October 2011, in the PNW

I miss our RH, Furbalsmom, who hasn't been able to sit at the computer lately due to aches and pains. Get better faster! Albeit late, I'll get this thread started this month.

Fall plantings of broccoli and kohlrabi are coming along nicely, and some should be edible in a week or two; have been eating fall peas for a couple weeks now. I still have misc. plantings of beets and carrots growing. My cool crop gardens are almost ready to be put to bed for the winter.





I don't know if I have enough growing season left to be competitive in the broccoli contest, but this is one of my bigger heads.



5 way compost, screened and ready to use in some new boxes.



Jerusalem Artichokes (Sun chokes) leaning on a six foot fence.



See the impostor? That's a Jerusalem Artichoke flower in amongst some fading Brown Eye Susans. You can just barely see them on the tops of the stalks in the above picture.



Beautiful brussel sprouts this year, but they're totally aphid infested. My chickens love BS leaves, but they won't eat broccoli leaves-go figure!



The seventh and last globe artichoke on the seedling that I got from the nursery this spring. The color isn't as brilliant as usual, and the size isn't very big, but just wait till next year.



If you need compost, come get some. The left pile is this years 3 way leftover. The right pile is next years 5 way, and 2013's pile is getting started in the front.



Anybody in the PNW over-wintering anything?

too bad your brussels sprouts are infested. i told myself I'm not planting any more cabbage family crops for that reason :drunken: . But with my new beds my hubby made yesterday, I planted brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower, so we'll see. I wish I were closer, I'd get some of your five way compost! What are your five components? Nice job!!

Boffer, my apologies because this is a bit off topic. To follow up a bit on SG's post...what are the components in your 3 and 5 way compost? Do you just pile it up as shown in the picture or do you turn it once in a while? Thanks.

I'm a big boy now, and the toys are bigger, but I'm still playing in the dirt! Turning the pile is fun; I screen my compost through ½ inch hardware cloth in the trommel I made .

The 3 way is a year's worth of grass from a ½ acre yard, a truck load of leaves, and a yard of horse manure from my neighbor. The five way has the same, plus I buy a yard of cow manure and a yard of mushroom compost. As much as chickens poop, my six chickens can't keep up with the volume, so I've been buying bags of chicken manure to add in when I make my MM, so I end up with a 6 way blend.

[quote="boffer"]I'm a big boy now, and the toys are bigger, but I'm still playing in the dirt! Turning the pile is fun; I screen my compost through ½ inch hardware cloth in the trommel I made .

Howdy Boffer:

Yep, I'm still here. Nice blend of compost. I need to add chicken and rabbit to mine. If you can get rabbit and goat what a blend you will have and bragging rights too! Now if Josh would send you some worm castings...

God Bless, Ward and Mary.