Well, it hasn’t been a particularly great season for the old garden. If it grew, it grew weird. Funny how important rain can be to vegetables. Luckily, it’s fall and time to start that wonderful, almost bug-free, fall and winter garden when I turn into a lettuce snob. You haven’t tasted fresh until you’ve just grabbed it out of the garden.

So let’s review what’s left in the garden. Later this month we’ll look at what I’ve planted for the fall. I’m a bit late this year but that’s because the soil is still so hot from our screaming summer.

Well, the Zinnias died

I pulled them all out and threw the flower tops in the dirt. Starting to get seeds sprouting. We’ll see if I get any flowers before the first big freeze. Doubt it.

Purple Hull Peas

Theses boys look like they’ve had it, but I’m still getting peas. In fact, I’m on my fifth quart which isn’t bad for this small stand of peas. Plus I love sitting on the porch shelling peas. Somehow it’s soothing.

Pitiful Peppers

The pepper plants grew this year, but they made mini peppers. No matter how I watered them, they just didn’t grow. They’ve been better the last couple of weeks because we just got a little rain. I’ll give them another month and then bye bye.

Tabasco Peppers

A girlfriend gave me this plant. Of all the peppers, they’ve done the best. Plus they have nice thick walls, taste like regular peppers and turn bright red without shriveling up. I’d love to grow these in a good year.

Evidently, some things just don’t care about rain. Here are the good guys in the garden.

Bountiful Basil

I’ve still got plenty of basil out in the garden. Pesto making time. As soon as the first freeze hits, they’ll be deader than a doornail.

Peppery Arugula

This stuff never dies and re-seeds itself. Love it. Great in salads or made into pesto.

And now, for the summer star of the show – still going strong.

Eggplant, eggplant everywhere

Frankly, I’m getting sick of them and so are my friends. Still this one amazing bush keeps on going and going. Nearly 60 eggplants so far. Come on over and pick some.

They are gorgeous, aren’t they?

This weekend I plan on planting all the organic garlic I bought plus I’ll probably throw some lettuce seeds in the ground. At least I’ll be working on the beds.

Enjoy your weekend and this beautiful weather.

Spreading laughter throughout the world…one chuckle at a time.

Mikie Baker
www.mikiebaker.com