Didn't get much done outside today, it was just so WET! Not raining... but we had heavy fog this morning and the sun never did come out, and things were just dripping all day Basically just kind of puttered around -- sprinkled some Sluggo inside the hoop house, where I'm overwintering a bunch of seed-started perennial flower plants, did some hoeing to clean up weeds in the garden before the last "mowing" -- which is really more leaf pickup and will all be spread out on the garden, and kind of buried the fresher stuff that had been thrown on the compost pile, although I didn't really "turn" the whole thing.

Then my stepdaughter and her 2 girls stopped over, mostly to watch recorded episodes of "Survivor" and "Super Girl," and had supper with us -- not knowing they were coming, I had made a large pan of cheesy scalloped potatoes and ham... by the time it was all over (including sending a container home for Kylie's boyfriend), we had a very small dish of leftovers

Weedwhacker said:Didn't get much done outside today, it was just so WET! Not raining... but we had heavy fog this morning and the sun never did come out, and things were just dripping all day Basically just kind of puttered around -- sprinkled some Sluggo inside the hoop house, where I'm overwintering a bunch of seed-started perennial flower plants, did some hoeing to clean up weeds in the garden before the last "mowing" -- which is really more leaf pickup and will all be spread out on the garden, and kind of buried the fresher stuff that had been thrown on the compost pile, although I didn't really "turn" the whole thing.

Then my stepdaughter and her 2 girls stopped over, mostly to watch recorded episodes of "Survivor" and "Super Girl," and had supper with us -- not knowing they were coming, I had made a large pan of cheesy scalloped potatoes and ham... by the time it was all over (including sending a container home for Kylie's boyfriend), we had a very small dish of leftovers

Good thing you had made the food!!!

No kidding!! (and a lot of it! )

I finally got my garden cleaned up, and planted winter veggies. Today, I went to work in the garden, and there was my cat, sleeping on the broccoli!

texaskitty111 said:I finally got my garden cleaned up, and planted winter veggies. Today, I went to work in the garden, and there was my cat, sleeping on the broccoli!

What do you plant for the winter, TK ?

As much as I envy those of you who can keep gardening... I'm not sure I would have the energy for year-round planting!

Saw on the weather channel that there are bad storms going through part of Texas -- I hope you and all of our members down that way are safe

I still need to pull my tomatoes and peppers out. Couldn't get motivated to do it but I did spread some mulch on a few daylily seedlings that I thought might be tender going through winter for the first time.

I planted several varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, chard, kale. Waiting for onions and potatoes in January.
Most of the veggies I've planted don't produce much, but I stir fry the greens. And, maybe this year they will produce.
Bought more artichokes and strawberries. My artichokes have died for three years straight!.

I have been working all week on my veggie beds as I really want to be ready come spring. All the last of the tomato plants were pulled out then the compost was delivered by truck for a large truckload. That got spread all around the garden on all the veggie beds areas so that my veggies should grow great in the spring.

My garden guy comes and brings me a full truckload of fall leaves each November but yesterday I did go around and collect some bagged leaves that people around the neighborhood put out by the curb for pickup. I managed to snag 16 bags. Dragged them up the stars to the upstairs backyard garden bed and spread them out between the rows of compost that will be the tomato rows next season. So thick layer of leaves on the paths.

Going to try a combo of sheet composting and lasagna gardening in those pathways. Eventually move the tomato growing into the paths and then compost the old spots. At least that is my plan.

Sounds like a good plan, Rita. I really should try and snag some bagged leaves as well. We tilled an old bed and covered with cardboard but a layer of leaves would really be good.

We have been having rain, rain and more rain. Rained at least five times today, sometimes pretty heavy, yet it got up to 76! Weird weather.

We went to the farm and parts of the garden got washed out, AGAIN! I started some rosemary from seed and right where they are got washed but thankfully they had strong roots and hung on so I transplanted them. They are barely more than first true leaves.

We picked peppers, AGAIN. Got 22# but we have a friend who does a co-op and she said she could use them so we took them over to her. I am going to be taking a fermenting class with her on the 14th. She also has Kombuchia tea and can provide me with the starter but I am going to wait until the first of the year because I have so much going on now.

We also got three nice cauliflowers, two big side shoots of broccoli, a bunch of carrots and about a quart of sugar peas. Gonna be some good eating at our house this week! I need to pick lettuce too. But, it looks like another week of very rainy weather for us.

Everything looks great, Arlene, but that cauliflower is superb!

I love cauliflower and am so happy to be able to grow it. The new varieties are self blanching so it makes it super easy.

abhege said:Sounds like a good plan, Rita. I really should try and snag some bagged leaves as well. We tilled an old bed and covered with cardboard but a layer of leaves would really be good.

We have been having rain, rain and more rain. Rained at least five times today, sometimes pretty heavy, yet it got up to 76! Weird weather.

We went to the farm and parts of the garden got washed out, AGAIN! I started some rosemary from seed and right where they are got washed but thankfully they had strong roots and hung on so I transplanted them. They are barely more than first true leaves.

We picked peppers, AGAIN. Got 22# but we have a friend who does a co-op and she said she could use them so we took them over to her. I am going to be taking a fermenting class with her on the 14th. She also has Kombuchia tea and can provide me with the starter but I am going to wait until the first of the year because I have so much going on now.

We also got three nice cauliflowers, two big side shoots of broccoli, a bunch of carrots and about a quart of sugar peas. Gonna be some good eating at our house this week! I need to pick lettuce too. But, it looks like another week of very rainy weather for us.

Look at all those yummy veggies!!!

Beautiful cauliflower, Arlene!! (the other veggies aren't too shabby, either )

All beautiful produce, Arlene. You are blessed to have a second gardening season.

Rita, good for you collecting and spreading leaves! Mostly, leaves are underappreciated. That benefits people like us who know their value.

My husband used to take a neighbor's bagged leaves, 76 bags one year, to chip them and make compost.

Whenever I see those bagged leaves by the side of the road I think of all that good for the garden nutrients that are being tossed away!!!

One year I collected 300 bags. But I am no longer able to do that much as far as the getting and hauling and carrying. These past few years I have had my garden guy dump a truckload of leaves here on the driveway each November. So I do have plenty. But I still hate to not grab all those bags that I see.

Most people out here couldn't even identify compost, nor would they have any interest in building any type of compost piles. Most are not gardeners, just home owners.

pirl said:Most people out here couldn't even identify compost, nor would they have any interest in building any type of compost piles. Most are not gardeners, just home owners.

It is true that most are not gardeners. Sad!!!