Garden Journal: Week of 9/19

One week ago we officially welcomed fall into the garden with the arrival of the autumnal equinox.

It is the summer’s great last heat,
It is the fall’s first chill: They meet.
–Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt (American 19th CenturyPoet)

We certainly found this to be true as we experienced a last reminder of summer’s heat, accompanied by relentless rains, before things began to cool down again today.

In the garden this week…

…leaves are beginning to turn yellow and come to the ground (here’s lookin’ at you sesame (Sesamum indicum) and indigo (Indigofera tinctoria)), and growth is slowing down as the garden prepares for the winter months.

Sesame showing its fall yellow color and brown seed pods.

Indigo starting to shed some leaves.

…we finally said goodbye to the sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) and Joseph’s coat (Amaranthus tricolor), which were definitely past their prime!

It's time to say goodbye to the sunflowers. See you next year!

Pull, admire, compost.

Lily takes care of the remaining Joseph's coat stalks.

…we pulled out our bed of buckwheat in preparation for the garlic bulbs that will be planted soon.

Buckwheat bed...before and after.

…we collected seeds and set them to dry in the greenhouse in preparation for next year’s harvest.

Harvesting buckwheat seeds.

Seeds set out to dry out in the greenhouse.

We’re already beginning to talk of what cover crops we’ll use to put the garden to rest this year and have been reflecting on all of this year’s successes and things to improve upon for next year (more on that soon!).

~Chelsea