Broccoli and Cauliflower In the Fall

We had our first frost last night but it wasn't cold enough to kill anything. I still have corn and tomatoes growing. If you get light frosts before strong ones your fall veggies can adapt and overwinter. I've never had anything except kale overwinter before, but with global warming we may be in for some surprises..

The cauliflower in the greenhouse is getting mould on the leaves and the cabbage is forming lose heads. Colder nights may have prevented this..

The reason the kale was so tender today is that it's a different kind than you have in your garden. Ours is the serrated purple leaf kind. The residue of your summer garden makes me realize you had a more prolific year than I did and you don't ever have to be reminded to fertilize. Please excuse my ignorance..

. Thanks for buying the spiral cut ham, I know it's more expensive because Ma won't buy them, and sending home a bunch with mashed potatoes and bread. We had another feast..

I picked another 8" cauliflower hiding down under its inner leaves today and found 6 slugs feasting on the mulch in the shade under it. I think they will eat day and night if you give them shade. It's a good reason to not let stuff go that's not going to get harvested like some of my Brussels sprouts that are short, thick and bushy. I made a circle of Deadline around where the slugs were and put a garbage can lid over it so the cat can't step in it and lick her paws..

If I let those 6 slugs overwinter do you know how many baby slugs I'd have come spring? Me either. So I'll be moving the boards around the perimeter, and garbage can lids around the interior, and don't plan on wasting any beer..

The broccolini are starting to get aphids. This is usually the time of year when frost and cold nights have killed them off. Washing them off takes forever because the tiny buds keep breaking off in the bowl and look just like aphids. After about 8 rinsings I just give up with the understanding that our stomachs, through the millennia, have learned what to do with aphids..

Systemic insecticides in store bought broccoli however may bode ill for our digestive systems. Home grown untreated broccoli that has aphids on it has already produced toxins to thwart them, and our bodies may actually benefit from them..