Autumn Decor

 Now that September is here we have begun our fall chores: shampooing rugs, washing tractors, cutting cornstalks, taking apart the pumpkin patch.  That comes with a bonus.  It is time for a decor change at the side porch.

I have been growing these purple pepper plants in the garden and enjoying them there, but now they are front and center.  I also am in love with these dark green pumpkins.  They are a result of using seeds from last year's pumpkins which were obviously cross pollinated with zucchinis.  I am definitely going to include dark green (or black) pumpkin seeds in next year's order.

The Black Pearl peppers are my favorite.

When the peppers ripen they turn cherry red.

I still have pumpkins in the pumpkin patch curing.  You should leave them on the vine until you can no longer leave a dent with your thumbnail.

Here is a picture from last year's side porch display.

Coleus Cuttings

 My earliest Coleus cuttings have put out roots.  It was amazing.  None for days and days and then all of a sudden... quarter inch roots.

I have to say that these tubes are not easy to keep filled with water.  I would go out most mornings and half of the cuttings would be high and dry.  But they are amazingly resilient.  I am happy to get them into some soil.  I stuck them in cells and placed them on the lower level for some shade.  I have wanted to keep them out in the sun so they can stay outside until frost.  Life would be easier if I had just put them indoors under a grow light.  They would not have used so much water every day.  But I am stubborn, and that would have just been one more out of the way stop on my daily rounds.  So in the sun they stay.

My next round of cuttings will be specifically chosen for longer stems so they will be better at keeping their feet in the water.

Update on an Old Undo Redo

Three years ago, this view with the tall grasses right next to the lawn began to vex me.  So I moved the two tall Overdam grasses to another area, along a fence where they can be as tall and skinny as they want to be.  I had some Karley Rose grasses to the right, but they were not thriving in the wet ground, so the next year I replaced those with Niagara Falls Panicum.

The Niagara Falls grasses are doing well in the soggy soil and their size really anchors this space.

The right plant in the right place. 

Some New Dahlia Blooms

 

Cherokee Beauty

Chloe Janae

Bee's Choice from last year

Belstar Broccoli

 I had every intention of pulling out the Broccoli plants today.

But they were just full of useable broccoli.  And more little ones coming.

There is also one nice cabbage left.  It was a tiny transplant and lagged behind all summer.  It is just a little late to the party.  I'm in the mood for some cole slaw!

I Can't Believe it is September

Early September vegetable garden update.

Sweet Corn was amazing.  I shouldn't have even bothered to fill in the ones that didn't come up.  The later stalks produced very small ears but we had more than enough corn from the early survivors.  The ears were large.  The pollination was wonderful.  The corn was super sweet.  The stalks are hanging out waiting to become autumn decor.

 

I've had more than enough Broccoli.  I am letting it flower.  I just need to get in there and clean it out for the season.

The Sunflowers were beautiful.  The Cantaloupes were a bust.

I still have two zucchini plants producing their heads off.  I've eaten a lot of Zucchini.  I have grilled zucchini for breakfast... time to make some Zucchini cake.

They just keep going and going and going....

Here are some late planted pickling Cucumbers.   They don't look like they will amount to much.

The Blackberries and Black Raspberries are growing spectacularly.  I have formulated a plan for supports for next year involving posts and hog panels.  But that can wait.

There are some to nibble on almost every day.

The Grape Vines look terrific.  I am looking forward to next year.

The Pole Beans are beaning.  They don't seem super productive to me but there are more than plenty beans.

Sweet Potatoes.

The Tomato Jungle is starting to look messy.

Nothing short of pruners and a wheelbarrow will make a difference here.  I'll wait until the ugly can be seen from a distance before I try to restore order.

Bell Peppers:  more than plenty

Hot Peppers:  more than plenty

The fall Pea experiment is interesting.  When I plant in April it takes two months for flowers to form.  These took one month.

We'll see what develops.  Enough for snacking maybe?

The Dahlias are coming into their own.

This is the first really successful year for the 4 in 1 Pear tree.  I've watered it a lot.  This is year six and I have been getting at least a few pears each year since the second year.  We are enjoying a couple of nice, sweet, large Bartlett pears a day now.  There are a few Bosc pears to be picked.  I have never gotten a Seckel or Summercrisp pear from it.  Those branches are still alive but do not thrive like the Bartlett does.  There are dozens of pears this year.  Dozens.  The tree is finally beginning to repay me for pruning, spraying, watering and defending it from the deer 365 days a year.

Ice Tea Dahlia

Bloomquist Pleasing Dahlia