Setpember, 2011 in the PNW

Peppers continue to produce. I have harvested lots of little red jalapenos and about 8 Sweet Banana Peppers along with Gypsy Peppers which have been great additions to my pickled beans and pasta salads. I am still waiting for the Kung Pao Peppers to change colors. There are at least 40 on the two plants. The Anaheim continue to grow (slowly). Lavender Debs graciously gave me some Black Czech Pepper seeds and I started the seeds late, but now there are a few fruits that look like Black Jalapenos.

One eggplant has grown to about the size of a small egg now. I took so long to transplant them outdoors, they had already blossomed in my seed starting station and then were neglected a bit, so any harvest, especially in our cool PNW is a miracle. In fact, the OSU extension service says those of us on the coast should not even bother with eggplant.

First bush beans are harvested and pulled up with carrots going in those squares. Second batch of bush beans is starting to flower.

Canned a few jars of Jardenaire (sp?) and Dilly Beans last week.

Tomatoes are not doing much, but hope springs eternal.

Sugar Snap peas final harvest was today and the plants have been pulled. I know it is really late, but since our average first frost is December 1, I will replant some peas and see how they do. I do know our day length shortens to ten hours around Nov 1.

The late (August 4^th) planted All Blue potatoes continue to grow and really look pretty healthy.

One square of red potatoes planted in the community garden has been harvested; unfortunately, I had already cooked some to add to our green beans before I remembered to take a photo. There were still 3 lbs and 10 oz. Not a bad harvest for one chip off a sprouting grocery store red potato and shown in a 9 X 13 container.

MotherEarthNews provides the following September planting guide for the PNW, but of course, your mileage may vary.

SEPTEMBER PLANTING IN THE PNW

VEGETABLES	Sow Indoors	Sow Outdoors	Transplant
Arugula		XXX
Bok choy (pac choi)		XXX
Collards		XXX
Lettuce		XXX
Mache		XXX
Mustard		XXX
Onions	XXX		XXX
Radishes		XXX
Scallion (green onion)			XXX
Spinach		XXX

For those specifically on the coast, you can still start turnips from seed and artichokes or cabbages from starts or seedlings.

Free Pickling Guide from PNW Extension Publications Free pickling guide with recipes from Pacific Northwest Extension Publications offered free by Oregon State University, University of Idaho and Washington State University



Fall and Winter Gardening in the PNW again, published by PNW Extension Publications.



So, how is your garden growing?

Wow. that is one square of potatoes? Pretty good!

Well, I just harvested the last of the snap peas, that I planted on March 3! I have several later plantings still producing. Most years they're done by July. My squashes, both summer and winter are soooo slow this year, and we're running out of growing season. My beans have finally come on strong, and for the first time in several years I was able to put up some dilly beans.

I cringe everytime someone on the forum mentions taking a step-ladder out to their garden to harvest; it's an accident waiting to happen. Plan ahead for next year. Here is another short people trellis. It's an old idea, but it sure fits into the SFG method nicely.

I've been trying all summer to get a shot of the arch, that stands out clearly. With all the other foliage around, I just can't find an angle that works. But now that you know, there's an archway there that I can walk under. I have beans planted on both sides. I used a 20 foot piece of concrete re-inforcing wire; some folks like to use cattle panels. The arch is 8 foot tall in the middle.


Even at the top, I can just reach up and get 'em.


I had to work within the existing beds, outlined by the cinder blocks, so my walkway could only be 7 feet wide. If possible, I would make the walkway 8-9 feet wide which would bring the arch height down to a little under seven feet.

If you were starting from scratch, you could put your 4x4 boxes on the outside of the arch. I used 1x4 boxes on the inside. I used T posts to support the four 'corners' of the panel.



I know some forum members have arches standing alone that look quite grand. Maybe you guys could post them again? I'm suggesting the arch as a safety feature, but they really can add tremendous eye appeal to a garden.

boffer wrote:

I cringe everytime someone on the forum mentions taking a step-ladder out to their garden to harvest; it's an accident waiting to happen. Plan ahead for next year. Here is another short people trellis. It's an old idea, but it sure fits into the SFG method nicely.

I've been trying all summer to get a shot of the arch, that stands out clearly. With all the other foliage around, I just can't find an angle that works. But now that you know, there's an archway there that I can walk under. I have beans planted on both sides. I used a 20 foot piece of concrete re-inforcing wire; some folks like to use cattle panels. The arch is 8 foot tall in the middle.


Even at the top, I can just reach up and get 'em.


I had to work within the existing beds, outlined by the cinder blocks, so my walkway could only be 7 feet wide. If possible, I would make the walkway 8-9 feet wide which would bring the arch height down to a little under seven feet.

If you were starting from scratch, you could put your 4x4 boxes on the outside of the arch. I used 1x4 boxes on the inside. I used T posts to support the four 'corners' of the panel.



I know some forum members have arches standing alone that look quite grand. Maybe you guys could post them again? I'm suggesting the arch as a safety feature, but they really can add tremendous eye appeal to a garden.

Boffer you are quite right to cringe when you hear of people using a ladder. This year I have used a ladder and it is very hard to find level ground for the four legs. You can guess what I will be doing next year.

I love that you can plant and replant peas almost right after each other out there. I don't like that it virtually requires a miracle to get a tomato.

As for the short people trellis, I usually take a midget out with me and just lift him up so he can pick the higher tomatoes. My midget is named Chris. He's quite a tool. He is 6 years old. He weighs about 45lbs. He has been my drip irrigation system in some pictures and he has really kept my weeds down this summer. And, he can be bought or rented for a couple boxes of LEGOs around Christmas time. Quite the find! (Although his mom might not let him travel the country just yet.)

Luv it, BYBG! My two midgets are now 6'2" but live too far away to help harvest, hence the ladder and 2x6 boards I use to stabilize the ladder's legs. Nonna

Our weather has been wonderful for aug and now sept

our 2nd planting of peas!



we have harvested several bell peppers and we still have these two turning color and i found more flowers



i have my first egg plant growing....(the very first one something got to it first)



strawberries are giving us a second set of fruit! side effect of the heat wave



first time to grow beets



fall spinach and carrots





this is what happens when a pickling cucumber hides from ya



im really glad we planted lemon cucumbers this year...never had tasted one before..i luv the flavor!...i have canned some as well....cant wait to taste them dill flavored!





our herbs are doing great....we also are getting flowers on our second planting of beans....the tom's continue to blush and give us ripe fruit i canned two more QT's of pickles tonight....i have a bunch of sweet banana peppers that need to be pickled next....they are really enjoying this warm weather!.....as are we!

hugs

rose

Rose, I love your veggies. Those strawberries make me very envious.



I agree with you about the lemon cucumber. I tasted my 1st this year straight from the garden. Alas, something happened to the plant! One day it was fine; then the next morning it was limp. I looked for SVB, but found none. Perhaps, the cucumber beetles hurt it directly, or indirectly by bacteria. I will try again next year with a number of these plants.



Keep on growin'

well we had a bit of rain for a few days

forcast now is for some sunny days ahead

the fall garden is going well....

fall sweet peas in the SFG..there is a couple of volunteer plants in there too..in the back right hand side is carrots and to the left of that is spinach then lettuce then beets, then there is broc's or cauli's and some kind of volunteer squash or cucumber...not sure yet.....



fall carrots, broc and spinach in our wine barrel



the childrens self watering containers are doing well....cucumber, carrots, onions, broc' or cauli's



yellow peppers are doing great....still trying to change color and it has some new fruit and flowers



how big is a egg plant suppose to get before harvesting?....never grown one



more carrots and onions



we continue to get a few cucumbers but we are fighting powder mildew now the crookneck squash plant is still producing but looking pretty tired....we are getting some green beans and the fall planting of purple beans now have small beans growing.....we have been getting more tomatoes then i thought we would ever get
so happy about that.....our three sisters garden did very well...i posted an update in that thread
curious when you all think our first frost will come the weather has been nicer then i thought it was going to be this fall....

hugs

rose