Cover Cropping Beds

Autumn is here, we took the dead corn stalks out of the 4x8 bed and brought all of the Red Beans in to dry. During the autumn and winter, we are trying something different this year. We planted oats in the 4x8 bed that will grow quickly, prevent weeds and provide more bulk matter for the bed.

In only a week, the oats are sprouting along with some straggler beans that fell into the bed. Beans will grow as much as possible and be cut down to replace nitrogen in the soil and also add some bulk to the bed to break down over the winter.

After the leaves fall and we layer the back garden with leaves, we'll also seed some oats and buckwheat for next year.  Buckwheat has been a great success in helping to bring insects into the garden when other plants aren't flowering. 

We have had above average temps the past couple of weeks and the plants kept growing. I'm hoping to have a couple of smallish pumpkins to use for seeds for next year and we are still eating the peas and carrots, tomatoes and eggplants are growing.

Late sugar pumpkins running up the Juniper Bush

Carrots!

After the potatoes were done - we planted peas

Finally some tomatoes!

Little Eggplants growing

How does your garden grow?

...at warp speed?

Just a quick update because I am amazed at how quickly things are progressing. We ate some deliciously sweet snap peas in a stir fry yesterday and today the Marigolds and Nasturtiums are starting to open. With the expected weather at 95ish for the next two days, I am hoping the sweet potatoes will get the heat they need. Otherwise...you can see for yourself. Not so bad for a first try at this thing. It makes me so happy to just watch the changes, even from morning to evening the growth can be seen. I have never loved Summer so much!

Delicious sweet Snap peas

Sunflowers, corn, beans and squash - will be taller than me soon!

view of the beds - peas, snap peas and the herb spiral - first Nasturtium flowers!
In the far back near the fence- potatoes.

Blue Poppies 

Cherry Tomatoes and Red Hopi Amaranth

Snap Peas- Sweet and Delicious

Broccoli, onions, and red onions 

Package of mixed lettuce seeds...wow

In case you are wondering...the lettuce is just a package of mixed seeds - literally just scattered in a planter - and I could have many salads.  Tomorrow we are planning a little salad with a radish or two and will be picking the shelling peas to see how that goes.  

We'll be eating/freezing this batch and planting another for seed for next year.

The only thing that has been difficult...the location of the eggplant and watermelon did not work, probably too shady, so I will be starting them again and hoping to have it work in a sunnier spot in the front yard.  The pumpkins, zucchini, and butternut seem to love it - 

so it's worth a try.

All in all, I am enjoying the watering each evening and the obvious growth 

from day to day.