The Modern Victory Garden

It’s getting harder to do anything in the garden after work these days because each day is getting noticeably shorter.   Adding to the sensation of seasonal change is the hasty departure of our brief late season weather warm up.   It was great while it lasted, but it did not last very long.   The crops that have been pouting from lack of real warmth this entire summer suddenly woke up and got a move on it.   The squash-family plants in particular responded to the warm up.   At long last the normal jungle of vine growth has occurred – almost a full month behind schedule but better late than never I guess.     

Part of that response came in the form of pumpkins that are finally starting to put some size on.   Again, this is very late and they have a long way to go to maturity but for the larger ones formed, it is at least possible now that they may get to the finish line before the plants give it up to disease or killing frosts.   It just all depends on what kind of fall we end up experiencing.         

While the squash family plants have been putting on a last ditch growth spurt, the fall crops also used the brief warm up to do some growing of their own. I have an early-planted spinach patch that is already producing regular harvests, and a younger (later planted) patch that will soon be producing harvests as well.   Next to the spinach is a patch of mache and some lettuces.   The slugs have managed to munch most of the young lettuces as fast as they grew, but a few have survived and should also soon be harvestable.                

The parsnip patch has been growing all summer long and is now at the peak of vegetation growth.                 

I did an investigative poke down into the soil to see how they were coming on and found that they are sizing up well.   I won’t be harvesting any of these for a while yet as I prefer them after the weather has turned really chill.        

The fall broccoli patch is growing right next to the jungle of squash vines and are creating a bit of a jungle all their own.                

The heads are formed and are getting larger with each passing day. We won’t have to wait much longer to have fresh broccoli back on the menu again.                     

The bush beans are winding down but still producing.   The extremely late pole beans are finally starting to produce - just in time to start filling the gap created by the decreasing bush bean production.                     

All in all, the summer garden is still producing well and if we are fortunate enough to have a reasonably dry and warmish fall season they will continue to command center stage, but warming up just behind the curtain are the fall cast of characters, poised to take their turn in the spotlight for a while.        

Laura

kitsapfreedomgardener