Farewell free food

So today was the final meal from the garden. Boo Hoo HOO HOO BOO.

Seriously. I have loved my garden. And it's SUCH a short season.

I had cleaned it out this past weekend; pulled up all the tomato plants, etc. with the promise (which was delivered) of a frost. But I left a handful of pepper plants, zucchini and the basil since it was still producing quite liberally.

But the frost got the tips of the basil, so I figured I'd get one last batch of pesto. I also tried to spiral slice the teeny tiny zucchini I harvested for "noodles," but it was too small. Oh well.

But I wanted to say that the garden was a HUGE success and I fully plan on having another one (and even bigger!) next year! I want more peas, less tomatoes, less peppers (I still have about 10 I can't figure out what to do with!) the cukes were good, not too many, not too few, and the lettuce I have to figure out how to stagger a bit. (I still have tons of that in the fridge). The beets were tiny, the brussell sprouts never sprouted and the kale got eaten. The sunflowers were fabulous and out of four pumpkin berms I got ONE measly pumpkin! Pretty color though.

I tilled the soil and made a map of where my things were planted so I won't put them in the same areas next spring and the only thing I have left to do is get rid of the few plants out there. It is SeriOUSLY just not that much work. Sure, it was a big chunk of time to get it prepared and then planted, and there was some weeding; but overall I didn't even have to water that much since it rained the whole season! Whatever the bit of work, it was enormously rewarded by having fresh food outside the door.

I want to plant potatoes, onions, garlic and perhaps corn next year. I am going to start a lot of things from seed myself (as opposed to relying on what the nurseries have on hand) and I also want to get some strawberry and blueberry plants/bushes going. Oh, and asparagus. I want an asparagus patch! I want patches!

Farewell free food -- you will be sorely missed.