Well, I think today is it. After this day is done, the 'real' November weather should be arriving and I better get the mini hoop tunnels set up and ready to go before the sun sets at 5 pm (thanks SO much time change) today. We've been very lucky with only a few lights frosts and one hard frost so far - it's Nov 4th for goodness sake - but after today, our lovely 12 C weather is sinking to just above freezing and I want to make sure our beds of hardy greens are protected and ready for winter.
Speaking of beds of greens, these hardy plants have been thriving in the mild Oct and Nov weather.. I started none of them from seed or transplant - at least not on purpose. They're all reseeded (aka, volunteer) babies that I dug up and moved as they popped up in the beds in September. Some of them were moved in hot, dry weather, but they all took. Another reason to love these resilient edibles. Talk about easy gardening! Now, we have 3 cold frames full of crops for winter and about six 4 by 10 foot beds overflowing with hardy greens and root crops. I also late seeded a few more beds with assorted greens that will overwinter and be ready for harvest from mid March until mid-May when the 'real' garden takes over once again.
As for now, here's a few photos I took this morning as the most beautiful golden autumn light bathed the garden.. mind you, once I snapped the first photo, clouds appeared and that light was gone, but nevertheless, here is a glimpse of our garden..
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| Mixed Asian greens and baby kale in the fleeting light. |
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| Asian greens just LOVE this weather! |
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| Some of my new-to-me kales.. Lacinato Rainbow, a cross of Lacinato (aka, Dinosaur kale) with Redbor, a curly-leafed red variety. |
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| More Lacinato Rainbow with Winterbor in the background. |
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| Baby Pixie cabbage from Renee's Garden with Lacinato Rainbow kale. |
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| Winterbor kale with sweet alyssum - still going strong! |
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| Curly parsley and sweet alyssum. |
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| Glossy green Asian veggies |
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| Look closely and you'll see the bolted mizuna in the middle.. no worries, the flowerbuds and blooms also take great! |
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| Ruby Streaks mustard from Greta's Organic Garden in Ontario. |
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| Say cheese, Lacinato Rainbow! Not quite as colourful as I had thought, but maybe that is a natural variation or my seed source.. |
