Fall gardening

 EXTENDING THE YIELD AND THE SEASON

 Our Fall plantings are now ready to be picked.  This is the curly mustard.  It was one of the first Fall greens we planted as we removed the peppers and tomatoes.  Many gardeners are weary of the grind of weeding/planting/preserving by the fall and head for the tiller to put the garden to rest for the remainder of the season.

Doing this makes many miss one of the most rewarding gardening season.  The hot sun is gone and shorter days slow the growth of the weeds.  The cooler weather is the perfect time to plant the greens that would run to seed quickly in the hot summer sun.

We have harvested 5 pounds of radishes this late season.  Another added benefit, the cool weather usually banishes the worms.  We have not had any worm damage to radishes harvested this Fall.  The cool weather and more moisture gives the radishes tender tops.  Yes they can be eaten!!  In late Spring, the tops are often rough, hairy and tough.  Later in the year they are tender and delicious.  Try some in your salad, or add to pot of greens.  There were French Breakfast, long White, and the Sparkler red radishes shown here. We have one other patch planted and starting to mature if the weather cooperates.

 We planted a 12' x 4' bed of turnips and kale.  The kale is a cole family member and is tough enough to survive and grow during a moderate winter.  I have harvested kale from snowbanks in a Wisconsin Winter.  It was frozen solid, but worked remarkably well in winter soups and stews.  There is something very satisfying about harvesting something long after your neighbors are totally dependent on items trucked in from half a world away.

If the kale survives, it is tough enough to start growing in earliest Spring to provide you fresh greens in the New Year.

 This Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce is also happy in the Fall garden.  Both lettuce and Spinach enjoy the cooler weather and hold much longer in the cooler weather.  A light frost will not harm the lettuce or spinach, but they will not survive a heavy frost later in the season.

Both leafy greens are much more tender in the fall and will be a real treat in salads,  I like to add mustard greens to my salad for a peppy flavor.  Add some cooked beets and mandarin oranges to make a colorful and unusual salad combination.

We did plant beets in one of the raised beds.  They are progressing fine.  Even if the beet roots do not develop enough for a big mess, The beet tops are at least as tasty with a splash of vinegar and butter.

Our harvest total for the year is nearly 1100 pounds.  With a couple more pickings of mustard, turnip and kale, we will top that target by the end of next week.

We expect to see Local news coverage of the Senior Center Garden in the next week or two.  We have articles scheduled for publication in "Hawkins Today" and the "Rogersville Review".  Marcia, one of our Master Gardeners, created two collages of pictures for the garden.  We presented one to the Church Hill Senior Center and the Community Clothes Closet.  Robert Simmons, one of our dedicated photographers also got a copy this morning.  They were a beautiful reminder of the successful season and a small thank you for all their hard work and support during the season.  We have indeed gone from dirt to dinner.