October 07, 2018
My artichoke plants are starting to come back after nearly dying in the summer heat. I watered them thoroughly, soaking the soil deeply, when they were at their worst, so do I get credit for saving them?. Artichoke plants are like Brussels sprouts in that they all do their own thing. They are in various stages of recovery and don't produce chokes uniformly..
They look like they are planning to grow right through the winter and provide an abundant spring harvest. The fall harvest amounted to five chokes spread over three weeks, and then the plants started to wilt. Gardeners often just follow their plants along, helping them out when they can, but not feeling much in control of anything..
October 08, 2018
The cabbage grew well through the heat and are now flattening out like hens protecting their chicks. The overcast days are perfect for head forming. Unlike artichokes and Brussels sprouts they are fairly predictable. It's like they don't have a diverse cellular structure and fewer chances to be creative with their development. You always get a head. It can be as small as a baseball if you water too little, or as large as a basketball if watered adequately..
They have one job to do and, hey, how hard is it to make a ball. Anything else would be harder, so why not take the easy route. If you don't harvest the head in time though it will get creative on you. A stalk will grow up through the head, splitting it open, and looking like an alien emerging..
October 09, 2018
In this season of the witch the garden is in transition. The soil is cooling down and the zucchini and tomatoes are slowing down. Zucchini and tomatoes are the hardest workers in the garden, putting out bushels of fruit if you keep them picked. The cooler temps and shorter days let them know their days are numbered. The zucchini taste sweeter now, probably because we pick them smaller since they've slowed down so much. The lowering of the sun across the horizon throws shade in new places too..
I found a row of cauliflower getting two hours of morning shade because of the height of the plum tree. It got topped. Your fall lettuce doesn't need afternoon shade this time of year, it likes all the sun it can get. The corn and beans are slowing down also, but your crucifers are loving it..
