End of the Year - so much to do!

So, it's that time of year.  Most of the garden has been harvested, though there are still a few things out.  The broccoli I didn't plant has produced a head about the size of a baseball.  The brussel sprouts almost looked like they were going to do something - maybe I didn't thin them enough to really do it, though.  Next year I'm going to start them way earlier in the window - maybe in April - to give them a fighting chance. 

The herbs are still waiting for me to pull them in bunches - I've been a bit busy having started classes again.  Working full time, taking two classes, and trying to work in the garden/yard work is tough, but I'm managing.

The fall chore list:

1.  The final mowing of the yard - need the clippings to insulate the vegetable garden.
2.  Clean out the beds of dead or dying plants - pull the old, make room for the new
3.  Trellis the Raspberries - they're going to need it.
4.  Bunch of new bulbs to plant - both front and back yards
5.  Use grass clippings to cover the strawberries too, trim back the old dead stuff, weed their bed - take leather gloves, something with spines grew in there and hubby never took care of it.
6.  Clean up the dog run
7.  Plant the last of the things that aren't in the ground yet - a little bishops weed for the front garden.
8.  Stir the compost heap, and add more of the powered bacteria stuff to it
9.  Put all the plastic pots and garden art up in the utility shed
10. Put up the hoses and tools (hoses go in the utility shed, tools go to thier respective homes
11. Clean and put up the mower, put note on it to sharpen blade next year
12. Empty and put up hanging baskets and goose planter

I think that covers this year's list - strange, I thought there was more to it. 

13.  Clean up leaves off of driveway, add to compost pile

Anything else?

No?

I think that's it.  Oh, wait -

14.  Find new home for the pond liner, plan out pond this winter - start watching craigslist for pump supplies

Okay, now that's gotta be -

15.  Trim back roses

16.  Add ash to roses / blueberries / currants

Okay, now I think that's it.  At least, that's what I've got for now.  I'm sure I'll get outside and think of fifteen more things. :)

Back from Vacation

So, after three days of no attention, the garden is doing what gardens do when you aren't looking - it's overgrowing!

Unfortunately slugs got to the fourth baby zucchini (I've only had one make it to harvestable size) and so it fell off the vine.  I've got three more babies working though, and we'll see how they do.

Something attempted to pull a parsnip through the fence, but failed.  So I have an 8" parsnip on my counter, that probably will be simply steamed and buttered tonight. 

Of course there are tons more peas to collect (I bought in about a cup last night) and the lettuce is going great guns.  Soon I have to go and collect herb bunches to dry, and I need to clean the deck a bit before that - this year I think I'm going to do more of the drying on the deck instead of in the basement, unless I can come up with a reliable way to do it in the microwave.

I'm also going to have to dig potatoes soon - the main plants are turning yellow, and the slugs have started in.  The yard needs mowing if the rain quits a bit more tonight, and the grass clippings will be handy for mulching around the berry bushes and paths.

The blueberries still aren't ripe!  Just a little tinge of purple along the edges.  Hoping they finish up in the next two weeks. If they don't, it's going to snow before I get to pick!

Looking into chickens again.  I have the whole fall and winter to come up with a design that will work.  Hoping to have four Orpingtons next year.  (I really want lavender ones, but we'll see what I can find!)

Stuff left to do this fall?  Let's see, there's trellising the raspberries, cleaning up the compost pile and moving it, clearing out the garden when it's done, weeding and mulching the perennial bed, a pile of gladiolus bulbs to plant, and planning to do for the other garden beds I want to put in.  I need to mulch the strawberries like crazy.  I also need to plan on where I'm going to get the money for the new fence around the mountain ash, and plan on doing that next spring if I run out of funds this fall. 

Then I need to make the list for next year, draw out where the plants currently are that should come back, and plan on what I'm searching for as fill-ins.  Primroses are on the list - there are some awesome varieties, and a great greenhouse in Homer that's supposed to carry one of the largest selections of them, if I can get there next spring. 

It's a great day to be in the garden!