Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Gayle, Gayle, How Does Your Garden Grow?

It's time to put my garden to bed for the winter. I took a walk through the damp withering plants and found a handful of green beans.



Not enough to make a side dish but definitely enough to put in one of my soups this week.


I also found that I had several green cherry tomatoes and at least 6 romas left on the vines. I pulled up the root ball and hung them upside down in my garage to ripen. The nutrients from the roots goes back down to the tips of the plant and turns the green tomatoes red. So we'll be eating a few more garden fresh tomatoes by next week.



Next I'll be using the Lasagna garden method to build up my soil and get it all healthy and nourished during the winter. It also provides amazing weed control so next year I basically just walk into my garden space and begin planting again. No digging, no tilling, no weeding.


I've already starting making a list of new veggies I'd like to add and expansion ideas for next year. I'd like to grow fresh lavender, more fresh herbs to dry and store, more leafy greens, and maybe grow just one crop in each raised bed so I can have plenty to can next year. One bed of tomatoes, one bed of green beans, one bed full of cucumbers for pickling and then one experimental bed for new or smaller crops.


Good news. My transplanted artichoke plant that spent the whole spring and summer recuperating from it's move from my mothers garden to mine, is sprouting beautiful new shoots and I'm looking forward to fresh artichokes on my dinner table.


How does YOUR garden grow?

7 comments:

Farmgirl Cyn said...

ll, right now my garden is done for the season. We have had several hard frosts, so there is really nothing left. But...I have put your book recommendation on my Amazon Wish list, so we shall see!

gail said...

you may have written a post about this already, but i'll ask anyway. how much do you figure you save annually on groceries by gardening? or do you garden for other reasons?

Shawn said...

Oh, how can you talk about gardening now? It's such a long time until spring! Especially here in the far north. I try my best not to start planning until March, that way I won't put seeds in cups too early. This year, my tomato plants were way to big by the time the last frost came through on June 9th. Only a couple survived the transplant. :( Next year I plan to plant a lot more potatoes and carrots and I want to start a bunch of strawberry plants. What I need to plan the most is a budget so I can buy the things I need when I need them! I'm always broke when strawberry plants are in nurseries! We were suppose to build another raised bed last weekend, but it got pushed ahead to this weekend. The one I have now is 5 ft by 25 ft, but its too crowded with tomato plants in it. Can't wait for spring!!

Chaney said...

I have to admit I'm drooling a little bit. We live in WY where it's very difficult to get things to grow. Most people here use square foot gardening, however this year it was just too cold to get most things to grow. We got a total of 2 tomatoes, 1 squash and 2 beans. It was a little bit of a waste of money. I think we may have to put in a green house soon!

Gerry Okimi said...

just came across your blog-Great idea.
Gardening is one of my passions and a great way to keep the grocery bill down. We are just harvesting the last of the garden- some carrots, beets, a few more leek, maybe another meal from the swiss chard. These are all the crops that will tolerate the cooler November weather here in S. Ontario. We bought very few vegetables since April and have given a lot away.

Johnlyn said...

I just posted a picture of my pathetic looking cherry tomato plant, but it has a few red tomatoes on it. Had it not been in a container in my garage, it would be dead by now.

I'll be looking forward to your posts in the spring when you start planting!

Becky said...

Remember to use your washing machine to wash your beans when you wash them.