My Mission Has Begun – The Garden

I decided to get started where I plan to end this project - in the garden.  With frost warnings looming and the plants looking rather spent and spindly it made for perfect timing.  The girls and I headed out and picked all the tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini.  

I found two that were close to being ready and a yellow squash so I decided to leave those two plants alone to see if we can give them a chance before we have a complete hard frost.  The rest of the plants were pulled. 

We added compost, chicken manure and bedding to the beds and raked it out to winter over.  Next spring we’ll turn it all in and begin planting once again.  We also emptied all the pots and stacked them upside down along the edge of one of the planting beds.  Then we stacked the tomato cages. 

I pulled up the irrigation system with plans for a different set up next year and put it away.  The hoses were drained and rolled up leaving only the main hose for now. 

We moved our fire pot into position to get ready for some fall and winter fun out on the deck.  We love to build a fire to roast wienies and toast marshmallows.  It also makes for a nice way to stay warm when we are working outdoors. 

 

In a couple of weeks I will pick the last of the zucchini and squash, then pull the plants, do a little more raking and call this part of the process complete.  For my first real attempt at gardening I call it a success and next year I know it will be even better. 

Have you put your garden to bed for the winter yet?