Peppers

Plenty of peppers to come. These are the beauties I can't wait to stuff ... Poblanos!

Color on the last tomatoes ...

In addition to these traditional tomatoes, I continue to pick a handful of cherry tomatoes every day. But it's clear ... those days are numbered.

Hibiscus Sabdariffa - Take 2

The race is on!

These plants begin to bloom as days shorten. Will there be time between now and the first hard frost for the flowers to mature into the calyces used for making tea?? Last year's attempt was a FAIL. Keeping my fingers crossed!

See more about this plant here .

Anticipation

Around here, if you want to eat fresh deliciousness from the backyard in the winter, NOW is the time to act. It takes a little work to fill out the future menu. The failing summer crops and associated detritus must be cleared away. The exciting decisions around what to plant must be made. Seeds and starts must be purchased, then situated in the ground.

Mother Nature has cooperated very nicely this past week. Temperatures have been pleasant, making it easy to spend time in the garden. Although I'm sad the end of the summer garden is upon us, it's so very satisfying to watch the hope of the next season take shape.

The seeds are sown. The starts are settled. Let the growing begin!

Starts*
planted September 21

• Collards - Vates, Georgia, Morris Heading
• Broccoli
• Pak Choi
• Kohlrabi
• Fennel
• Parsley - Italian Flat Leaf, Curled

Seeds*
planted September 22

• Tat Soi Asian Green
• Kale - Red Russian, Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch, Lacinato
• Spinach - Noble Giant, Hybrid
• Mustard Spinach - Tendergreen Salad
• Mustard - Southern Giant Curled
• Arugula
• Lettuce - Black Seeded Simpson, Buttercrunch, Romaine

* purchased from our local feed and seed store: Country Farm and Home

Autumnal Equinox

It is the summer's great last heat.
It is the fall's first chill. 
They meet.  ~ Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt

The official astronomical beginning of autumn is today. It's hard to ignore the signs in the garden. Plants are withering as sunlight decreases. Leaves are dropping. The okra is getting a little warty. We've had a taste of cooler days and nights... and I'm already anticipating the last taste of a fresh tomato.

We've had a very hot, dry stretch here. Hurricane Dorian brought only 1/2" rain to our neighborhood. Those drops fell on September 5... and no more since.

Despite the dry conditions, the garden has continued to provide us with plenty of okra, green beans, and cherry tomatoes. The success of this year's pepper crop has yet to reveal itself. I have already roasted an oven full of sweet peppers, ultimately transformed into a fantastic pasta sauce. There will be a few more sweet peppers and a pan or two of Anaheim peppers to roast. The poblanos are looking promising, with lots of maturing fruits and blooms. Bonus .... we have at least a half dozen butternut squash growing in the compost pile!

The intensity of the summer garden is over. Now, we look forward to the winter garden, where there are few weeds ... and fewer bugs!

Prolific Okra

Time for gumbo! Oh my goodness. It is summertime in a bowl!

Follow this link to find my recipe... serve over rice :-)
https://sueisinthegarden.blogspot.com/2018/08/okra-gumbo.html

Rattlesnake Pole Beans

We've been enjoying the prolific jade green bean crop. Easy to prep - NO strings - and very tasty. But here come the Rattlesnake pole beans!

Picking pole beans is so much easier on the back than picking bush beans. And the Rattlesnakes are worth stringing because they are so darn delicious.

I think the Rattlesnake beans are perfect when they are cooked just tender, but to the point where they will fall apart, releasing their little beans when stirred into the greasy seasoning of choice. The cooking takes 2-1/2 minutes under pressure. It's surprising how different different green beans can taste!