It feels like the weather becomes less predictable every year. It's difficult to plan and carry out the usual activities of the season when the timing of the first frost, leaf-fall, etc. no longer happens at the expected times.
At this point in September, we've usually had at least one hard frost, and have certainly had several light ones. So far, we haven't seen any frost this month. The leaves have barely begun to turn and none have fallen from the trees. Some of the flowers (marigolds and alyssum) ard still blooming and the grass is still green and growing. The potato plants are still going strong, so most of the potatoes remain in the ground. We don't harvest them until the plants have been killed by frost and the potatoes have sat in the ground for 4-7 days after that.
The potato patch...
Leaves still on the trees...
I used to plant the garlic patch around September 25th, but with overnight temperatures forecast to be above zero for the next two weeks - and perhaps beyond? - I'm not sure how best to time the garlic planting this year. R. usually mows the fallen leaves so I can use them as mulch on the garlic patch...hard to do when they are still green and on the trees! I guess I'll reassess in early October.
Meanwhile, I'm taking advantage of the mild temps to slowly but surely clean up the raised beds, put away the tools and pots, and process the small harvest of vegetables from the garden. We got a few carrots, dry beans (mostly Tiger Eye), tomatoes (mostly smaller than expected and many hail-damaged), sweet peppers, jalapenos, and ground cherries (which I don't know what to do with yet).
Two of the Chocolate peppers from the first batch harvested:
...and some of the little "Tam" jalapeños.
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