Our summer garden is pretty much history. The only plants still producing are okra and eggplant, neither of which I like very much.
A few weeks ago, I started preparing for our fall garden. After the tomatoes stopped producing, I pulled up all 58 tomato plants, cleaned up the cages, and stored them until next spring. I chopped down the corn stalks, and started preparing the soil. I don’t use a lot of chemical fertilizer. I prefer to use compost.
But since I didn’t have enough compost for the entire garden, I tilled in a 10-10-10 fertilizer to the rows I laid out. Since my drip lines worked so well for the tomatoes this summer, I decided to add another 300 feet of irrigation lines.
So almost every plant in the fall garden will have an individual water source.
I added some fresh, rich compost to the raised beds. If you’re interested in building some raised beds yourself, here’s how I did it last spring. I highly recommend the raised beds because it’s easier to control the weeds, and you can plant more vegetables in a smaller area.
So here we go for the fall. We bought our plants from J&W Greenhouses instead of planting seeds. We planted 48 hills of broccoli. I know that sounds like a lot, but everybody told us last year that the broccoli was the best they’d ever eaten. Don’t worry. We have a lot of hungry family and friends.
We put the cabbage in the raised beds, as well as 16 lettuce plants of different varieties.
Here are four 75 ft. rows of collards. Although I’ve never eaten mustard greens, on the recommendation of the folks at the greenhouse, I planted 9 mustard green plants. We also planted a few cauliflower plants. Rutabaga plants aren’t ready yet, but we’ll be planting some of them when they are available.
When the collards, cabbage, and mustard greens are cooking, you’ll be able to smell the Cottage at the Crossroads from a mile away! Mmm, good. Can’t wait.
Hold on! Seems like last night we had an uninvited guest in our garden. It was a rascally rabbit! It seems the local rabbits had gotten a whiff of those tender, new plants and decided to help themselves. No problem-just another trip to the greenhouse to replace the nibbled on plants.
This should keep them out. Since the entire garden is fenced in, I think the only way they are getting in is under the gate, so I put some chicken wire on the bottom of the gate.
If this doesn’t work, anyone up for rabbit stew?
I’m sharing here:
Live from Windham’s Crossroads,
Leo
Jean says
September 12, 2016 at 3:16 pmI am so happy to read all about planting collards, turnips, and mustard greens. All of these are so good for everyone to eat. Thank you for sharing Leo.
Manuela@A Cultivated Nest says
September 18, 2011 at 3:04 pmI’m so impressed with the drip lines! I really need to do the same thing for my veggie garden.
All my summer veggies are gone except for some bush beans I re-seeded a few weeks ago. But I bought some fall veggie plants and just have to add some compost and clean up my beds to plant.
Ginger says
September 13, 2011 at 3:09 pmHey Leo, Bob has a pellet gun but he’s gunning for deer. Have a great day. Ginger
Ginger says
September 13, 2011 at 3:06 pmHi Leo, That is some garden you have going there. I can attest, mustard greens are delish!! I don’t know if you have tried it but just a pinch of sugar in collards, mustard, broccoli or brussel sprouts while they are cooking or steaming will take out any bitter after taste. However, some may like that taste, just saying.
What you have done in your garden in inspiring. Love the drip system. Boy, I could have used that this year. We don’t have such a large area but I do think we would have room for a couple of raised beds.
I am going back to check the post on raised beds.
Blessings to you and Jane,
Shelia says
September 12, 2011 at 11:29 pmWhat a great garden! Now I would like my hubby to guest post on my blog sometimes. Love those raised beds!
Thanks for popping in to see me.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
Alison at the Polohouse says
September 12, 2011 at 9:59 pmThat is one serious garden!
I am so impressed! Looks terrific. I wish I had the time to
put a few raised beds in here. Maybe next summer!
You have inspired me!
xx
A
Cathy Wall says
September 12, 2011 at 8:56 pmThat is one very impressive garden! I’ll take some of the eggplant you are not crazy about… I hope plan A works for keeping the rabbits out!
Cathy @ Room Rx
Vickie says
September 12, 2011 at 7:51 pmGreat garden- I am trying broccoli this year. Will have to replant the lettuce and mustard- after the flood it is probably coming up in the next county! I need to borrow that gun, I have a rabbit too.
HolleyGarden says
September 12, 2011 at 6:09 pmWhat a wonderful fall garden! And you have fashioned it just right with the drip hoses. Happy eating!
dawn says
September 12, 2011 at 4:12 pmYour garden is beautiful. I was happy with my little garden this year. If our landscaping ever gets done, I will go back to raised beds like yours. I agree they are so much easier to weed, and I also think it makes things look neat and tidy. Did you ever try your eggplant for eggplant Parmesan? When I make it everyone say they would have never know it was eggplant. Love it!! Tell Leo to put the gun away the bunnies have to eat too. LOL I know how maddening it is when they eat all your tender shoots. Beautiful photos:)
Judy@In His Grip says
September 12, 2011 at 4:32 pmWow, I would love to have a garden like that. I just have enough room for a tomato plant or two, and then I grow my own herbs. Thanks for stopping by “In His Grip” :o)
Nayana says
September 12, 2011 at 1:48 pmwow..you have a great garden. I have pinned your page of raised beds as we r planning to do next spring.
Barbara F. says
September 12, 2011 at 1:41 pmAs I am reading this post, I was thinking, “Wow, that Jane is some helluva a woman to be able to do yard work like this!” THEN, I realized that Leo is posting!!!!! I am still very impressed, and I am saving the raised bed info. I will show it to my gardening helper and see what he can do for next year. The last photo is hilarious! xo,
Rob Duren says
September 12, 2011 at 1:29 pm“Be bery bery qwiet … Weo’s huntin’ wabbits!”
Pat says
September 12, 2011 at 12:40 pmHa! that last picture made me laugh.
Now just imagine my Honey with his ‘Red Rider’ (left over from raising boys) outside our house– shooting grasshoppers.
your garden looks great. Pat