Things have been slow in the garden. A recent rise in temperature has given my crops some more sunshine and it was enough to make them ready to harvest.

I pulled out a big bowl full of spinach leaves, some broccoli, cauliflower and also 4 beets. The vegetables were not particularly large as we have not had much sun or heat around here, but considering I was able to produce anything at all during Winter, I was extremely pleased.

I bought some organic mulch and laid it on top of what were the tomato and eggplant/pepper boxes back in the summer. I’m giving the soil in those boxes some rest for the duration of Winter.

Around late February or early March I expect to start the Summer crop indoor seeding, and probably also the Fall crops.

Carrot harvest

Carrots

Following too much time away from the garden (due to job search and subsequent job change), I spent most of Saturday with my crops. I harvested a couple tiny peppers and some nice looking carrots. The broccoli, the spinach, and the beets are all pretty close to harvest at this point. I hope there will be enough sun for them to make it before it gets too cold for anything to grow. I finally completely removed the tomato, eggplant, and pepper plants, and put a fence around the last of the boxes. Slowly I will put all the boxes to rest for the winter. I plan on getting some mulch to put on top of the soil.

I had forgotten how much fun gardening is, and missed it. It was enjoyable to be back at it again this past weekend.

Box 3

Spinach and cabbage

Box 4

Broccoli and beets

Box 5

Cauliflower, brussels sprouts and artichoke

Surprisingly, the composting is going quite well. The breakdown and decomposition also requires heat so I’m surprised.

This weekend I’ll take some pictures and put them up.

Box 1

Tomatoes

Box 2

Eggplants and bell peppers

Box 3

Brussels sprouts and spinach

Box 4

Beets and cabbage

Box 5

Broccoli, cauliflower and artichoke

The front yard radishes are coming out, so I harvested a bunch of those. I also plucked some more eggplants, tomatoes and peppers. My dinner salads have consisted of radishes, peppers and tomatoes with olive oil- so fresh and delicious!

As for the eggplants, those will make good workweek lunchtime meals.

The summer crops are are still hanging on a bit longer; it’s time to start focusing on the fall crop.

On the gardening front, I gave the radishes another week to grow and they’re looking good. I will harvest those any day now. The carrots are coming along nicely thickening stems.

We thinned out the tomato vine to ensure that the remaining tomatoes get what little sun is left this season. I did the same to a less dramatic extent with the eggplants and peppers, hoping to get one last harvest before it turns cold. The rest of crops (all cool weather) are doing well with the current fall temperatures. Hoping for a good fall harvest.

Box 1

Tomatoes

Box 2

Eggplants and bell peppers

Box 3

Brussels sprouts and spinach

Box 4

Beets and cabbage

Box 5

Broccoli, cauliflower, basil, artichoke and cowpeas

This evening I harvested 41 eggplants from the garden. I planted 8 square feet of eggplants with 1 seed in the middle of each square. I’m surprised SO many have come out… much more than I would have imagined.

Tobia and I prepared them and cooked them in the oven. The plan is to eat them for our upcoming lunches- probably for a good while.

I’ve been extremely fortunate to harvest roughly 15 tomatoes due to this. The eggplants and peppers continue to come too.

The fall crops are growing slowly but surely. The carrots and radishes, at the front are doing well too. I expect to harvest the quick growing radishes this coming week.

Box 1

Tomatoes

Box 2

Eggplants and bell peppers

Box 3

Brussels sprouts and spinach

Box 4

Beets and cabbage

Box 5

Broccoli, cauliflower, basil, artichoke and cowpeas

The summer and heat have held out late this year, we’re still getting close to 80 degrees here in the Bay Area. Though it’s really hot for me, the tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and cowpeas have really blossomed well.

Heirloom tomatoes

I’ve been eating my tomatoes for a couple days now. I’ve just plucked almost 20 more from the vine over the last day or so. I’m really enjoying the fresh taste of vine tomatoes.

Eggplants, green pepper, basil and tomatoes

I’ve also been able to pick off close to 10 eggplants, which, along with a green pepper, got cooked for lunch today.

And finally I pulled off the cowpea pods this evening for what looks like at least a meal’s worth of black eyed peas. This all came out from 1 square from the square foot garden.

Cowpeas

I am extremely happy!

Despite the late summer start, no indoor seeding, and a whole bunch of mistakes along the way, I still get to enjoy a reasonable summer harvest.

Square Foot Gardening has been great, hopefully the fall crops will make it too.

I’ve spent a lot of time thinning out each square, making sure each crop has all the sufficient resources to grow large. The beets in particular, this time around, look promising and will hopefully turn out nice and big.

The squirrels managed to hop over the fences we put up on some of the boxes and terrorized some of the crops in there. It’s so despairing to see that happen. We’ll probably put a roof top on the boxes now to completely keep those bastards out.

The transplants have been growing nicely. The brussels sprouts, in particular, are becoming sturdier as their stems are thickening.

Radishes

Carrots

The cowpeas are drying out and should be cracking open soon, at which point they will be ready for harvesting. We’ll take those and soak them in water in hopes of getting them to puff out and eat.

The radishes in the front are doing quite well. I expect them to be done in a couple of weeks. The carrots are coming along nicely too.

And finally, I planted some parsley, which can grow in any season.

Box 1

Tomatoes

Box 2

Eggplants and bell peppers

Box 3

Brussels sprouts and spinach

Box 4

Beets and cabbage

Box 5

Broccoli, cauliflower, basil, artichoke and cowpeas