We planted seeds for the fall vegetables this past weekend, as well as seed potatoes for a second harvest. In went another crop of green beans, beets, carrots, and turnips. We planted seeds for the fall squashes too, hoping that at this late date, the voracious beetles that devour the spring zucchini and squash are finished their cycle and will leave them alone. I love spaghetti squash, acorn and butternut squash, and we planted plenty. Maybe a few will live – who knows?
Broccoli seedlings emerging.
On the front porch I have a tray of seeds starting outdoors. Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower seeds have all emerged. They seem to be stretching up towards the light, but I don’t want to move the tray out into the full sunshine. I’m afraid that if I do that, I’m going to be spending all my time running outside to water them in the heat of the summer. Fortunately, it has been cooler than usual, and they seem to appreciate it.
Green beans in the garden
Cherry tomatoes
But don’t forget the rest of the vegetable garden. The sweet potatoes, after straggling through the heat and drought, have finally been surging with growth and I am hopeful that we will at least get some sweet potatoes from the harvest in September or October. The first crop of green beans has begun producing beans, but not enough yet to can. The tomatoes have slowed down considerably. The derecho that ripped through here in June knocked them over and we never really were able to get the stakes upright and firmly into the ground again, so my tomato garden is a kind of mess right now of tangled plants, smelly rotted tomatoes hidden underneath the plants and a few lovely ones like the pictures here waiting for a nice sandwich or salad.
One of the last beefsteak tomatoes…maybe for lunch tomorrow….
Jeanne Grunert is an award-winning writer and content marketing expert. She lives and works at Seven Oaks Farm, her small hobby farm in Virginia, alongside her husband, John, German shepherd dog Zeke, and seven cats.
