end of september garden ~ 2018

althea still in bloom

bluebeard bloom

bluebeard bush

3rd planting of bush beans

2nd planting of cypress vine

the end of september garden in all its rag-tag glory

raspberry canes

blackberry canes

this beautiful spider has many names

yellow garden spider, writing spider (love!) and zigzag spider to name a few

mama spider was busy at work

crepe myrtle bloom

first mum purchase of the season - there will be more!

contributing to my gardening savings account - cypress vine seeds

Let's just say the September garden has been taking care of itself! Life has been busy getting into a schooling routine with the children and Jesse planning a Man Camp for men and boys through ou church. The good thing about gardening this time of year is that unless there is a significant heat wave the garden can be neglected and yet still produce, which is indicated by the almost 100 pounds of vegetables harvested this month. It is so convenient to be able to go out to the garden and harvest same day green beans for dinner, or conveniently roast same day tomatoes for sauce or soup. Potatoes and carrots still need to be harvested, but as root vegetables I can leave them be; they are at the mercy of my schedule.At just over 300 pounds, the tomato harvest is a bit ridiculous, but I'm wise enough to be thankful. There are also still flowers in bloom and the zinnias and bluebeard are frequently gathered for indoor enjoyment.  

We finally have autumnal temperatures, the windows are open, the leaves are beginning their turn. So when we do find a moment from our other responsibilities we'll begin clearing, transplanting and dividing perennial bushes. 

One gardneing item of significance that I almost forgot is that we added chickens to our yard once again. We kept the chicks indoors for a couple of months, but they are now enjoying the great backyard. Their mission: eat grubs and bugs! We've noticed a significant increase in these pests since not having chickens. Eggs will be a fine contribution, but, please, eat the bugs! They are a fun group of Red Sex Link hens and have even attracted the attention of a sharp shinned hawk who has made more than one pass in our yard even flying onto our deck. I actually now expect this kind of excitement in our yard. Since we've had opossums, a turkey vulture, bats, a skunk, feral cats, stray dogs, an amazing array of birds, (not to mention the evening song of an owl) ~ why not a hawk admirer (looking for a meal)?

sharp shinned hawk

red sex link hens

end of  total: september 457 pounds, 8 ounces

strawberries~56 pounds

squash~31 pounds (pennsylvania crookneck, yellow scallop. orange custard)

bush beans~13 pounds (golden wax, calima bush)

garlic~2 pounds (inchelium red)

onions~10 pounds (stuttgarter)

roma tomatoes~147 pounds

early girl, better boy & super sonic tomatoes~134 pounds

cherry tomatoes~21 pounds

sweet peppers~4 pounds

carrots~8 ounces

pinto gold potatoes~3 pounds

canela russet potatoes~22 pounds

cucumbers~14 pounds (japanese long, dutch yellow)

various herbs, kale, spinach and lettuce