Seems like I haven’t posted in forever. Life takes over and my garden has been neglected. However, I could not let the first day of fall go by without a post, especially since I could do it in the Six on Saturday format. Six things. In a garden. On a Saturday.
1. Ornamental Pumpkins. Well, my yield is not what I had hoped, but the ones I have are perfect.
2. Sweet potatoes. Luscious green vines are taking over my garden. I’m trying to hold on as long as I can to harvest these beauties!
3. Marigolds. I am amazed that my marigolds look so fantastic. I fretted and fretted over these at the beginning. Too much water? Too little water? Nothing seemed to work so I threw up my hands in defeat. I guess they like to be ignored because they now look great!
4. Cucumbers. I’ve yet to produce a single cucumber. I thought they were easy to grow! I tried a second planting in August. This is a bloom from that planting. Fingers crossed that I actually grow a cucumber I can eat!
5. Calico Corn. This is another August second planting. It appears at a slant today because of the torrential rains that pounded Oklahoma yesterday. I think the crop will recover. I’m hoping for a healthy batch of this gourmet popcorn that is a cross between miniature popcorn and Indian corn.
6. Cover crops. The first day of fall demands some talk of the season ahead. The seeds for my cover crops arrived this week. Fava beans (bottom) and winter rye (top) are my choices for year one. I’ve never tried growing a cover crop, but I am hopeful for a successful winter and a bump going into spring. Certainly can’t hurt!
To see what other gardeners are featuring on the first day of fall, check out the post and comment section in this link: Six on Saturday. Then get outside and enjoy the first day of fall! As for me … I’m on my way to see OU play Army. Boomer Sooner!
Patch405 
That’s a switch! I couldn’t grow squash and was nearly overrun with cucumbers. Your pumpkins are lovely!
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This seems late for corn. Our summers last later here, but the corn is done (I think). I would have guessed that it would have finished earlier there. Much of what I know about horticulture was learned fro Okies, but I never learned the seasons there. I am still a Californian.
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What is a cover crop? Nice bright yellows in your six this week.
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Jane – is cover crop an American thing? A cover crop is a plant that is used primarily to slow erosion, improve soil health, enhance water availability, smother weeds, help control pests and diseases, increase biodiversity and bring a host of other benefits to your farm. Most people – I guess, in America – plant a crop in the fall that grows and stays in place through the winter. Mainly, it’s designed to add nitrogen to the soil and protect the soil from wind and erosion over the winter. Just before spring, you till the plant into the soil – which further adds nutrients. It’s often referred to as green manure.
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I thought it was probably something like that. Some people might do that here too, but would probably call it green manure or something similar. Thanks for the clarification.
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Those pictures are so beautiful! And you guys saw quite a game.
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When does your first frost occur? Or are you so far south you don’t really get frost? Corn in August just seems odd, but then I’m in Indiana where harvesting is at full swing and frost is just around the corner.
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Oh, cover crops I really need to do this too and I actually gasped at those pumpkins! I didn’t even try to grow them here (Ireland) this year becasue last year was so bad for me. At least you have these 3.
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Those pumpkins made me gasp I didn’t grow any this year here (Ireland) because last year was so bad. I also don’t have any gladioli flowers yet just leaves
I really need to start my cover crops too but I haven’t decided on what yet.
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Those pumpkins are lovely. What size are they? Do they have flesh or are they more like gourds? Looks like you’ve got some yummies coming up soon.
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