First Day of Autumn

I don't like transition times in the garden. I mourn the end of tomato season. I long for one more fresh, crisp cucumber. I hate the sparseness of the bean plants as their leaves turn yellow and brown and fall to the ground.  I'm reluctant to clear out the old to make way for the new, so I allow tired plants to stay, coaxing out every last bit of vegetable goodness.

But Mother Nature and Father Time always win. Summer ends. Daylight dwindles. The autumnal equinox arrives. And with it ... a new crop to bring to the table! While the beans, peppers, and okra will likely produce until frost, the menu is about to change. Even as I drag my feet, the cool weather garden is taking shape.

The lettuce, spinach, and kale seeds have sprouted. The arugula is looking healthy and ready to cut. The broccoli, cabbage, and collards are growing well. The butternut squash (planted late) is plagued with a few squash bugs, but I'm hoping for a good harvest before insect damage takes its toll. The fava beans are doing their job as a cover crop. They will be ready to harvest in late winter / early spring.

So I will enjoy the trickle of cherry tomatoes and rejoice in the encore performance of the pink-eyed purple-hulled peas as I pile arugula on my sandwich and look forward to that first pot of collard greens!