It’s not up for discussion, my absolute favorite season is autumn.
I’m not a fan of hot summer weather unless I can be stretched out on the sand listening to the ocean waves and smell the salty air. Unfortunately Fort Wayne got the shaft when Mother Nature passed out the coastline.
There is one wonderful aspect of living in Northeast Indiana? The seasons.
Well I guess that’s four wonderful things. Every season is distinct, and I love that. Currently it’s windy and overcast and a bit on the nippy side. On a perfect fall day though, the sky is cloudless deep blue, the sun is warm, and the red, orange, and gold leaves contrast perfectly with the intense green of the grass. It’s a sensory heaven really. Often, even in the city, you will also catch the smoky scent of burning leaves or a wood stove. Doesn’t that sound like heaven?
I didn't have the heart to weed whack these rudbeckia trifolia a few months ago. They have rewarded me with almost a continuous month of beautiful yellow flowers. I just love weeds!
People who know me, know there's only one thing I love more than being elbow deep in dirt. I'll give you a hint...
Stripping out old plants means the end of the growing season, which is a bummer. This year I built a new compost bin (a tall one the dogs couldn't use as a buffet) so I'm basically starting over. Most of the old plant matter will end up in the bin, along with mulched maple leaves and grass clippings. Horse poo is on my 2013 Christmas list. I'm serious. It helps burn down the compost. Unfortunately, this means waiting until after next season to use it. So, to prepare awesome garden soil for next year I bought some green manure seed.
The buckwheat won't survive the winter but the mass of rotting plants will put nutrients (mainly calcium) in the soil in time for spring planting. The peas and rye will also be turned under in the spring.
Buckwheat.
This year was a booming garden year. It yielded more than I would have expected from such a small space. I really struggled to get the hang of the growling season up here. My brain was stuck on Kentucky and Tennessee time and boy did I learn the hard way. The first year I nurtured heirloom tomato seedlings then set them out in early May. Eeek! That's a big no no here in NE Indiana. You can have frosts up until the end of May and spring can be very windy, snapping delicate seedlings right in half. My friend Barb offered a simple tip for hardening off tender seedlings. Place the them in front of a fan set on high for a few weeks before transplant. Pure genius.
In late spring, end of April, I set out my snow peas, peas, lettuces (those that don’t reseed themselves), and onion sets. I then wait until after May 30 to set out those delicate tomatoes and peppers.
A little trick for peppers is to start them at the end of summer in large perennial pots. I bring them inside during the winter and set them near a sunny window and water occasionally. Sometimes I will even get a pepper in the middle of winter! When June rolls around I plant the mature pepper plants right in the garden. You’ll have peppers from June to November.
I started these in August.
Companion planting is also very helpful. Peppers and okra like growing next to each other. The okra plants have sturdy stems and can get quite tall. They help shield the more delicate pepper plants from the wind. I started my okra right in the ground after the last frost and yielded about 3 dozen okra pods (from 3 plants) for making delicious gumbo! Soaking the okra seeds in warm water overnight helps speed germination.
One thing is certain though, my little garden in the city proves that it doesn't matter how much space you have. If you keep your soil happy you will have a nice garden that will provide delicious vegetables spring to fall. All it takes is a little effort and some help from Mother Nature, should she care to cooperate. Also, the glut of seed catalogues in the depths of a snowy February will do wonders for the winter blues.
No comments:
Post a Comment