September 2012, New England

Thank you, quiltbea. I saw garlic a few weeks back at the farmer's market but it was $1/bulb and I thought maybe a seed place might have it cheaper. I guess it's the farmer's market or bust tho.

QB, I was under the impression that softneck were the good storage keeper. I gotta look into this more, maybe I'm needing to add to my stock.

I am just using up the last of what I harvested in June of 2011. NHG, I can send you a few softnecks. How many (plants/squares) did you want to plant?

Looks like High Mowing still has some. These should be a good varieties, grown in upstate Vermont.
http://www.highmowingseeds.com/_search.php?page=1&q=garlic

Looks like these guys might still have some too.
http://www.filareefarm.com/seed-garlic-for-sale/Seed-Garlic/

Well, it's the writing on the wall........... I just lit the woodstove.

I was trying to hold out for lighting up on 10/1 but we are forecast for 36*F tonight and it's downright chilly out now at 6:30 pm.

camprn wrote:Well, it's the writing on the wall........... I just lit the woodstove.

I was trying to hold out for lighting up on 10/1 but we are forecast for 36*F tonight and it's downright chilly out now at 6:30 pm.

LOL! Mine's going too! (Not gonna admit that it's probably the 4th or 5th time this Fall, already--nope, not me!)

But as far as the garlic, I also thought the softneck were the better keepers, though there are some hardnecks that will store a long time. I'm planning on getting some Sicilian Silver (Silverskin) for next winter's pantry plus a hard-neck variety pack from "Penn Gate Farm". Has anyone ever tried this assortment or bought from this vendor? They're new to me. (You'll have to cut & past until I can post links.)

penngategarlic.webs.com/apps/webstore/products/show/3143009

The description reads:
"One pound - Prime mix of cold winter hardneck varieties for the Northern states and other cold or cool winter areas. This assortment contains only the flavorful hardneck varieties such as Rocambole, Porcelain, Purple Stripe Asiatic and Turban that grow so much better in the Northern areas of the country and other areas, usually mountainous, where cold winters are the norm. "

If anyone knows of other vendors that sell sampler-type seed garlic, please let me know!

Ilma

Ha, me too with the woodstove.

Thanks camprn! Let me look here first before I put you thru that trouble.

I'm thinking garlic sales might be a good biz to get into around this time of year... Once I get my garlic started, I'll be sure to replant them for bigger beds so I never have to worry about this again.

Frost last night. Third one thus far...

I don't think we got a frost here in southern NH last night. I hope not. I looked outside this morning and it's very dewey, but hopefully no frost.

Only in the mid 40's here last nite - no frost. We use a space heater just to take the chill off in the morning. Other than that, it's an oil furnace for us.

It's sunny but very windy out today. Picked any ripe toms, bell peppers and beans this morning before they were blown off. Drizzly foggy weather for the next 5 days I see.

CC

The last of my tomato garden, tops lopped off the big guys, not the cherries, and stripped down to the bare bones:


I'd show you more but the photo thingy won't work again.

CC

I harvested worm castings today from their home beneath the trees and cleaned up my worm condo for another winter in my bathroom. I got another 28-Qt bucket of castings.

Our nights have dropped into the 40s lately but my walk-out inlaw apt is mostly underground. Only the west side has full-size windows facing west. That arrangement means my apt is warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. I've never even turned on my A/C all summer. Since I bought it 3 years ago, I used it the first year on 3 nites that were unusually hot. Otherwise a fan works fine for my apt. So far, I haven't touched the thermostat and its been warm enough in my place.
I think sometime next month I'll have to dig out my flannel nities as it continues to drop. I usually do that Nov 1st, but its been a bit cooler a bit earlier this fall.

I still haven't bought my hardneck garlic but plan to do that next week at the Farmer's Market. I've got to get in a good supply for another year.

It seems that everyone is starting to run out of seed garlic to plant so I got nervous and figured i'd better order quick. I ended up buying that 1 lb. sampler pack from Penn Gate Farm I posted about earlier. The description says that "each pound contains three to six (usually five) different cultivars with one to four bulbs (usually two) of each cultivar" The sampler I chose has some Rocambole, Porcelain, Purple Stripe Asiatic and Turban. I also bought the following from Irish Eyes Garden Seeds: Silver Rose (Silverskin garlic), Holland Red (Shallots) and some Elephant Garlic.

SO...I guess that means I'll have to prepare at least ONE 4x4 square this fall so I have a place to put the plants.

Which leads me to a question: when I masterminded my ambitious garden plan LAST winter (a big no-no similar to grocery shopping when you're hungry), I had planned on interspersing the garlic among my other plants. Since I wasn't able to get the beds completed in time to plant anything at all in them, and am still waiting on the manure delivery (this Friday if all goes well), I'm tempted to designate one 4x4 or whatever space I need for the amount of garlic, etc. I'm getting since I'm not really sure any more what I'm going to plant where next Spring.

Since the purpose of fall-planting is let the bulbs start to set out roots as soon as they're in the ground in preparation for the next growing season, it would be counter-productive for me to then go and MOVE them next year, just to have them scattered around the garden, right?

I've got plenty of space to designate a concentrated area for just the stuff I've bought, so maybe that's the way to go--I think I've convinced myself--but I welcome anyone's input just the same.

I'm planning to devote a bed to garlic, in part because I'm a compartmentalized person, and also because garlic grows tall and I don't want it shading my other plants.

We should form a garlic co-op for next year and sell seed garlic.

I'm like you molly, it takes me a while to get my plans into reality - making 5 boxes the first summer almost did me in, now I've added, and I made a mound for asparagus which is doing me in presently. Wonder if it will ever be finished. I also am thinking now I should expand my garden fencing to include the new asparagus mound, which means I'd have more room for boxes, which is good because I keep thinking of things I'd like to plant.

NH, I actually don't have any asparagus inside my garden fence at all. I started out with just planting one crown about 5 years ago to see if Chuck would eat it and he & all his progeny since have just left it alone. So this year after my tall fence went up, I planted some 18 more crowns along it but outside of the enclosure. Something nibbled on the top of one spear a couple of months ago but left the rest alone. Just a couple of weeks ago the same happened with a late sprouter but, again, just a nibble off the top. The plant seems to compensate by sending out larger side shoots to collect the sunshine.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I won't regret the decision. I suppose I could dig them up in the future and bring them inside the enclosure, but I'm going to wait & see.

Do you have many asparagus-loving critters down your way?

P.S. Good point about the height of the garlic. I'm going to have to see what I get in my sampler pack & take into account their respective heights & maturity dates. Thanks for the reminder!

I planted my garlic 'crop' in a 4x6 and used about 110-115 cloves. This year I may space them out a bit farther and I think I will use 2 4x4 beds.

I do interplant garlic here and there in the garden, but not as part of my crop for storage.

will post photo later, cannot post photo's from work.

Mollyhespra.....Don't worry about using a full box for your garlic. When you've harvested the middle of next summer, you can prep for some fall crops in that same box; broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, turnip, kale, chard, beets, carrots, radishes, lettuce, spinach and a few others than prefer it a bit cooler. The advantage is that the warm soil germinates the seeds just fine and by the time they are up and growing, the insects are departing. Cool crops are just that, they all like it cooler and grow better than in spring. Just allow the number of weeks for full growth plus a couple more added before the first winter frost.

quiltbea wrote:Mollyhespra.....Don't worry about using a full box for your garlic. When you've harvested the middle of next summer, you can prep for some fall crops in that same box; broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, turnip, kale, chard, beets, carrots, radishes, lettuce, spinach and a few others than prefer it a bit cooler. The advantage is that the warm soil germinates the seeds just fine and by the time they are up and growing, the insects are departing. Cool crops are just that, they all like it cooler and grow better than in spring. Just allow the number of weeks for full growth plus a couple more added before the first winter frost.

+1
I planted my tomatoes in my garlic bed and sweet peppers in the shallot bed. The summer plants were held in 1/2 and 1 gallon pots until the bedspace was free and the weather was fine.

So garlic is done by mid summer? I didn't know that. Seems to take so many months to develop good root systems, and then it's only for a couple months? Huh. That's gratitude. I guess we have to remember to set aside enough cloves for next year's garden each year.

About the asparagus, I have chickens and they attack pretty much everything. But really, fencing it in is just an excuse to enlarge my garden area without raising red flags with my husband, who also eyes the available areas for his wildflower gardens, etc.

I got part of my garlic order today! I was hoping for 3 varieties in my sampler pack, but I got 5!!! I'm still waiting on some elephant garlic, a silverskin garlic and some shallots. WOOT! Now if only the weather holds out, I can get the beds filled & planted before the snow flies!

I forgot to post this for September: Garden Chores for the North East.
http://awaytogarden.com/category/chores-by-month

Today is the 3rd day of drizzly rain which has kept me from my garden beds. Feels cold and clammy with temps in the 50'sF days and 40'sF nites. Still happily no frost here sko when the rain stops I can check out my peppers, Velvet Red toms, carrots, late corn and kale.

I spent many hours today just planning my next spring garden. I changed it several times to allow for favorite varieties.
This year I had lots of wilt in my tomatoes, so next year I am keeping the heirloom seeds in the fridge and buying disease-resistant F1 varieties from Johnnyseeds.com like Celebrity (prolific slicer), Mountain Magic (cherry), Red Pearl (grape) which is OP so I'll save seeds on this one if it does well, Granadero (plum), Estiva (med slicer), and for Determinates, Polbig (early), and Defiant (med slicer). I want to have a bonanza harvest of toms next year.

I also planned my beds for good use for fall crops and also a fall to winter bed exclusive that I can cover when frosts arrive.

The other plan is for a hoop house specifically to sow seeds like lettuces and spinach to overwinter for a very early spring harvest next year. This bed will be left alone to do its thing all fall and winter per Eliot Coleman's overwintering method.

It all sounds good to me and things I can handle. I am down-sizing a bit next year and staying away from the Comm Garden except to volunteer in their Food Pantry beds a few hours a month when I have the energy. No more over-doing it for me. With too many beds to handle, my home garden suffered this year when I got a health set-back.

I hope everyone is doing well with their cool crops in N.E. and enjoying carrots, late broccoli, turnip, parsnips, and so forth. Is anyone lucky enough to have some tomatoes left?

Oh yes, I still have many tomatoes left. In fact, even tho it's been drizzly, I've thought - the garden is still green. It's not ripening as quickly, but I still have peppers, eggplants and tomatoes out there, some green beans, cucumbers. I bring in the tomatoes when they're orange, mainly because something keeps poking holes in them, maybe the chickens or maybe the slugs I'm not sure, and I let them ripen on the counter. I have several freezer baggies of tomatoes in the freezer. My tomato plants actually did pretty well this year, I didn't have much problem with disease, altho I also let the suckers grow so they were very leafy and I have a suspicion that helped.

I'm anxious to hear more about your early sowing of lettuce and spinach. When will that be again? Not sure if you meant you were actually going to plant them this fall to grow in late winter, or if you were going to plant them in late winter. I would love to get a hoop house going here, but haven't done it yet.

It's been rainy and raw here for several days as well. Had the fire going again yesterday.
I still have tomatoes, a San Marzano, which I will grow more of next year and Gilberties. I am having the same problem as last year with some tree root hairs infiltrating the Gilbertie bed, which has severely stunted the plant growth and production. This spring I dug out all my boxes and put down cardboard and weed barrier and it still got in... GRRRRRRRRRRRRR...... Next year I think I will raise it off the soil surface and put a bottom on the box.

My Cherokee purple succumbed to blight, dangit.

Canned 5 pints of beets and 4 pints of honey ginger pears this weekend. Apple butter is cooking in the bread machine now, Which I will can before bed tonight.

camprn wrote:
Apple butter is cooking in the bread machine now, Which I will can before bed tonight.

How do you do that? Sounds so simple!

Oh dear! Tree root hairs are the reason I ditched my last compost pile location and just started composting right in the (empty) garden boxes. They can be tough to deal with. I know you'll be disappointed to lose your earthworm access, but I guess you can throw some worms in the top.

CindiLou wrote:

camprn wrote:
Apple butter is cooking in the bread machine now, Which I will can before bed tonight.

How do you do that? Sounds so simple!

My bread machine has a setting for making jam. I just fill the pan about 3/4 way full of chopped apple pieces 1/2" of water, a sprinkle of salt and turn it on. About 1/2 way through I add a wee bit of sugar and honey. The jam cycle is 1 hour long and I think I did 3 cycles last week for apple butter. I like doing it this way as the machine does the stirring and I can tend to other things.
When done,I can it per usual instructions in the Ball Blue Book.