"Pumpkin Patch!" Wordless Wednesday

Ready, Set, Go Plant Garlic!

It is the time of year to plant garlic bulbs!

I just picked some up from Home Depot today! And I have something to admit... (and I may not be the only one!)

Until this year, I had no idea (or ever really thought about) how garlic grows! I even image-googled "garlic plant" because I didn't even know what it would look like!

(I guess I am a perfect example of how disconnected one can be from their food when you depend on the grocery store for everything. Earlier this year, while watching an episode of Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution," I was shocked to see school-aged kids not knowing the names of simple fruits & vegetables... and of course did not know where they came from.)

When planting, apparently you break apart the bulb and plant the individual cloves 5' apart. They should be ready to harvest by mid-spring!

Cauliflower!

Cauliflower is a cold-season crop, and apparently has a reputation for being hard to grow. It prefers a soil pH of 6.0 - 7.0. (I have not yet actually tested my soil; usually I will just add some coffee grounds if I want it to be more acidic.)

Anyways... I've never attempted to grow anything during the cold months (never really thought about it!)... but here goes! :)

The Last Days of Basil...

The temperatures are dropping, especially at night. It is inevitable that the basil plants will eventually see their final day...

 

So I want to enjoy them as much as I can while they are still outside growing! I know I've said it before, but I will say it again- If I had to grow just one plant... it would definitely be basil!

I came up with a list of some of my favorite ways I've used basil this year:

• Basil Lemonade
• Vegan Basil Pesto!
• Carrot Basil Salad
• Basil Tea (great for digestion!)

Let me know if you have any other ideas! I need to use up a lot before it freezes... :)

Winding Down...

Can anyone believe it's halfway through October?! Where has this year gone? It's almost 2011!

The reason there have not been as many posts lately is because well, things are winding down in the garden. But the eggplants are still hanging in there! (They are loving this intense heat we are experiencing! Really... halfway through October?! It can cool off anytime now!)

Anyways, the roses and marigolds are still doing fabulous as well!

I am contemplating what to do with the fig and kumquat tree once the temperature drops. The kumquat tree is most likely going to become a houseplant. And the fig tree? It might get moved closer to the house and covered with a blanket when it freezes...

Wordless Wednesday!

Backyard Appreciation!

Today was officially a "Backyard Appreciation" day! The past few weeks have been hot. Very hot. And spending time in the backyard with the blazing sun was not exactly my idea of a fun time. (The lack of attention definitely showed.)

But today it finally seems to be cooling off... it is October, right?

Anyways... after a walk around the neighborhood this morning, admiring the fall leaves and enjoying the cooler weather, I set off to work in the garden! Just in the past few weeks, the sunny areas and the shadows have changed drastically. So I rearranged accordingly... in addition to the usual trimming, transplanting, composting, harvesting!, cleaning, and organizing.

The end result? So much better! A little TLC goes a long ways. Now, I can get on with decorating for Halloween!!

Happy October!