Last Day of Summer

Wow! How can it be the last day of summer already.. Just 6 weeks until my book deadline (eeek!), but things are coming along very well.. I'm also trying to prepare for the next photo shoot for the book, when 'Chicken Wire' Joe comes back up to NS from Alabama.. hopefully, no dislocated shoulders for Joe on this trip!

As you can see, the 3rd cold frame was finally planted on Sunday afternoon.. I still have a few more seeds to sprinkle - claytonia, tatsoi and maybe a bit more mache, but it's ready for winter.. sigh..

I'm looking forward to getting up the mini hoop houses.. probably another 2 to 3 weeks before they're up. I have enough hoops for 3 houses, but I think I'll pick up enough for 2 or 3 more tunnels, as I have so many lovely fall crops.. see the kale photos below!

The mixed Asian greens in the garden are also coming along well.. these little guys are Giant Red Mustard sprouts - 10 days old. The mix contains several mustards, tatsoi, arugula and more. I bought a packet from Johnny's Seeds, but I wish I had bought more. We love these spicy greens.. They're quick to grow, so pretty and very productive. Plus, they're very cold tolerant. I plan on covering the bed with a mini hoop tunnel in a month or so.. depending on the frost.. (which, we'll talk about this weekend on the radio show with Richard Zurawski!) Hope you can join me!

I also love the kales.. it's such a pleasure watching them go from seed to seedling to mature plant. With the cooler days and nights, they've kicked into high gear and seem to grow bigger right before my eyes! The leaf textures and colours are so diverse and the plants themselves, are incredibly cold tolerant. I think my favourite is the dinosaur kale (with the long blue-green strap-like leaves), but I also love the curly kales too..

Must go finish and article and edit the cold frame section of the book.. will post photos tomorrow of the glorious gourds!

Happy Gardening!