Vegetable Garden Update-September 2010
The vegetable garden is still trucking along this summer, now nearly fall. But the garden has changed quite a bit from last month's update in that all of the cantaloupe and cucumber vines have been removed and disposed of properly-in my case in the nearby compost bins. I have also begun planting some cool season crops as you will soon see. the shot above shows a long shot of the vegetable garden and its surrounding border. I just love the vegetable garden when it is so full and lush! At least right now I do, we'll see tomorrow if I still feel the same way. Gardening is like that, ups and downs, so now let's look at the ups and down of my vegetable garden this month.
Here we have the circle bed where the cantaloupes used to grow. Last year this bed was full of hardy bananas. I actually had to dig up two volunteer bananas from this bed. Boy, those guys just did not want to go! In place of the cantaloupes broccoli and Chinese cabbage now grow. They are doing nicely despite being uprooted a few times by one rambunctious puppy named Lady. I had to close the three gates to this garden just to keep her out. Grrrrr on the dogs.
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In addition to the broccoli and cabbage I have planted lettuce starts. I will soon follow these starts with some seeds. The lettuce is pictured above. It is a delicious buttercrunch variety. I loved growing this in the spring as it seemed that the more I cut it the more it grew! I hope the fall brings the same great results. Onions are also growing along with the lettuce but I have dedicated a whole bed just to onions this year. I have yet to plant garlic but that will come about within the next week or two. Other cool season crops you may wish to grow now are: cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and leeks. I'm sure there are more but this is all I can think of right now.
For warm season crops I still have tomatoes and gourds growing strong. They are it for the summer garden though. Some of the very large and heavy gourds are pictured above. I just love growing gourds and get so excited each winter when I can have a bit of the garden inside the house with me. Gourds are great for that because once the season is over they still require work in the form of curing and preparation for whatever you would like to use the gourds for. In my own home I usually just stain them and have them hanging from my fireplace or in a large basket somewhere near. The form of gourds is very beautiful and artistic and they are so easy to grow!
Although, the gourd vines can be susceptible to disease. I think this is some kind of vining crop mosaic virus that has somehow gotten onto the gourds. It was probably spread by aphids or some other pesky bug but that is out of my control because I choose not to spray chemicals in my garden. Other than being unsightly this virus has not affected the gourds at all other than to discolor the leaves so that is an even better reason not to spray anything or try to treat this problem. I prefer to let the garden work its own problems out unless something of value is threatened. Rarely does this happen. Sometimes viruses can severely affect vines to the point of killing the vine. But as you can see this one is still putting out new gourds and since it is late in the season the problem is not a major issue for me. The best treatment to prevent this virus is to plant resistant varieties, rotate crops, and ensure plants are not stressed or affected by insects. Even when all is done right you can still get diseases, but it is not the end of the world. The gourds will be fine.
In fact, the gourds are so fine they have taken over the whole south side of the vegetable garden. The garden fence and A-frames as well as the paths have literally been swallowed by the vines. If it wasn't for some prudent pruning by my lawnmower the vines would quickly devour the grass as well. I show this picture so that anyone considering growing gourds can understand they need lots of room to sprawl. Because my vegetable garden is fairly small I try to grow my vines vertically but sometimes even vertical space gets used up quickly and the vines grow elsewhere.
I'm going to leave you with one last picture on the vegetable garden. I am most proud of this very large PVC arbor built from 6" PVC pipe. The arbor is 10 feet wide at its base and stands 15 feet tall. I grew Sweet Autumn Clematis on it last year but get fed up with all the seedlings so out it came this year. Instead I planted some hyacinth bean seeds and they have simply taken off. I just love the purple flowers and seedpods of the hyacinth beans on this very large arbor which is a major entry to the vegetable garden. It helps the vegetable garden have a very large presence in my garden; which is as it should be since vegetables are so rewarding to grow in my humble opinion. Hyacinth beans are an annual vine here in my area but they generally self seed each year....
in the garden....
My oldest twin daughter Christine closed on her first house yesterday so things have been a bit hectic here. I want to wish her the best of luck in her new home and tell her we miss her!
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team,
In the Garden
Everything is growing mighty fine for you, Tina!
ReplyDeleteGood luck to your daughter. It is always exciting to buy a new home.
Rosey
Good morning Rosey, Thanks very much on the new home. So sad so many in Boulder have lost theirs. Glad to hear you are doing well!
ReplyDeleteTina, did you plant the lettuce from seeds or buy plants? It is so hot here right now, but I would really like to plant lettuce when it cools off.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to your daughter! Did I tell you my DD was moving from DC to Denver, Colorado! We are really excited for she and her new husband.
Good morning Linda, I bought seedlings at my local big box store. I find it so much easier. Great on your daughter! You'll be able to see her more since you all vacation in Colorado? That will be great!
ReplyDeleteYour garden is still looking good! The deer have been nibbling on the outskirts and tasting the tomato plants that are spilling over. They must be desperate - I wouldn't want to eat tomato stems but deer will eat anything!
ReplyDeleteLooking good as always Tina! My gourds did not do well this year. I am disappointed as I tried Snake and Swan gourds for the first time. I have one tiny swan gourd and two small gourds from last year’s seeds. Hyacinth Bean did not seed for me either. It has been a bad year for my family and my garden but there is always next year right!
ReplyDeleteAgain, Congrats on the house Christine! I will be looking for yard improvements as time goes on by either Christine or mom, LOL….
Dave, Those pesky deer!! I'm ever so glad there are none here...knock on wood.
ReplyDeleteSkeeter, The problem with your gourds is the type of gourds you tried. I've tried those too and have found they are quite finicky as I did not have luck. Try the martin gourds or these bushel gourds. Plant lots of vines too. Yup on Christine's home, she is already talking a veggie garden. Chip off the old block. All three of the older children garden. Jimmy, not so sure. He is more musically inclined and doesn't too much like the outside:( There's still time though.
Wow your veggie garden is so full and lush right now. Congrats to your daughter on her first home. :)
ReplyDeleteYour blog is great. No wonder I'm following you!
ReplyDeleteIt’s been interesting watching your vegetables mark the seasons. Congratulations to Christine!
ReplyDeleteI only have 1 gourd & it looks like a bottle gourd {the one that looks like a woman's body} lol. It too is growing up an old dead small tree like last yr. My hyacinth bean is still growing. It has produced some seeds. I really like the color of the blooms. Granddaughter has gathered seeds as she wants some to plant on her fence next yr. She seems to have inherited some of her grandmothers love of flowers.
ReplyDeleteLooks great Tina. Happy to see you on here. Christy will be happy and busy as a new homeowner!!
ReplyDeleteThe Hyacinth Bean is just a wonderful plant. A ton of blooms that are beautiful and bring the scent of spring with them but only in the fall. I also love all of the bee's and other insects such as butterflies.
ReplyDeleteJake
I like the structures you have there... massive and strong, they should last for ages for plants to climb on. ~bangchik
ReplyDeleteLook at all those gourds! You should have more than enough to make birdhouses for all the birds in your garden, Tina. I'm still picking a few tomatoes, but otherwise my vegetable garden is pretty well over for the season, although I did plant some spinach and beets a few weeks ago. It's been so dry, though, we'll see if they amount to anything.
ReplyDeleteLucky you to be able to plant winter crops. It was -1C here this AM luckily i had a tarp over my zucchini. Gardening season is nearly over up here.
ReplyDeleteYour vegetable garden looks so good! It seems like it liked the summer you had. I've already started pulling up tomato plants. This is the first year of no ripe tomatoes. Our predicted weather is cool and rainy, definitely not going to help them along.
ReplyDeleteI love the arbor, it's huge and looks so good with the hyacinth bean!
Congrats to your daughter on her new home.
I'm back from the chiropractor, and after icing my back, I'm now icing my neck.
ReplyDeleteI've not been in the veggie garden much the last few weeks. When I do, I think of you, and wonder how your updates are going. I plan on doing one one of these days, but it has not been a good year for my garden across the street or the one at home.
I am glad I made it here, because I recognized that disease as one I've seen on different kinds of vines here. My cucumbers get something like that every year from the cucumber beetles. They die from it, but I get a few cucumbers from each vine before they do. It doesn't help to plant them in a different spot or skip years.
My tomato plants get diseased every year, too, no matter where they are planted, but I usually get an OK crop from them. Mine have been very late in ripening this year, like Catherine's, but we're getting a few, and I still have hope to get more. The volunteer grape/cherry tomatoes are doing well.