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Transitioning The Garden From Summer To Fall
by
Angie Rose
(IC: blogger)
Easy
August can become a tricky time for gardeners. It's easy to fall into the late summer slump, feeling unsure of what to do next other than weed and wait. Things like garden pests and intruders can really get you down. Losings plants to disease or even severe weather can start to make you feel frustrated. Then, those dreaded feelings of failure creep in. You start to realize how long it will be until next summer when you can start all over again. It can be hard to see past all of your crops that flopped and enjoy everything you accomplished during the season. The good news is August is the perfect time to renovate and reinvigorate! All you need is some seeds, a shovel and a little motivation! You just have to remind yourself that there are a bunch of crops that love cool weather, and actually do better in it! I'm inspired, and want to remind you that it's not to late to get out there and continue to grow!
I love gardening, but I have to admit I get disillusioned by things that are out of my control. This year, I had trouble with raccoons digging up the bulbs I spent hours planting. I found out they are extremely attracted to the crab fertilizer I used. I spent so much time trying to figure out ways to keep those bulbs in the ground. I ended up replanting them more than once and turning to cloches for some extra help. After that, I had a giant breech in my vegetable garden security. A groundhog that set up a home in my backyard found a way to tunnel under my old chicken wire fence. He feasted on bush beans, lettuce, squash, morning glories and even bit the tops off my peanut plants. I was heartbroken to see all of the devastation he caused in such a small amount of time. I also have a chipmunk that made a home in my vegetable garden. No matter how many times I fill in the tunnel he dug in my raised bed, he comes right back and makes it again. He enjoys the protection of my fenced in garden. I see him bury his peanuts and seeds in different places and scattering them inside different protected containers. I've seen him taking a nap inside his small tunnel/home. I also see the remnants of all the strawberries and tomatoes he steals, eats, then tosses aside for me to find.
It's killed me to see the damage aphids and lily beetles have caused this year. I've tried different methods to get rid of pests, but it's hard to implement them everywhere in your yard. You protect one plant, then they always find another. We are also experiencing one of the worst droughts I've ever seen here in New England. We are at the point where no watering of lawns and gardens is allowed until the ban is lifted. To hear this is a gardeners worst nightmare. My rain barrel is empty and my lawn is pretty much nonexistent. It is brown, dry and crunches under my feet when I walk on it. Containers are struggling, and healthy soil is turning into dust. All of this can really take its toll, and losing plants due to the lack of water can make you feel guilty and sad. I have to remember to give myself a break and constantly remind myself I'm doing the best I can with the circumstances I've been given. It's tough to remember that any amount of work done no matter how small, will help your garden be better than it was before. No effort you put in is for nothing, and it all does pays off!
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Reinvigorating The Garden
Arugula - Rocket - 35 days to maturity
Later in the season, I pay close attention to the average harvesting dates on the seed packages. You want to make sure most veggies can be harvested before the dangers of frost, and that they have plenty of time to grow. Some vegetables like rutabaga and kale do fine with frost, and can continue to mature well into the winter months. It's good to take all of this into consideration when planning. I like to use the Days From Date Calculator when planting my seeds. It makes planting more tangible for me and outlines how long I have to wait. Some other crops you can plant for the fall season include lettuce, kale, swiss chard, broccoli and beans.
Continue Harvesting
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Published September 20th, 2016 2:43 PM
Comments
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2 of 38 comments
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Diane Cameron on Nov 03, 2016It was not intention to share disappointment and failures of ALL true gardeners ....... I was only sharing what worked for me. I do apologize if I have offended anyone
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Bon12902463 on Nov 18, 2016Just a tip for the ground hog problem that you might try. For years we tried every kind of mole deterrent available without any success. Then one day a gardener told me to have my husband go out in the yard where they were tunneling and urinate. Nighttime is preferable! That was two years ago and we haven't seen one since!
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