The Fall Garden

[Mike]

This year will be our first time ever even trying to grow anything through the fall, mostly thanks to @Meadowlark letting me know it was even a possibility with his old "off-season" thread (we may have to kick one of those off here this year too). We'll be trying all kinds of things this fall, starting next month. Here's a list of things we plan on trying, just to see how it goes this first year.

• Tomatoes - We're gonna try growing some of these in pots. Well, not in pots. We'll be using protein tubs that I can get for free just about any of the local farmers.
• Potatoes - Since all of our spring/summer crop of potatoes were ruined because we left them out in the heat too long, we're gonna give some another go this fall. They should be able to last a lot longer in the cellar during the fall/winter too so that's a plus.
• Broccoli - One of the better veggies we grew this spring, but we didn't grow nearly enough of it. We'll probably have a good 15-20 heads in the ground this fall.
• Cauliflower - Not as many as the broccoli, but we'll be putting some more of this in for fall too.
• Cabbage - Going into winter we'll like to be loaded up on this stuff so we can keep ourselves warmed up with a little cabbage soup.
• Kale - Never grown it. Heck, only even eaten it once, in a soup. So, we're gonna give this a try. I hear kale is extremely good for you and people chop it up in just about anything (I'll use some for my protein shakes in the mornings).
• Yellow squash - We gave so much of this away and we've eaten so much that we don't even have enough to last us several more months. So, we're gonna try some more in the fall and try to get a lot more put up in the freezer.
• Lettuce - We won't grow much of this just because I'm not sure about storage but we'll grow enough that we can make a few meals with a them once they're ready. Probably salads, but also for burgers, tacos, etc.
• Onions - You can never have too many onions! Actually, I'm sure you "can", but we don't so we're gonna grow some more.
• Jalapenos - We'll need to put up several more jars of pickles jalapenos for the wife. I have a feeling the ones we put up a few days ago won't make it to Christmas.
• Daikon radish - I'd never even heard of these before I saw @Meadowlark talk about them so I've certainly never eaten any before. I'm always up for trying new foods so when I saw a picture of one of these with a serving of roast and veggies, I thought it looked like something worth trying.
• Carrots - Didn't think about these originally, but going to give them a shot based on the advice of Meadowlark.

So, unless my mind just isn't remembering something right now, that'll be about it. I'm really looking forward to seeing how some of this stuff grows this fall but I have a feeling it'll do great!

Oh, also, this fall garden will be our first full garden that's solely on a drop system for water. The only exceptions will be the potatoes and onions, which we'll put in a separate location, just because that'd be way more hoses and drippers than I'd wanna mess with. They'll do fine with the sprinklers.

 

[Meadowlark]

More and more my fall/winter garden is my favorite.

I use those cattle tubs extensively also but modify them for what I call HK containers. Drain holes added, Hügelkultur materials in bottom layer, compost in second layer, and garden soil in top layer makes for a lighter, more mobile container which requires considerably less garden soil.

Your list is good but I always include Brussels Sprouts, Beets, Carrots, and Turnips in my line up along with the above ones listed and often can grow them through to spring.

My fall/winter garden space is currently covered with a nitrogen fixing thick base of soon to be organic green manures. Soon that soil will be prepared for veggie plants which will start next month.

Time has really flown by this year with all the weather disasters, but looking forward to better weather soon and better gardening results.

 

[Mike]

Your list is good but I always include Brussels Sprouts, Beets, Carrots, and Turnips in my line up along with the above ones listed and often can grow them through to spring.

I was originally going to do beets but I recently tried some beets for the first time. I'm definitely not a fan, and nobody else in the family was either. They tasted too much like dirt to me. We don't really like brussel sprouts either. Carrots and turnips sound like a good addition to try. Especially carrots because we use a lot of those. Just another thing I hadn't given a lot of thought to growing just yet.

Hopefully the worst weather is behind y'all now! Give you a chance to get things cleaned up a bit between now and next month.

 

[skinyea]

I was originally going to do beets but I recently tried some beets for the first time. I'm definitely not a fan, and nobody else in the family was either. They tasted too much like dirt to me. We don't really like brussel sprouts either. Carrots and turnips sound like a good addition to try. Especially carrots because we use a lot of those. Just another thing I hadn't given a lot of thought to growing just yet.

Hopefully the worst weather is behind y'all now! Give you a chance to get things cleaned up a bit between now and next month.

Beets do take getting used to but they have become one of my favorites

 

[skinyea]

This year will be our first time ever even trying to grow anything through the fall, mostly thanks to @Meadowlark letting me know it was even a possibility with his old "off-season" thread (we may have to kick one of those off here this year too). We'll be trying all kinds of things this fall, starting next month. Here's a list of things we plan on trying, just to see how it goes this first year.

• Tomatoes - We're gonna try growing some of these in pots. Well, not in pots. We'll be using protein tubs that I can get for free just about any of the local farmers.
• Potatoes - Since all of our spring/summer crop of potatoes were ruined because we left them out in the heat too long, we're gonna give some another go this fall. They should be able to last a lot longer in the cellar during the fall/winter too so that's a plus.
• Broccoli - One of the better veggies we grew this spring, but we didn't grow nearly enough of it. We'll probably have a good 15-20 heads in the ground this fall.
• Cauliflower - Not as many as the broccoli, but we'll be putting some more of this in for fall too.
• Cabbage - Going into winter we'll like to be loaded up on this stuff so we can keep ourselves warmed up with a little cabbage soup.
• Kale - Never grown it. Heck, only even eaten it once, in a soup. So, we're gonna give this a try. I hear kale is extremely good for you and people chop it up in just about anything (I'll use some for my protein shakes in the mornings).
• Yellow squash - We gave so much of this away and we've eaten so much that we don't even have enough to last us several more months. So, we're gonna try some more in the fall and try to get a lot more put up in the freezer.
• Lettuce - We won't grow much of this just because I'm not sure about storage but we'll grow enough that we can make a few meals with a them once they're ready. Probably salads, but also for burgers, tacos, etc.
• Onions - You can never have too many onions! Actually, I'm sure you "can", but we don't so we're gonna grow some more.
• Jalapenos - We'll need to put up several more jars of pickles jalapenos for the wife. I have a feeling the ones we put up a few days ago won't make it to Christmas.
• Daikon radish - I'd never even heard of these before I saw @Meadowlark talk about them so I've certainly never eaten any before. I'm always up for trying new foods so when I saw a picture of one of these with a serving of roast and veggies, I thought it looked like something worth trying.

So, unless my mind just isn't remembering something right now, that'll be about it. I'm really looking forward to seeing how some of this stuff grows this fall but I have a feeling it'll do great!

Oh, also, this fall garden will be our first full garden that's solely on a drop system for water. The only exceptions will be the potatoes and onions, which we'll put in a separate location, just because that'd be way more hoses and drippers than I'd wanna mess with. They'll do fine with the sprinklers.

regarding yellow squash/zucc. dehydrate extras and freeze. I have about 40lbs frozen for winter

 

[skinyea]

This year will be our first time ever even trying to grow anything through the fall, mostly thanks to @Meadowlark letting me know it was even a possibility with his old "off-season" thread (we may have to kick one of those off here this year too). We'll be trying all kinds of things this fall, starting next month. Here's a list of things we plan on trying, just to see how it goes this first year.

• Tomatoes - We're gonna try growing some of these in pots. Well, not in pots. We'll be using protein tubs that I can get for free just about any of the local farmers.
• Potatoes - Since all of our spring/summer crop of potatoes were ruined because we left them out in the heat too long, we're gonna give some another go this fall. They should be able to last a lot longer in the cellar during the fall/winter too so that's a plus.
• Broccoli - One of the better veggies we grew this spring, but we didn't grow nearly enough of it. We'll probably have a good 15-20 heads in the ground this fall.
• Cauliflower - Not as many as the broccoli, but we'll be putting some more of this in for fall too.
• Cabbage - Going into winter we'll like to be loaded up on this stuff so we can keep ourselves warmed up with a little cabbage soup.
• Kale - Never grown it. Heck, only even eaten it once, in a soup. So, we're gonna give this a try. I hear kale is extremely good for you and people chop it up in just about anything (I'll use some for my protein shakes in the mornings).
• Yellow squash - We gave so much of this away and we've eaten so much that we don't even have enough to last us several more months. So, we're gonna try some more in the fall and try to get a lot more put up in the freezer.
• Lettuce - We won't grow much of this just because I'm not sure about storage but we'll grow enough that we can make a few meals with a them once they're ready. Probably salads, but also for burgers, tacos, etc.
• Onions - You can never have too many onions! Actually, I'm sure you "can", but we don't so we're gonna grow some more.
• Jalapenos - We'll need to put up several more jars of pickles jalapenos for the wife. I have a feeling the ones we put up a few days ago won't make it to Christmas.
• Daikon radish - I'd never even heard of these before I saw @Meadowlark talk about them so I've certainly never eaten any before. I'm always up for trying new foods so when I saw a picture of one of these with a serving of roast and veggies, I thought it looked like something worth trying.

So, unless my mind just isn't remembering something right now, that'll be about it. I'm really looking forward to seeing how some of this stuff grows this fall but I have a feeling it'll do great!

Oh, also, this fall garden will be our first full garden that's solely on a drop system for water. The only exceptions will be the potatoes and onions, which we'll put in a separate location, just because that'd be way more hoses and drippers than I'd wanna mess with. They'll do fine with the sprinklers.

I am in zone 6b/7a perfect timing on this. I am 1 week away from planting most of my fall garden. Broccoli and carrots this weekend. and every 3 weeks the same. and cabbages starting in 2 weeks. swiss chard and lettuce in 3 weeks. best tasting veggies come in the early spring and late fall

 

[Meadowlark]

The best use of beets is "pickled" for us. That is the best and only way we use them. They are a great side dish prepared that way and the taste is pure beet, and no dirt taste.

 

[Mike]

The best use of beets is "pickled" for us. That is the best and only way we use them. They are a great side dish prepared that way and the taste is pure beet, and no dirt taste.

I might need to give them another shot then because the pickled beets I ate smelled, and tasted, just like dirt.

That said, I didn't make them so maybe the ones who did didn't prepare them correctly before canning them.

 

[Anniekay]

So Mikey, got any updates on your fall garden for us ?