Garden on the Deck: September Activity

Kale, 9/11/10.

9/17/10 -- Most people are putting their gardens to bed for the fall and winter. My tomatoes still haven't been harvested, I've got flowers and potential peppers all over my pepper plants, and two more eggplants trying to make a go at it. And all of a sudden, my stunted strawberry plant has doubled in size. Aren't they spring fruits? My garden is on it's own calendar this year. Above, the kale keeps plugging along. I have no idea when it's ready to eat.

September Activity in the Garden:

1. Kale (above)
2. More basil...because I finally found out how to harvest it: cut just above the bottom pair of leaves on each stem.
3. Little hot red peppers
4. Tomatoes
5. Lettuce
6. Carrots (photos TBA)

More Basil, 9/7/10.

This is probably the 3rd harvest from our basil plants. Our 4th harvest was on 9/28/10. Amazing. There will be a bounty of pesto through the winter.

Red pepper, 9/11/10.

Out of nowhere, this pepper (above) shows up, first green, then cherry red. When we finally picked it, I gave Chris a sliver to test for hotness. King of hotness said it was pretty hot. I took a 10th of the size of his sliver and coughed for the next 10 minutes. Then I promptly threw it into a freezer bag and tossed it into the freezer until I know what to do with it.

9/11/10.

Tomatoes are still green, but there are 5 that are far enough along they may become edible.

9/11/10.

Our last batch of lettuce. The squirrels have dug up the others, and this one (my favorite kind) gave us one last round for a nice salad.

We make a lot of salad. I love it.