We had an unbelievable fall this year - a few freeze threats - but nothing serious until last week.
Next 3 pictures are from a few weeks ago when pepper plants were still laden with fruit (green) and basil provided some season's last nectar to the bees.
Here's the former mound that grew all our watermelons last summer. I made it a bit more appealing with edging recycled from the front of the building and a few rocks that came out of the ground when we built the beds on the hill... Some snapdragons are still blooming there.
Here is a partial view of the hill with two flowerbeds - you can see them right next to the greenhouse. In the spring those beds will be filled with perennials, aromatic herbs, annuals and oil seed plants. We will have our own bee hive in the spring so anything flowering will be greatly appreciated by the bees!
This picture was taken yesterday, after the frost and after Adam and I pulled up all the dead basil and pepper plants and a few tomatoes which were still full of green fruit... Our greenhouse is stuffed with plants - potted perennials we're trying to over-winter, my lime tree, 2 banana trees, a pot of hop rhizomes to be planted along the deck in the spring... Adam found me 2 metal barrels yesterday that we can roll in the greenhouse and fill with water for "heat tanks". Hopefully they will help to collect solar heat throughout the day and release it slowly during the cold nights... 2 barrels may not be enough though, so if you have any laying around that you are not using - we will gladly accept donations!
I also have 2 raised beds in there to fill up with topsoil, compost mix - so we can start growing greens all year round! My worms are there too, all snug and cozy.
Right now kale, chard, parsley, senposai (a new cooking green variety developed by farmer Doug who runs the Piedmont Biofarm), dill and mizuna are still growing. I'll be selling those greens as long as they are available - until our season starts again.
Winters here are really fortunate for us, the leafy green eaters.
6 comments:
Hi Anne- you have done such a beautiful job with the gardens considering what you started from!
I was so pleased to walk through them on open house night.
M
Oi, tõesti näeb väga nägus välja :) Tubli töö!
It's always sad to see the tender stuff go. Last night's frost caught me by surprise, & I left my cold frame open. I'll be interested in hearing more about Farmer Doug's new green.
Hi guys, thanks for all your support!!! I'll try and take some pix of the senposei soon. We have not even tried it yet. I will try and save seed next spring!
Laurie, sad to hear about the freeze - did you lose a lot? It surprised me too...
Anne, just now saw your reply. Lost a little lettuce here & there. And the volunteer tomatoes that Joseph was contemplating potting up & bringing inside. But no real damage overall.
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