The tomatoes I set out into the garden in June are finished. Our weather has been unkind to all plants this year, and tomatoes are among the least tolerant of crazy weather. I fertilized them, I watered them consistently, and I planted them where they should be happy. I probably also planted them too closely together and I also did not stake them properly.
Many of their skins stretched and split after the drought and then the monsoon weather we had. Various munching caterpillars attacked them. And I even had a visiting bunny that munched on a few. Next year, I will spread out the plants and stake them properly. That should help to keep them out of bunny-range. I’ll work harder to scout for caterpillars, and I’ll spray the plants regularly with Bt, which is an organic pesticide that only attacks caterpillars. Some things, like the weather, I cannot change.
It’s time to think about planting the fall vegetable garden and about managing the garden during the fall and the winter. Fall vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, collards, broccoli, beets, onions, and carrots can be sown now and over the next month or two. The cabbage moth will be busy laying eggs on any brassicas, so watch out for the caterpillars. The best way to protect them is with a floating row cover held up on hoops, which prevents the moths from laying eggs on the plants.
On the farm, I have finished setting out all the plants that will bloom in the fall. A buckwheat cover crop grows on most of the beds in which I will plant the spring blooming flowers. Other beds have blooming flowers that I planted back in June in them. As they finish blooming I will mow them down, place a tarp over them to kill the plants, and prepare to sow the spring blooming flowers.
The farm is never finished. I am always planning for the next season, and I encourage you to do the same in your garden. You may come to pick your own flowers or select a bouquet at the farm stand just about every weekend on Fridays and Saturdays from 9-6 this fall. Please sign up for our emails at http://www.onehubcapfarm.com for the latest information. I send out a brief note about once a week towards the middle of the week to let you know what’s happening on the farm. One Hubcap Farm is located at 1236 Muller Road, Blythewood (about 4 minutes from I 77).