First Frost

Last Sunday I checked on garden plot #1 and the vegetation showed signs of wilt. The temperature had dropped into the 20s overnight. As I uprooted and examined the root ball for eggplant (healthy and multi-branched) and green pepper (small and shallow) a question formed:

If there is no humidity in the air, can frost actually form? Can vegetation skip the frost on leaves stage and go straight to frozen? The plant cells are filled with water. Water freezes then bursts the cell walls, which is what you see. So think about my science question.

Transplanted Last Week. Rabbits Dining This Week

Sunday 09Sep12 Plot #1 now has aluminum foil strips to tremble in the slightest breeze. Let's see if rabbits avoid my new transplants. 

Saturday 08Sep12 Plot #1 shows rabbit visitors already found and dined on corner plot but they seemd to ignore the cauliflower leaves. Plant more cauliflower! In contrast, the neighbor plot's radishes, lettuces, kale undisturbed. The narrow gravel lanes between plots deter rabbits. After broccoli and cabbage transplants enjoyed the back seat for a week, they got into the home garden this morning. Now acclimated to outdoors, salvia offers one sapphire bloom.

2012 Autumn Planting

Attended Breeze Farm workshop on post-harvesting. Beautiful moonrise. Transplanted 3 cauliflower given by a plot neighbor and bought 2 brussels sprouts transplants for home garden. Have compost, will cover.

Deep Red Maple

Saw a sheaf, a low sword offered to the morning sun on the morning commute. Beautiful. Last Saturday visited Plot #1. Night meetings prevented any visits during the week. Brown crinkly leaves to trim and trash. Harvested 6 cayenne peppers and several small tomatoes.

First Sourwood Orange Leaf

Yesterday rain stopped me from walking. Last year, the tops of the sourwoods along the path glowed an orange welcome to the autumn sunrise. Today I found the first orange sourwood leaves at the top, only a half dozen or so, and a few on the ground. Brought in a tiny oval and pinned it to welcome the changing season.

Melon!

Visited Plot #1 and harvested one pickling cucumber last night. Noticed unofficial harvesting means 2 cayenne peppers satisfied another's bite. Neighbor plot's trellis was leaning, so closer inspection revealed hidden among beautiful 5-lobed leaves are small green melons suspended in the air. Probably honeydew but will know later.

Home plot says thanks to SB for the coffee grounds. Two blaze roses are thriving post Black Kow spreading. Mint trimmed back. More tomatoes harvest bound.

Cherokee Purple Harvest

Yesterday, home, from one plant, harvested 11 tomatoes; 3 had been colonized by ants, so they were shaken off and then drowned in a bowl of water. Unofficial harvesting from Plot #1, so that's To Do on my list. Various other tomatoes harvested, along with Japanese eggplant, a cayenne pepper, and salad onions.

Today harvested one more Cherokee Purple, so that's a dozen in 2 days. The home garden plot is the recipient of 6 years of composting. Bee balm was 6 feet high. A tomato plant, staked vertically, was 6 feet tall before it toppled over from the weight of tomatoes, and is no weighing down on the former tall bee balm. If it had fallen over, it would be 7 feet tall. Two more tomato plants have joined the 6 foot club. We use the triangular, foldable green trellis available at home supply stores. Consider them a great investment. They fold up and store well; in addition, cantaloupe plants love twirling and vining around the inside of the triangular cages.