Discussion Board

I am very disappointed. In our area, it is already getting much cooler at night and we even have one tree that is already starting to lose its leaves. The "smell" of Fall is in the air.

Summer was very very short for us this year. I think it got hot for about 3-4 weeks, normally we have hot dry summers that last a good 8 weeks or more. But not this year. I've seen it get up to 115 degrees here but this year we didn't even hit 100!!

We are still getting tomatoes, green beans, yellow crookneck squash, lemon cucumbers and broccoli. We have more potatoes to dig up and a few more onions.

We have carrots and winter squash still growing. We will harvest nearly everything within the next 2-3 weeks. I've seen it frost here October 10 so we don't have much longer of a growing season.

How is everyone else's gardens doing? Anyone canning, freezing or drying foods?

We are about a month ahead of schedule in the lowering of temps. I know you all did have a cool summer. I couldn't believe when the temps were in the 90's here, and how many days over 100 in Texas, that you all would be in the high 70s. I am hoping that we are just having a little fake fall right now.

I put more green beans in that need to grow and yield. I also have tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and limas still going. Everything else loves the cool.

We are looking at an early fall right now as the trees are just starting to shed the first leaves.... about 3 or 4 weeks early.

So far I have eaten most of my stuff but due to the west coasts cold very wet spring I planted my stuff late. End of may beggining of June June...

but this weekend I put up some of my early corn three bags of it.

and the late corn wont be done until end of October Middle of November.

it should make a bunch for the freezer and maybe some of it canned.

I have eaten most of my beans I am doing bush beans, they are so yummy but I am hoping to also put some of those up in the freezer.. I did tons of jam this spring
Starwberry (not from my garden)
a little bit of Raspberry also not from my garden.
Blackberry and plum from my garden.

We ate all the peaches as there was not a lot of those. Those I usually just make into canned peaches when I have an abundance like last year.

and I have apples right now to make some apple butter those are from my garden.

still to harvest are beets and carrots and of course the beans.
The peppers and tomatoes I have just been eating as I only planted a couple of those plants.

That wasn't bad considering the wet and chilly year you have had. I hope the hard frost waits to come in.

Yeah me too. I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best... my late corn is just now putting on it's ears.

and they will be a full month to harvest.

We usually don't have a real frost until around or after thanksgiving... I suppose I could cover the corn bed with plastic if it does get that cold.

How are you guys holding up on the east coast it is still dog days of summer there too Right?

really I'm not sure what happened to us, but we left our 90 degree days August 30th or 31st and then immediately went to low 80's to mid or even low 70's and rain. We usually bounce all around this time of year. I'm getting my winter/fall clothes down this weekend because it's so cold. I never have done it this early. I don't know what is happening to us. There is no sun in sight next week either.

I figure by the time the sun comes out again, the day will be so short I won't even get to see it. How do folks in Seattle do it?

I purchased this plastic sheeting that is black one side and white the other. The black side warms the soil.

So we had a big old heat wave this week so putting up carrots and squash today... Yummmm! they are going in the freezer.

Over on the east side of the State of Washington (desert country) we are getting lots of sunshine but days only up in the late 70's or early 80's. But tomorrow it is to cool down considerably. Nights are really cooling down.

I'm sure we will have yet a few weeks of Indian summer--and then winter will set in.

Kitty, I'm so glad you got your heat wave--nice! I'm reluctant to pick our carrots and squash yet but will have to within the next several weeks.

I still have a lot of canned stuff from last year so not doing so much this year.

Faith--I got my winter clothes out too. Put away most of my capris and summer tops. I hate going back to regular jeans--how I love those thongs (flip-flops) and capris!! My most favorite clothes! lol They are too comfortable...lol.

I leave my birkenstocks out all winter and wear them around home with socks LOL.

Your temps sound like what we are suppose to be doing. Our nights are cooling down too.

I have to admit I'm amazed and how fast my pole beans are growing. Better than the peas.

WE are having the last hurrah of summer early fall weather here.

cooler nights some days hot some days cool.

I am still in summer clothes and will be for a good month..then it will be time to get out the winter stuff.... I keep my flip flops out for wearing around the house and quick runs outside. but we rarely get below the 50's and when we do it still stays above 30 most days. I am spoiled and I know it.

oh you are spoiled. Now that would be nice. I'd love to spend most of the winter in the 50's.

Oh Kitty--you are spoiled rotten! lol (jk) How nice to have such temps.

This next week I "heard" from friends our temps are to go really low--in the mountains it could get down to 15 degrees. Supposed to rain here too. I don't think it will freeze here yet but it is going to get close to the low 40's.

After hearing that I went to bed and dreamed my husband and I woke up to snow and it covered our whole garden! We were so shocked....whew--glad it was only a dream...

I'm just not ready for winter mentally (my dreams show it...lol). I love sunshine and happy summer days gardening.......

With as wet as our August and September was (both several inches over our normal) I'm getting worried this may be a heavy snow year. The year before last we had two blizzards back to back. I never shoveled so much in my life. My son had a broken ankle so couldn't help much. I am so hoping that doesn't come true.

I'm not ready for winter yet either.

I remember that Faith--when snow is really a wet snow, it can be really hard to move!!

Snow in our area tends to be dryer and sometimes you can see it flying around with the wind because it is so dry.

Well, my husband rototilled our garden a few days ago, making it bigger! We harvested our carrots--got some beautiful ones and also half of our butternut squash. One plant produced at least 24 good sized butternut squash! Amazing how well it did. We also picked broccoli which just keeps going, but our tomatoes are going VERY slow. Soon we will pick all the green ones and store them in the pantry and use them as they turn ripe.

My Sweet 100's never did amount to much this year. I'm not sure why--first year they've been slow in producing. I've kept up with them easily. Next year I'll plant two plants and probably be inundated with them everywhere....lol.

In a few weeks we will plant our Austrian peas. By then everything will be out of the garden except the few rows of garlic we plant every fall.

Anything left in your garden Faith? Is your garden all done yet Kitty?

Thinkgs left In teh summer Garden

My last bed of corn,
My carrots, Beets, and teh beans are putting on new blossoms

As are teh cuccumbers not sure if i will get more fruits from them before the frost but I will wait and see.. I have actual fruits on my egg plants finally and I have some peppers and tomatoes sitill growing

New stuff growing are some lettuces.. the swiss chard that I cut down to the ground is coming back so i am leaving it in,
and I also planted some collard greens and they are doing great so far.

I will be putting in some kale and cabbages and turnips and carrots for the winter and some peas to try... and some spinach also some garlic.. And I have some potaoes both sweet and red and purple and russets to get ready to put in a new bed for next summer. Apparetnly they are supposed to go in the ground here soon.

Then as i empty the other beds i will be piling leaves on them to over winter. I guess mostly I want to get as much out of my garden as i can!