The Fall Garden in Arizona

path to the garden of Casa Malpollos, decorated with fall leaves from the peach trees

Tonight's low will approach 32°, but the rest of the week the lows will be in the 40s, so our cool-weather loving garden plants should be fine. We've had a string of clear, pleasantly cool days, and today was no exception. The cats and I wandered out to the garden around 8:30 this morning, where Cassie browsed on some grass, and I plucked and munched on a few Sungold tomatoes and some mixed mustard greens. If we don't have any hard freezes for a while, we may be able to harvest some Crimson Crunch radishes though I planted the seed a little late (on September 11th) for our altitude and something gnawed them down to the ground not long after they sprouted. They are recovering, and the tiny radishes are fleshing out. That same day, I planted Italian Arugula, Runway Arugula, Wine Country Mesclun and Ruby & Emerald Streaks Mustard. Arugula sprouted in mid-to-late August near my weed compost pile (veggie remains go in a separate compost pile that I will dig into the garden after they have composted). I must have scattered some seed there from my early spring arugula, so next year I should plant these seeds in mid-to-late August for an early fall crop. 

Clicking on the links in the paragraph above will take you to descriptions of those greens and veggies at Renee's Garden. I have been ordering garden and flower seeds from Renee's since the mid-nineties when Renee's was Shepherd's Garden Seeds. White Flower Farm bought Shepherd's Garden Seeds, and for a time, Renee Shepherd worked for the company that bought out her business. For some years now, however, she has returned to selling product through her own company.  The price of the seeds may be a little more than the packets you might get off a Home Depot carousel, but I have never been dissatisfied with my orders, and I love the artwork on the seed packets, too. I re-purpose the packets after planting the seeds.

Re-purposed seed packets from Renee's Garden--just right for tiny gifts or a special note

After Cassie and Persey did their rounds in the garden, sniffing plants and looking for insects to catch (Cassie brought a grasshopper in the house yesterday), I watered the purple cabbage that Tom planted. We haven't had any rain for days; the monsoon season is past.

Persey sniffing in the garden; squash going to seed; more green onions than we can eat

purple cabbage and green onions

Emerald Streaks Mustard, mesclun mix, and arugula

Crimson Crunch radishes, recovering from being gnawed by some nefarious garden muncher

Outside the garden, native flower plants are going to seed. I enjoy pinching the dry seed heads of the cowpen daisy that came up volunteer in our back yard and watching the seed spread in the wind. Birds will eat some, and our chickens, which we often let out of their pen in the evenings, will peck up some of the seed, too, but I'm hoping to get a beautiful, bright crop in the 2017 monsoon season. And those wildflowers I planted are doing really well on the northeast side of the house. 

That's a lovely thing about fall: being in the moment, enjoying the last of the produce, and yet looking forward to making improvements to next year's garden.

climbing nasturtiums on the door to the Secret Garden room

fall leaves in the Secret Garden room

morning glories still blooming though a little wilted because I've not been watering them