~October’s Garden~

This month brought an end to most of the garden.

The onions were pulled, and although they’re smaller than I’d like to see, I’m just happy that they grew. Last year, there were none left to harvest.

The popcorn was harvested and set out to finish drying while the onions and sweet potatoes cured and was then promptly consumed by the chickens. We have enough for just a couple of servings.

Tomatoes finally stopped producing and I wasn’t sorry to see them go. They were beginning to taste awful (I gagged once even).

Sweet potatoes were harvested and we were shocked by what we found- besides FAT mice living all among them. Many were super-sized bursting at the seams tubers. I suppose that they were just left to grow to long or the soil was too loose. This is our first year with the crop (“successfully”), so experience hasn’t shown me any clues. So if you have any tips to share, I’d be glad to hear them.

There are still peas growing, as well as some leafy greens. We don’t have season extenders yet- that’s on the garden improvement list for next year, Lord willing, so I expect things won’t last too much longer. The peas are growing nicely and flowering heavily, but aren’t really making peas. I don’t know if the chickens are getting in and eating them or if it’s stink bug damage. Perhaps it’s just a bad year for peas. We have yet to see just exactly how well the carrots and parsnips are doing, but I imagine that the small quantity we planted won’t last too much longer.

Since we don’t have the season extenders, I imagine that this might be my last garden post for 2010. Hopefully next year, I’ll be able to post for an extra month or so!!