November - And Still the Garden Has Bounty

Borage has escaped the frost and still blooms
The absolute last rose of summer
Hidden beauty of Nasturtiums
These little zinnias are really tough reliable bloomers
The sorrel is still out there for egg dishes
Flat leaf parsley tastes best after a touch of frost
This white borage is really a great plant - I will have to search for seed to save
Even the Alpines still have a few fruits
Spinach for next spring

Most of the leaves have colored and fallen but this viburnum is still showing


The days have been warm recently. The meadow voles really did damage the lettuce crops (ate it all !!!) in the cold frames and as a result I replanted this week. I had to use a variety of old seed that may or may not germinate because I planted all the specialized winter type seed that I had purchased. I will make a note not to do that again. The spinach has germinated nicely in the hoop house so I included pictures this week. Leaf raking is done and most of them are piled on the curb waiting to join the other leaves in the city compost piles. That site is close, so in the spring I can go there to get extra compost to add to the garden.

We are still planning to enlarge the garden but a new prospect has been discussed. Instead of having a rail fence around the yard and another fence around the garden to keep the bunnies out, we have discussed fencing the entire back yard and eliminating the garden fence. I like that idea because then I can walk in and out of the garden wherever I please, and eliminate bunnies from the entire back yard. I think we will work on that plan and see just what it will cost as part of the garden projects for 2010.

The winter rye seed has germinated nicely and the green cover crop will grow till freeze-up and then next spring I will till the rye into the soil. I have done this for many years and the process has greatly helped me lighten my heavy soil and add good organic fiber to the mix.

With the garden work much slower at this time of year I will decrease my postings to every other week.
Happy Gardening