A Walk Through the (Fall) Garden, October 9th

Oh man, it may not be consistently down out of the 90's yet, but around these parts there's life breathed back into everything! My poor garden space was hibernating in brown and crispy splendor through the summer the last time we took a look at it, but it's starting to perk up now!

-We planted 4 new zucchini plants that have really taken hold in their new spot with no signs of squash bugs (which basically did in our round of squash this summer). We've spotted the first few blossoms and are happily anticipating the first slender fruit!

-Our garlic went in the ground on October 1st, but I'm starting to fret that the first might have been too early for us this year. It's been so hot and dry... I hope they hang in there til the chill comes back to stay!

-We have two hearty Roma tomato plants that survived through all that the summer threw at them, and are now positively bursting with blossoms and grape-sized baby green tomatoes. I have such high hopes!

-In and among the seeds we planted for fall are volunteers from all that bolted and went to seed in July... oak leaf lettuce, cilantro, dill, and zinnias... it's been fun guessing what's sprouting around the re-planted beds!

-We've planted the rest of our beans, and this time the "bush beans" that turned out to be pole beans are planted along the fence and they've recently begun their climb in and out of the chicken wire. Maybe now we'll get a harvest worth mentioning! (maybe even enough for green bean casserole for a holiday meal?)

-The Swiss chard that was positively ravaged by the chickens when they had free reign of the garden has all come back with fresh healthy new leaves. Most of my family doesn't care for chard, so I've been cutting back the outside leaves and tossing them to the girls (since they've made it known it's a fav anyway). I just love the way the red, pink, and yellow stems look among the green leaves of their neighbors!

-The flowers in this space of mine, oh my! They persisted through the hottest and driest parts of the summer and have responded to the autumnal cool down with a new wave of fresh blooms! Love.

-Last on the walk is my jalapeno plant, which barely produced anything during the spring and summer, but which is now dripping with wee peppers. We were even able to pick a few for a jar of pickled peppers this morning! Finally!

-We've also planted cabbage, green onions, radishes, and carrots, but we're having a crazy-bad time with grasshoppers right now and I'm afraid the seeds that have sprouted are struggling. Such a catch-22: let the chickens out to eat the grasshoppers, and they'll also eat the sproutlings. Keep the girls penned, and the grasshoppers eat the sprouts. Ugh. Thus the gardener's dilemma.

At least the girls give a little back!