Los Angeles saw its first real rain yesterday, a bit later than usual, but still in October. It may have lasted for only 20 minutes, but it was enough to wash off the roof for clean rain water collection later this week. Fall is finally here! In celebration, here are pictures of plants with real live rain dripping off the leaves, plus a few other activities for fall gardening.
Cooler temperatures means the kale can go in the ground. Protected with floating row cover (water and sunlight penetrate), our babies are ready to go.Kamut brand khorasan wheat sprouted under floating row cover. It keeps the cat from chewing on it.This is our 4th year harvesting sweet potatoes without having planted sweet potatoes. In warm-winter climates, sweet potatoes just keep on giving year after year.Abutilon palmeri flowering in fall is a reminder to plant natives this fall for sturdy root development over winter.Out with the old, in with the new. Green tomatoes get wrapped to ripen in the kitchen. Or make fried green tomatoes.Navel oranges are ripening. They’re not quite ready, but we’ve sampled one or two and they’re sweet as can be even now.We built an Active Batch Thermal Compost pile with shredded biomass from summer. Corn and wheat stalks plus perennial alfalfa and fresh hedge trimmings. It is just starting to cook. By the end of the week it will be 130-150 degrees.Radish greens love the rain. Radishes are ready to harvest in as early as 30 days. Grow them in blank spaces around the garden.
Fall is here – plant cool season veggies, build compost piles, make soup and enjoy the rain!
