Thinking of the Fall Garden

      So far this season has been very strange:  Too much water, not enough water, too hot, or not enough sunny days.  The tomatoes have been doing fine, and they were pretty early too.  The peppers during this often overcast or rainy summer are doing nothing.  The cukes have been outstanding, with the second crock of pickles awaiting distribution to jars.  The beans have been minimal, and it has been difficult to even get them to germinate.  Few bean plants, few beans.  So having had a somewhat spotty summer season, it is fun to get started with the plantings for the fall and winter gardens.

      This cold frame was recently weeded, having been full of thistle.  I have never ever had such a trial with the weeds.  The result of a record amount of rain in July.  Being impatient and lacking my gloves, I just covered any remaining thistles with three to four inches of leaves.

      So how do you plant through all these leaves?

      You don't plant through it, you get lazy and put one to two inches of well aged mushroom soil on top of the leaves.  Now that looks like it will take seeds.

      Planted left to right in the bed from the above shot, up to the 2X4, are:
          De Ciccio Broccoli, Heirloom Seeds for 2009, 50 to 60 days
          Winter Wonderland Romaine Lettuce, Fedco Seeds for 2012, 70 days
          Red Cabbage, My GWD Seeds for 2011, ? days
          Kentucky Wonder Beans, (oops pole beans) Hart's Seeds for 2009,
             claims 65 days
          Plum Purple Radish,  Fedco Seeds for 2012, 26 days
          Beedy's Camden Kale, My GWD Seeds for 2012, originally from Fedco,
             ? days
          Sparkler Radish, American Seed for 2010 and Olds Seed for 2013,
             25 days
          Thick Stem Chinese Mustard, My GWD Seeds for 2012, originally Fedco

       And at the far right end of the cold frame are:
           Blue Lake Bush Beans, Meyer Seeds for 2009, ? days
           Summer Zucchini, Lake Valley Seeds for 2010, they claim 50 days!
           Royal Burgandy Bush Beans,  Olds Seeds for 2013,  55 days!

      So the race is on to see what I can get planted to take advantage of the remaining summer season, and the the fall garden.  I had begun to feel defeated by this strange summer, but now with some hopeful seed sproutings, I am ready to fight back.