Mid-South: September, 2014

Got to do some driving this weekend thru upper GA & most of TN. 

Up on the Cumberland Plateau, leaves are losing their green and JUST starting to turn yellow.  My friend Elaine has already put up 184 quarts of tomato sauce and blueberry jam and I don't know what else!  (Traditional row gardener, but I love her anyway.)

In West TN, towards Jackson, the milo is growing nicely, field corn is drying on the stalks (between raindrops), and, I believe, soy is off & running.  Did see one disturbing thing over towards the town of Green Frog:  "Monsanto Road".   Really?  That's very sad...  Why encourage them?

Here is a link to the National Gardening Association Mid-South September Report:

http://www.garden.org/regional/report?action=zipsearch&zip=30519&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

There's all sorts of interesting articles on what the chores are for this month, gardening techniques, events, etc.

In my garden, the Romas are going full-blast along with the okra.  I'm allowing the remainder of my pole beans to stay on for next year seeding.  My watermelons didn't do well at all.  And I only got 2 zukes from my one plant.

But it's all good.  It's a learning process!

AtlantaMarie wrote:
But it's all good.  It's a learning process!

So true. From Still Learning

The north metro area of Atlanta is the southern edge of middle south.  Maple leaves are starting to turn red & yellow.  The last couple of mornings, it's been in the low 50's and never gets out of the low 70's.  Nice breeze. 

I've got some vine going absolutely nuts in the garden.  Haven't figured out what it is yet.  But it tried to grab the neighbor's boat again.  Sections of it must reach 20 feet!

Tomatoes still going strong.  Getting lots of okra seeds.  Greek basil needs cutting badly.

Are cabbages that have been growing all season going to be bitter or are they okay?

Already buying more vermiculite for more beds next spring... 

AtlantaMarie wrote:The north metro area of Atlanta is the southern edge of middle south.  Maple leaves are starting to turn red & yellow.  The last couple of mornings, it's been in the low 50's and never gets out of the low 70's.  Nice breeze. 

Fayetteville, Ga is the southern border of the middle south based on this website.  Fayetteville zip code is 30214.  Brooks, GA (15 minutes south of Fayetteville) is the upper border of the lower south (zip code 30205).  That puts me in the lower south but my weather is more in line with middle south so I usually post here.
http://www.garden.org/regional/report
Our highs this last week have been 79-83.  Still hot when working in the middle of a sunny day but yes, the cooler breeze in the morning and evening is nice.

I have planted peas and broccoli.  My seed packets of carrots, radish, lettuce, and spinach are sitting on my kitchen counter but I am saving my energy for cleaning up the garden so these seeds probably won't get planted.

AtlantaMarie wrote:Got to do some driving this weekend thru upper GA & most of TN. 

Up on the Cumberland Plateau, leaves are losing their green and JUST starting to turn yellow.  My friend Elaine has already put up 184 quarts of tomato sauce and blueberry jam and I don't know what else!  (Traditional row gardener, but I love her anyway.)

In West TN, towards Jackson, the milo is growing nicely, field corn is drying on the stalks (between raindrops), and, I believe, soy is off & running.  Did see one disturbing thing over towards the town of Green Frog:  "Monsanto Road".   Really?  That's very sad...  Why encourage them?

Here is a link to the National Gardening Association Mid-South September Report:

http://www.garden.org/regional/report?action=zipsearch&zip=30519&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

There's all sorts of interesting articles on what the chores are for this month, gardening techniques, events, etc.

In my garden, the Romas are going full-blast along with the okra.  I'm allowing the remainder of my pole beans to stay on for next year seeding.  My watermelons didn't do well at all.  And I only got 2 zukes from my one plant.

But it's all good.  It's a learning process!

So sad that they are going to stop running a regional report.

Hadn't heard that!!  Too bad...

Thanks for that info, Yolos.  Good to know!

AtlantaMarie wrote:

Are cabbages that have been growing all season going to be bitter or are they okay?

They should get better. A little frost will sweeten up any of the cole crops.

Oh, that's good!  Thanks, Pollinator!

yolos wrote:

AtlantaMarie wrote:The north metro area of Atlanta is the southern edge of middle south.  Maple leaves are starting to turn red & yellow.  The last couple of mornings, it's been in the low 50's and never gets out of the low 70's.  Nice breeze. 

Fayetteville, Ga is the southern border of the middle south based on this website.  Fayetteville zip code is 30214.  Brooks, GA (15 minutes south of Fayetteville) is the upper border of the lower south (zip code 30205).  That puts me in the lower south but my weather is more in line with middle south so I usually post here.
http://www.garden.org/regional/report
Our highs this last week have been 79-83.  Still hot when working in the middle of a sunny day but yes, the cooler breeze in the morning and evening is nice.

I have planted peas and broccoli.  My seed packets of carrots, radish, lettuce, and spinach are sitting on my kitchen counter but I am saving my energy for cleaning up the garden so these seeds probably won't get planted.

Lower south actually runs all the way to Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA. and catches me here in the Northeast corner of NC.  It's because of the Gulf Stream that runs right off the coast.  Just 5 miles or so to the West is Mid South.  

Kay