The Modern Victory Garden

Despite the misty rainy weather today, I managed to get some garden time in.   It was much needed as I was away all last weekend and my evenings over the past week were consumed with preserving peaches and pears, and taking care of other routine household business.    Primarily, the garden is in need of a little cleaning up, harvesting, and some of the fall crops are ready for fertilization.      

The broccoli, kohlrabi, and cabbage starts that I planted out on July 11th are all mature now and have been providing good harvests.   Today I harvested a few heads of broccoli, and all of the remaining kohlrabi.           

The cabbage that was planted in that bed is a new variety for me - Beira Tronchuda.   This is a loose-leaf cabbage that in many ways remind me of collard plants.                                           

I need to start harvesting and using these plants in the coming weeks as well as the head cabbages that are growing in other sections of the garden.

One of the tasks I got completed today was to give the brussel sprouts a fertilizing drench of fish emulsion tea.   The plants have stalled out somewhat in the past few weeks and I want to ensure the sprout formation is completed before the really cool and wet fall weather finally arrives.   I also watered the pepper plants in the greenhouse. They are still really producing, are loaded with peppers, and should keep providing fresh harvests well into late fall with the protection of the greenhouse.               

The last chore I tackled was to remove all of the sweet corn and harvest the remaining ears for freezing.   It did not take long to clear the patch out, harvest the ears, and then chop up the stalks for the compost pile.   The ears of corn were shucked, then blanched in boiling water (quick cooled in ice water afterwards).   The corn kernels were then cut from the cob and bagged for freezing in a gallon zip lock freezer bag.   I got just over 4 lbs of corn kernels from the harvest.   The bed is now open and ready to be prepped for the next crop to go in.                

I am sad to see the corn finish up for the season, as we have really enjoyed it.   The removal of the tomatoes and the corn plants really seems to put an official end to the summer growing season.   This empty bed will not remain so for very long though.   If you recall, I started some Walla Walla sweet onions back on August 16th.   They are now about a month along and looking good.              

I will trim about 1/3rd of the top growth back on these plants tomorrow (using scissors) to encourage root development and less top growth.   These onion seedlings will be transplanted into the bed vacated by the sweet corn in a week or so and then allowed to grow on over the winter.   I will also be planting the garlic and multiplier onions in this same bed later in October.  

Got quite a bit done for such a cool and damp day.   How are your fall plantings doing?