Garden Goals: November

The days are getting shorter and the leaves are falling from the trees.  Normally I would be done with the garden after the first frost, but this year I'm trying to extend my season.  So, here's November's gardening goals:

• Clean up garden: I need to pull the eggplants and clean up the herb garden.
• Add manure to beds as they are cleaned up.
• Mulch: rake up leaves, get Jeff to mow them and add to beds
• Plant the winter garden: This is my experimental garden because I have no clue if seeds are going to germinate this late in the year, much less grow and mature.  I guess I will find out!
• Cover beds: since I ended up getting much more row cover than I originally needed, I'm going to make a cold frame for the broccoli.  The broccoli seem to be taking their time and I don't know if they are going to make it before it gets too cold.  I may make another frame for one of the fall beds too.
• Harvest and eat fall veggies!

Well, I guess this means I should get moving and get off the couch.  Happy November gardening!

Revisiting those October Garden Goals

A new month is sneaking up around the corner, so it's time to check on those October gardening goals.

• Clean-up garden:  I finally parted with the tomatoes, still have some paths to rid of weeds and grass.
• Harvest peanuts:  Peanuts are drying at the moment, one more week until roasting and eating!
• Dry herbs: Mint, basil, and oregano are currently drying in the potting shed.
• Plant garlic:  I didn't plan ahead with my garlic and did not order any, so I ended up going to the grocery store and buying a couple of organic garlic bulbs.  I've never grown garlic before and I'm hoping they will grow!
• Order bulbs: Sadly, bulbs did not fit into my budget this year.  I had some way too expensive car repairs (very angry at Toyota right now!!) and decided that flower bulbs were going to have to wait until next year :(
• Add compost: I got my alpaca manure and added it to the beds I cleared.  There will be more to do as the fall crops finish and I clear the eggplants and peppers. 
• Plant cover crops: I have three beds with cover crops growing.  Just planted the peanut beds with cover crops and hope they will germinate.  I had read about planting cover crops around fall crops.  I tried this with my brussel sprouts, but it seems the cover crops are taking over!  I do like the look of cover crops.  Nice to have something green instead of exposed dirt.

• Mulch:  The trees haven't dropped many of their leaves yet, so this is going to have to wait until next month.
• Make cold frame: I'm having two cold frames.  For one I am using the bottom of the trellis frame for the structure.  The other I assembled with plastic tubing and rebar.  I will be covering these with Agribon+ AG-19 row covers.  Hopefully this will work!

• Finish planting fall garden:  Fall garden planted!  I realized I've never grown turnips and even though they look smaller than I expected I'm afraid those lines might mean they are getting overripe.  Should I pull them??  

• Paint potting shed trim:  Definitely made progress, but not completely done.  One more side of trim to paint.

Not too shabby for October!  November should be a bit less busy, which is  good because I`m ready for a break!