My backyard is sometimes a poor excuse for a garden, but occasionally I can find moments of awesomeness that are worth sharing. This time of year, the tomatoes left on the vines are pretty sad and ready to be ripped up. The raised vegetable beds have a couple of rouge pumpkin/squashes that need to be composted. And it is possible the bees are hibernating, as nary a bee has been seen coming or going from the hive in a week. I am hoping for the best.
In the front yard, the artichokes are coming back from the ground-level hacking I gave them in September. According to a farmer at the Farmer’s Market, they are a year-round vegetable, so I may see artichokes sooner than later.
The Fuyu persimmon tree looks great. I must have purchased one of the new vertical fruit trees (trying to find source, I think I read about it in Sunset magazine). The bottom branches are loaded down with fruit, just in time for festive salads for the holidays.
Speaking of which, the pomegranate tree/bush has 3 ripe poms and it turns out the kids love them for snacks and lunch. I think they look nice sprinkled on a salad with persimmon slices or at the bottom of a Pomegranate Martini.
I also planted several starts of leeks, onions, and chard, and the chard is to the point where weekly harvesting is in order. The parsley is growing despite benign neglect (I am not so good about watering), and is sure handy when the recipe calls for a handful as garnish.
What is growing in your garden this time of year?
Party Plan: Summer Reading Event
Blogaversary: Put ‘em Up! (Giveaway)
Family Dinner Plan: Avocados
4 Comments
I so love reading what is in your garden being in the ‘shut down’ phase of our garden season. From living in California I remember the idea of ‘year round plants’ though we do not have them in Colorado. I love the phots as well. Everything looks so lush and vibrant. So many beautiful foods from your own yard for the holidays!
Boulder Locavore´s last [type] ..Goji Berry Infused Vodka and Martini
Twitter: kitchengirl
We are so fortunate to live in California where we can grow things year round, it spoils us! But I imagine living in places where it is impossible to do so makes you enjoy what you have much more. And saving and preserving the harvest becomes more of a necessity, I would like that kind of challenge!
Twitter: houseofannie
Ooh, persimmons! I miss them.
We’ve got a few papayas ripening on the tree and a couple of wintermelons getting bigger. But that’s about it.
Twitter: kitchengirl
I am trying a new recipe for Thanksgiving, a crispy persimmon pie made with Fuyu persimmons. Looks good so far, fingers crossed it works out to be a good experiment.
We only eat papayas when visiting Hawaii, such a treat, with a squeeze of lime. What do you do with wintermelons?