Swiss Chard

This plant of Swiss chard was planted last March. I scattered some kind of a mixed seed mix. It was in those seed packs that you get for ten cents.It's a great substitute for spinach and much easier to grow. I think I've already cut it three times. I plan on growing much more of it next year. It's also the prettiest plant in the garden.

Green Onions- Scallions

This variety is Cipollotto Da Mazzi. I planted them July 1st. The picture is a little washed out and doesn't show the size real well. They are about ready to pick , but I think I'll leave them till about thanksgiving. The green onions seem to sprout real well and are easy to start.

Digging in leaves.

I dug in about ten bags of leaves I picked up at the side of a road. In each trench I put a whole bag of leaves.The garden soil is getting light and fluffy. It only took about an hour to complete the project. I also ended up with ten very nice paper bags that I can use to mulch, where I want to kill some weeds.

Here is a picture of my fall garden October 20th.

I counted the other day and I have about 18 varieties still growing. I picked ten tomatoes yesterday.

Red Janice Garlic, Grey Griselle French shallots and two grocery store varieties, planted in a French Intensive style raised bed..

You can see how I laid out the bulbs about 6-8 inches apart.I planted them today October 12th. After I laid them out I shoved them down and buried them.The Garlic is a variety named Red Janice that originated in the country of Georgia. It is a soft neck variety that is supposed to do well in Northern climates. As I understand it the Grey Griselle shallots are a variety of their own Allium Oschanini. This is supposed to be the true shallot from France and all others are impostors. I also bought a few red colored and also copper colored bulbs that were referred to as being shallots, but I suspect are really Potato Onions/Multiplier Onions Allium Ascalonicum. All totaled I planted about sixty bulbs. As you can see I placed these bulbs in a double dug bed rich in organic matter, and the bed is sitting on about ten inches of compost.

End of the year produce

It was supposed to frost last week, (which it didn't) so I picked the most vulnerable produce. Its been in the 80's since. I picked the last of the Purple Majesty Green Beans . They did really well for me. As the weather turned cooler the Blue lake quality seemed to increase and the purple decreased. Also I dug my purple potatoes, which were a fingerling variety.

Double dug beds

I have about 110 feet of three foot wide raised beds, all double dug, composted and ready for the spring.This is where I grew my corn.I located some Griselle Grey French Shallots, and a Garlic called Red Janice. I intend to plant them in this area  this week.
Griselle Grey Shallots

Blackberry Plants

A friend gave me five little Blackberry plants  last spring. This is what they did the first year. They are expensive to buy, so don't think you need lots of plants. I planted them about three feet apart. You really need to trellis them and stay on top of them or they would grow everywhere.

Composting Facility Davenport, Iowa

I know this isn't a very exciting picture, but it shows the state of the art compost Facility we have near my home. They sell the compost for $10.00 a cubic yard. It's a great gardening resource to have access to.

Compost facility