Thursday. Most of the trees have dropped their leaves. The nights are down in the low 30's & high 20's. The days are lovely, crisp, and while the mornings have been drizzly, the afternoons have been clear. Sounding like perfect weather for spinach under row covers. Missing my garden, but enjoying being a corporate girl. Still, this time of year begs me to buy seeds! What if I buy them and don't have a spring or summer garden, either? Lots of bunnies & skunks here. Pretty much have to cage in everything...Oddly, no snails. Probably due to the late afternoon robin invasion. "That's where I come from, I'm an old Tennessean..."
Weather was lovely for Thanksgiving. Today it is grey and drizzly. The grass and weeds are happy.
Birds are eating about 20% of the food in the feeder each day. So far, I have not seen any evidence of squirrels using them - and we have lots of squirrels in our neighborhood. Lots of cottontails, too.
The indoor mint cuttings didn't fare so well, and I am down to only one now. Some of the basils also culled. Still, the rosemary looks good, and at least 3 of the basils are doing well.
The autumn leaves have been lovely this week, but the winds have been kicking up and blowing the leaves off of the branches. Of course, the wind is nothing like NV. Loving this weather. Been flirting with frost for a week, and finally got our [first] hard frost today.
Already i am dreaming of planting tomatoes! Stop! No! Not yet! Let us see if we can make it to Feb before starting them. And then what will I do with them? Give them away? Sell them? I don't know, but I can't not grow them.
Planted out 48 cloves of garlic today. Having a fence sure revolutionizes my gardening. Don't have to wait for raised beds or worry about dogs!
Planted 8 bulbs all together. Still have lots more to plant.
Well, at least I didn't totally procrastinate and I have at least 4 dozen bulbs in the ground. I will be more than thrilled to get even half that next summer. Still need to put in at least one more bed of garlic - maybe plant some and let them flower - maybe the Kettle River since you get a lot of small cloves from one bulb [have since learned that soft neck garlic generally does not set flowers - and they aren't really flowers, but tiny bulbils]. I could plant some and let them flower, but I'd need to remember where I put them so I could make sure that they got watered!
Tied some apple tree branches and weighted them - I think it will only take a few weeks to train them. I only have one concrete stake to use as a weight right now, and since it hasn't been very windy, I figure I'd see how it went.
MDH is amazing. He built me this awesome fence and today I woke to the sounds of hammering - he was building the gate. I'm so thrilled. I don't think he knows how much I've wanted a garden like this - for nearly all of my adult life.
I think I still have about 10 more garlic bulbs to plant - a next week job. Or, a next week pleasure.
The sun is setting. It is peaceful and still and a pleasant bit of chill in the air. I love this time of day, and this time of year.
The boys are out hunting Evil Rabbits.
Observed my Tomato Horn Worm eating this afternoon - totally pigging out is a better description.
NEXT YEAR: Cage or fence in toms
I started my seed inventory and maybe I won't need to order too, too much - I have MG's and all sorts of veggies. Including pole beans. But, of course, "having enough" is no the real reason one goes into a see buying frenzy - it is the hope and the promise of a bountiful garden that lures one.
OK, I promised myself that to show my appreciation for all the time and energy that MDH gave me on building the fence, that I would spend a significant amount of time cleaning house. I so much would rather play in the garden, but I will do it - this is an awesome thing he's done for me!
Made a good haul from the Farmer's Market this morning. One farmer noted that this was an awesome year for tomatoes.
