Monday, October 29, 2012

Excuses

I have every intention of still writing this blog, but I am working on a few things: 1) What do I write in my gardening blog when I live in Ohio and it is practically November?  I do have some ideas, but there isn't the most exciting stuff happening right now... 2) How can I post any pictures of anything when it has been raining for the last 800 days and I can't manage to take any?

Stuff is growing, I still have some more to plant, and were it not 40 degrees and raining (truly, it's seemed like forever) I'd be out there doing it right now.  So, I promise I'll be back, just probably not tomorrow...

Friday, October 5, 2012

Garlic, round two

Fall = garlic time!  If you are thinking of planting any, do it now!  For those of you who also plant ornamental flowers, remember that garlic is a bulb too... so in the fall when you are planting your tulips, pick up some garlic from your local garden center (not the grocery store!). 

I saved some of this year's crop for planting.


I dug holes 4-5 inches deep ("the lazy girl's 6 inches"), and about 6 inches apart.  In the bottom of each hole you dig, place one garlic clove, root end down.  Then cover it with soil, wait 6-7 months, and you're set!


For the record, I planted significantly less than last year.  I did not keep count, but I'm guessing maybe 30-40.  Nowhere near 90.  Also, last year I planted the garlic around the whole border of the garden, but two areas in particular did not grow well at all, so I skipped those and just planted along two sides of the square this time around. 

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Changing seasons

This is a great example of why you shouldn't be too lazy to go in the house and grab the camera.  I took this on my phone and while it looked okay on that small little screen, when I enlarged it, it looked like... this.  And it was the only one I took, so here it is.  All the special effects in the world couldn't save this thing...

So, fall has arrived in Ohio!  And I totally love it.  While I will miss the fruits and vegetables of summer, I am so excited for cooler weather.  Summer is not my favorite time of year, but fall absolutely is.  This year is really the first time I've undertaken a fall planting.

Last week it was "out with the zucchini" and I've decided to use this newly available space to plant greens that thrive in the cooler weather we are having.  After removing the plants, I raked the soil and added some 10-10 fertilizer. 

You can't tell in this utterly crap photo, but L to R are rows of "Bright Lights" Swiss Chard, regular old green Swiss Chard (Fordhook, if you want to get specific), Kale #1, "Red Russian" (an earlier planting is already growing at the top there... the colors are very pretty though this photo does nothing justice), Spinach, and Kale #2, "Dwarf Blue."  Elsewhere, I squeezed in a row of Ruby Red Swiss Chard.  My fingers are firmly crossed that cool weather = less insect problems, but that remains to be seen....


Monday, October 1, 2012

Brussels sprouts!

Oh my goodness, what a long journey it has been.

March 2012
April 2012
 
August 2012
And now, finally, it's starting to look like we may have some Brussels sprouts growing! 

October 2012
With any luck, we'll be able to enjoy these before 2013.

(yet another good learning experience about the high price of certain vegetables...)