Not only did we have a frost, but it was also a deep freeze, with temps down to the very low twenties! We knew it was coming and picked nearly everything in the garden, including our peppers in the hoop house. Without heat, we knew it would freeze too, and as we’ve got a lot of peppers and I’ve used them for more than a month in canning, we decided to let it go. We knew there were a lot of peppers in there — and big ones — but we were still amazed to see the three big baskets of huge peppers! One was more than 8 inches long and 5 inches wide! That one was a Sweet Goliath. All of our peppers have been huge: Giant Marconi, Revolution, and Park’s Early Thickset, to name a few.
We also harvested more than half of our potatoes and our reds and russets were also huge. They were planted late and I thought I’d get medium potatoes, at best, as the plants didn’t blossom! But I was wrong. I started forking over hills of huge potatoes, larger than my two fists together! And plenty of them, too. We were really happy about that.
Of course, we also picked all of our squash, corn, and tomatoes, bringing in buckets, baskets, and boxes full of produce. Now I’ve just got to can, can, can and dehydrate the rest. What a pleasure, even though I get pretty darned tired a lot of nights. It sure is worth it when we sit down to meal after meal of all homegrown food and a big glass of cold milk from our wonderful cow and a nibble of cheese on crackers to go with it.
We’re already planning for next spring when we hope to be able to start the porch on the north side of our house. Our entryway already comes off of that so we’re going to extend the roof all across the house and make an open porch and a place to sit in the shade in the summer.
Because frost takes its sweet time getting out of the ground in the spring, Will dug the holes 4 feet deep for the pillars upon which the porch will sit. Now he’s got the treated, used power poles in the holes and is going to level them and cut them off to length. So when spring does come, maybe we can start framing in that project — if cash permits, that is. Like everything, we pay as we go and sometimes it’s a while between the accumulation of cash. — Jackie
James,
We do use our own animals’ composted manure on the potato area, but only plant after the manure rots for two years as too much fresher manure and high nitrogen causes scab and all vines and no ‘taters. We plant our potatoes 12″-16″ apart. When you plant closer, you get only smaller potatoes. We don’t plant as early as do some folks around here, choosing to plant when the soil is warming up some so the sets don’t rot in the ground or become slowed down by chilly weather. We also hill our potatoes heavily at least twice; that makes more and larger potatoes. Otherwise, it’s just weeding, watering and praying.
Jackie
Jackie my Lord! Those potatoes are huge! Whats your secret? We have NEVER had a good potato crop, I dont know why. We dont use manure on them. Fertilized with triple ten. Just small taters. Anything process you have on growing them??
Looks like a great end of summer for you Jackie! The porch idea is wonderful! You’ll be looking forward to that all winter. Happy canning! The same here in Michigan… The canner and dehydrater doesn’t get much rest!
Lower 20s — mid September. Wow! I live in southern Michigan next to the big lake. We’re still in the 60s for high, 50s for lows.
That you have such a bountiful garden in a such short and merciless growing season is proof of your gardening skill.
Thanks for all you patiently teach us, Jackie.
Saying a prayer for your continued strength and good health over these next few weeks as you tackle the gigantic job ahead. What a bountiful harvest!!! Blessings.
WOW great veggies. Love your house also. Well, we finally got rain in Texas early this morning. Yeah!! Hope it helped our fires in Texas.
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