I planted the fall vegetable garden in my 4’x8′ raised bed a couple weeks ago and thought it was time for another progress report. The tomatoes are still growing, or at least the cherry tomatoes are. They seem to be enhanced with the genetic make-up of kudzu and have taken over the garden effectively blocking out the sun and moisture from all the other tomato varieties I planted. Next year cherry tomatoes will be restricted to one, uno, single, sole, solitary, lonesome cherry tomato plant in it’s own bed and no, I repeat, no volunteers will be accepted in the garden!
Today though I’ll veer away from tough tomato talk and steer back toward the fall vegetables. So without further ado here is the fall vegetable garden update.
The radishes are coming along nicely. Please ignore the Bermuda weed grass that’s creeping into the bed. The radishes are due for a thinning.
I’m pleased with the beets so far. I spaced them out much farther apart than the radishes but I have quite a few seedlings coming along. I haven’t been watering regularly since I’ve been spoiled by the regular rains we’ve had this summer but our recent dryness has caught me off guard. The garden is definitely in need of the hose.
Cayenne peppers aren’t something we eat a lot of but we have quite a few growing in the garden. I like to use them in my deer repellent concoctions. I’ve also found that my cayenne pepper and soapy water solution is effective against caterpillars (fall web worms) and Japanese beetles. I let the cut up cayenne pepper marinate in water for a couple days, add dish soap, then shake well. It kind of feels like a mad scientist project…
The green beans are producing prolifically right now. Hopefully they will begin to produce more than we can eat and we’ll be able to freeze some for the winter.
Have you “picked a peck of purple peppers” lately? There are several of these purple beauties growing the garden. I’ve never had any trouble from pests or diseases growing peppers and these purples peppers have been great. What is interesting is that they turn green when cooked.
My favorite use for peppers: omelets! What’s yours?
Uhm…….stuffed peppers swimming in tomatoe sauce with lots of fresh herbs and garlic.
Lene
There's nothing like fresh from the garden. I'm still waiting on my white eggplant.
You're helping get me motivated to plant some fall veggies. Beets sound fun to try even though I've never cooked them before. Those purple peppers are really neat, never have seen purple ones before. I like raw peppers dip in ranch dressing.
Love cayenne peppers (as seasoning, not to eat whole, of course!).
Fresh green beans are my faves. I am trying to cut back on butter, so I use olive oil for cooking mine — and skip the ham seasoning, too.
Cameron
It is just such a productive time in the garden right now, isn't it? I love your purple peppers!