Preparing the garden for winter

One last shot of the garden (looking west) on Monday, Oct. 15, before the big cleanup.

The remains of the garden (looking east) after all the dead plants — and some weeds — were pulled Tuesday, Oct. 16.

Tomato cages and plants pulled out, all that’s left was rotten tomatoes by the end of Tuesday, Oct. 16.

The freshly tilled garden Wednesday, Oct. 17. In the middle is the pile of dead plants and weeds that I’ll burn at some point.

Plant crocus bulbs. Check.

Put away tomato cages and garden stones. Check.

Pull out dried-up tomatoes, marigolds, beans and other spent plants. Check.

Till garden. Check.

It’s been a busy couple days for this booyah gardener. In the past, fall garden work has mostly meant finding time on weekends to rip out the dried-up plants and throw the cages in the garden shack. This year though, I actually planned ahead a bit, took a week of vacation from my paying job in hopes the weather would cooperate and I’d be able to spend more time cleaning up the garden before winter.

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It’s a jungle out there

Getting between the tomato plants is a bit more challenging these days.

The Cherry Juliet tomatoes are three to four times the size of the grape and regular cherry tomatoes.

Just a month ago, this is what the lawn looked like.

The lawn finally has gotten back to a lovely shade of green.

The tomatoes are finally starting to produce enough so that I have more than I can eat. Which is OK with me because the opposite of that means I’d still be waiting, wanting and possibly weeping.

All my plants have produced at least one red tomato and most, especially the smaller ones, have yielded many. It’s ironic (at least to me) that the Early Girl plant didn’t really start any earlier than the Better Boy or Celebrity plants. All seem to be ripening about the same. The Beefmaster tomatoes are ripening a bit slower, but my gosh are they big!

July 26: For the love of mud

Just as I was getting my daily pictures, this rain cloud brought more sprinkles.

Looking east. Even the once dried-up peas seem to be getting a bit of green back.

I forgot to take out an extra stake (leaning on a cage). It’ll wait until it’s less muddy.

More rain again overnight and this afternoon. The weather has been so strange. We got almost no rain for most of June and the first two weeks in July. Then in the last two weeks, we’ve gotten almost 8 inches. At least that’s what the rain gauge in my garden has measured. I know other parts of the Green Bay area have seen less, but I stand by my rain gauge.

July 24-25: Tomatoes vs. my husband?

Renegade tomato plant, July 25, 2012

Tomato plant, July 25, 2012

Eastward looking view, July 25, 2012

Westward looking view, July 25, 2012

I try to spend a lot of time each summer with my tomatoes. They take up the most room in my garden for a reason. I absolutely love garden tomatoes. For me, that’s what summer is all about. Popping a cherry tomato in my mouth, biting into it, letting the seeds and juices explode in my mouth. I can just hear my taste buds saying “Thank you! Thank you!” In fact, if you asked me to choose between a summer without tomatoes or a summer without say, my husband, I might have to think twice. OK, I guess I’m exaggerating a bit, but not much.

July 19: Four inches of rain and counting

Another inch of rain this morning makes 4 inches in three days – wow. Talk about an about-face in the weather department!

The garden is pretty muddy, so I didn’t chance falling on my face (or butt, more likely) by trying to walk in it. I did want to check on the rain total though, so fortunately I was able to see the rain gauge from outside the fence.

Just the daily east west photos today, plus another that shows how Jeepers the pumpkin is growing. It’s almost hard to see the nearest tomato plant, and it’s about 3 feet tall! Once the garden dries out, I can see I’m gonna have to do some retraining.

July 18: Fresh beans for supper

Surprised I even got in the garden to pick beans and cucumbers today after getting almost 3 inches of rain Tuesday afternoon and overnight. The garden is now completely drenched.

Everything seemed to come alive with the outpouring from the skies. Mother Nature is so much more nourishing than what my sprinkler doles out! I staked a few of the cosmos that were still leaning this morning, but by mid-afternoon the beans and potatoes bounced back from being batted around by the rain and wind.

Fresh garden beans filled up my sink.

Many of the cukes are bigger than I like to eat them.

This cucumber is the perfect size for munching on!

There are a lot more buds coming.

Looking east July 18.

Looking west July 18.

July 17: Rain a sight for dry eyes

About 3:30 p.m. July 17.

Jeepers is moving in on the salvia.

It’s not a snake weaving its way — it’s Jeepers!

Yellow flowers mean lots of cherry tomatoes for me.

Potatoes got knocked down a bit by wind.

Can’t wait for more!

Looking east July 17, 2012

Looking west July 17, 2012

Got home this morning after two days in the Dells. And while we were able to mostly tolerate temps in the high 90s because we spent our time on water slides or floating down “rivers” on tubes, I was a bit worried how the veggies and flowers would fare while we were gone.

Fortunately, they looked like they tolerated the excessive heat surprisingly well, although it did appear that a few of the onion tops and bean plants were bent over a bit. Nothing too serious. Didn’t see any deer or other animal tracks, so not sure what caused it. Two and a half days without the sprinkler didn’t seem to hurt anything.