a birdhouse. See how large it is by comparing it to the pine cone below it. I will be looking for a posting from you Tina on how to get these gourds from this state to a birdhouse....

The zucchini plants continue to bloom but not one zuck matured. Taking the blooms off the ends for bloom rot, as suggested by someone, did not work. The baby zucks continue to turn yellow and dry up.

As you can see this VEGETABLE GARDEN UPDATE SEPTEMBER 08 has been another productive harvest. Now things are dwindling down a bit, In the Garden...

Stay tuned for Veggie garden update Oct. 20, 2008...

To see more veggies this date and this week go visit:

Cosmo at Cosmos Garden. See some great figs and herbs!

Frances at Faire Garden. See LOTS of fruits, veggies, and nuts!

Les at Tidewater Gardener. See some hardy oranges!

DP at Square Foot Gardening-Nashville. See a cat and some tomatoes!

Dan at Urban Veggie Garden Blog-See some new seedlings, huge brussels sprouts and tons of cucumbers!

Cindy at Walk Down the Garden Path has some beets and carrots, asparagus, huge eggplant and a lovely little lemon tree in her Pennsylvania garden!