Today is cooler, the Santa Ana winds are blowing and it feels like fall. People say we don’t have seasons, but we do. The changes are subtle: the light changes, the smell in the air is different, and the garden starts to wake back up after exhausting hot summer days. Here’s some inspiration to get your growing this fall.
Transition from Summer
A hidden spaghetti squash is ready for harvest. If only we could reach it…Our downy mildew resistant basil is going gangbusters. Time to make pesto for freezing. These Carolina Sieva lima beans keep going. Learn how to harvest them fresh or dried. Lettuce seeds planted last weekend under fabric. This will keep Mittens from using the bed as litterbox, and keep birds from eating the seeds. Cover crops are great for feeding beds over winter, providing habitat for critters, and keeping the soil healthy.
Transition to Fall
We transplanted these volunteer green onion seedlings into a bed where they can grow as perennials this fall/winter.Watch out for cabbage moths. They are very active this time of year. Learn how to keep your brassicas safe here. We transplanted our brassicas from 2″ cells to 4″ pots last weekend. We’ll let them grow a couple more weeks before planting out. Nicotiana is coming back with its first flower of the season. The Milkweed beetles are feasting, but we don’t treat them. They eat the seeds, so we don’t worry about it. Stinging nettles are back and ready for soups.Everbearing strawberries are starting to flower for a fall crop. We love strawberries in December here in SoCal.
Enjoy this transition to fall as we pull spent crops and plant cool season veggies. Rain is coming, and we’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a great growing season. Care to join us?
