Dear Gardeners and weed-eating hobbyists,
It's fall in our book! Let the great un-leafing begin! We are in midst of change, hurricanes, and indecisive weather mixtures. What better to quiet the mind then a bit of food security. Something magic happens when you put your fingers into the soil, plant a seed, watch it grow, and eat of it's gifts. The magic could be the soil itself that releases “happy” microbes, or in the realization that you aided life along, or in the sensory pleasure of seeing, feeling, and tasting food you had a hand in all along the way.
Did you know you can plant veggies in the fall?!? “Oh but I’m too busy,” you say, “I have projects out the wazoo and can't possibly spend the time it would take to build a veggie garden.” Well the over-scheduled shall have there seeds and eat them too! Here comes permaculture to the rescue! Ditch your idea of white picket fences, tidy little rows, and labor intensive late nights: Permaculture (smart and lazy gardening) suggests to cast the seeds rather than plant them, to mix various veggies together (tall skinny ones with broad fat ones ie: carrots and cabbage), now that's using your “head."
We admit, it is too late in the fall for some choice items but anything that matures in 40 days or less will leave you with plenty for your plate. There is still time for Radishes, Lettuces, Kales, and Mustard Greens (especially if you harvest the lettuce like spring mix and the others you let winter over.)
Cool-season Crops:
All of the vegetables below are suitable for fall gardens. Some, like beets and carrots, may need to be harvested when very small (but still tasty). When shopping for seeds, select the earliest-maturing varieties available.
Did you know you can plant veggies in the fall?!? “Oh but I’m too busy,” you say, “I have projects out the wazoo and can't possibly spend the time it would take to build a veggie garden.” Well the over-scheduled shall have there seeds and eat them too! Here comes permaculture to the rescue! Ditch your idea of white picket fences, tidy little rows, and labor intensive late nights: Permaculture (smart and lazy gardening) suggests to cast the seeds rather than plant them, to mix various veggies together (tall skinny ones with broad fat ones ie: carrots and cabbage), now that's using your “head."
We admit, it is too late in the fall for some choice items but anything that matures in 40 days or less will leave you with plenty for your plate. There is still time for Radishes, Lettuces, Kales, and Mustard Greens (especially if you harvest the lettuce like spring mix and the others you let winter over.)
Cool-season Crops:
All of the vegetables below are suitable for fall gardens. Some, like beets and carrots, may need to be harvested when very small (but still tasty). When shopping for seeds, select the earliest-maturing varieties available.
Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Collards, Green Onions, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Leaf Lettuce and assorted greens, Mustard, Peas, Radishes, Rutabagas, Spinach, Swiss Chard, and Turnips.
Some vegetables will even survive a frost (if somewhat protected) are Kale and Collards, often surviving unprotected.
Much like Spring, Fall is the season of life getting busy, of Winter prep, of new growth, and of surprise!
To cut or not to cut? That is the question. Sometimes it's good to cut early to avoid mildews, molds, and other fungal spores that can hole up for winter and infect the new spring growth. In doing so, you also avoid many of the pests that hibernate on dead foliage. If you cut early enough in the summer or fall you can sometimes get a second bloom or fresh new growth, as is the case with day lilies and other fan-favorites. So why not just cut it all down? Because, there are several wonderful critters that use the fall foliage to chow down or hole up.
Monarch caterpillars (a sight of yellow black and white stripes) gnaw milkweed (also known as butterfly weed or asclepias), to a nubbin leaving it bedraggled looking but well worth the tattered appearance. For soon, they leave to take shelter in tall grasses and the plant makes a come back. Tall grasses become a veritable monarch high rise, housing tons of monarchs. So don't get too hasty about cutting your ornamental grasses, they just may be protecting gold encrusted chrysalises.
The gold finch is another welcome freeloader. To tempt this well dressed feathered -friend just leave your unsightly extinguished Rudbekia (aka black eyed susans) and Echinacea (aka cone flowers) standing, dead-heads and all. Sure, they look spent but the finches are looking to fatten up for the winter and are on a seed bing. So live and let live.
Some vegetables will even survive a frost (if somewhat protected) are Kale and Collards, often surviving unprotected.
Much like Spring, Fall is the season of life getting busy, of Winter prep, of new growth, and of surprise!
To cut or not to cut? That is the question. Sometimes it's good to cut early to avoid mildews, molds, and other fungal spores that can hole up for winter and infect the new spring growth. In doing so, you also avoid many of the pests that hibernate on dead foliage. If you cut early enough in the summer or fall you can sometimes get a second bloom or fresh new growth, as is the case with day lilies and other fan-favorites. So why not just cut it all down? Because, there are several wonderful critters that use the fall foliage to chow down or hole up.
Monarch caterpillars (a sight of yellow black and white stripes) gnaw milkweed (also known as butterfly weed or asclepias), to a nubbin leaving it bedraggled looking but well worth the tattered appearance. For soon, they leave to take shelter in tall grasses and the plant makes a come back. Tall grasses become a veritable monarch high rise, housing tons of monarchs. So don't get too hasty about cutting your ornamental grasses, they just may be protecting gold encrusted chrysalises.
The gold finch is another welcome freeloader. To tempt this well dressed feathered -friend just leave your unsightly extinguished Rudbekia (aka black eyed susans) and Echinacea (aka cone flowers) standing, dead-heads and all. Sure, they look spent but the finches are looking to fatten up for the winter and are on a seed bing. So live and let live.
Speaking of life, we at Kylin Arts have had quite an exciting fall so far:
Ky got married, Karen changed her name to Eero, Eero built us a new website and also entered a gulf oil spill inspired painting into the All Hands On Deck show at Chapterhouse Cafe.
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| If it was my home, Digital ©2010 |
We would also like to announce our new Fall pricing promotion: 10% off services for the month of October! Please feel free to contact us with your projects, edible garden questions, and winterization concerns!
Warmly,
KY and EERO!
email: info@kylin-arts.com
phone: 267.570.7682
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