Fall Delights

As the leaves change color all around Seattle, I look for similar inspiration in my fall veggie garden.

Easy punches of color can be found in Swiss chard 'Bright Lights' and many kale varieties. One favorite is 'Red Bor' that intensifies as the temperature drops.

I tried out 'Ruby Streaks' mustard last fall and was disappointed. It started out wimpy and didn't have the deep purple foliage I hoped for. Before I wrote it off as a poor performer, I decided to collect the seed anyway and try it again.


This year is a different story. The purple color looks great and really stands out against the Yucca 'Color Guard.' I'm not sure what made a difference this year. Possibly they were planted a little earlier, giving them some more time in the warm soil and adequately adjust to the gradually cooling temperatures.

I'll keep you posted on the other fall veggies I planted around the garden: escarole, tah tsai (go away slugs!), and even red lettuce.

Out with the pond. In with the blueberries

I was conflicted for a long time about removing our bog. Though a lovely feature in the spring and summer, it came apparent this year that I needed to fill it in. Too many mosquitoes, the sharp cyperus-like plants, and the constant worry a toddler might fall in. The main reason why I dragged my feat in removing it was: What would take its place?


I gave it a lot of thought. Since the pond form would stay--I couldn't imagine digging up the whole thing--it would serve great as a place to grow potatoes. I could contain them in one spot and not worry about them escaping into the rest of the garden.

But, potatoes. Are they really that nice to look at during the growing season? Sure they put out some white flowers, but then you have to wait for them to turn yellow before harvesting them.

Another problem I had this year was my Top Hat blueberry plant outgrew its corner. The bed is way to shallow where it was planted. Plus, a few days of no water during a hot spell, the poor thing got scorched. And I had a couple of newly planted North Sky blueberries I picked up from Raintree Nursery at this year's Northwest Flower and Garden Show. The small 4" plants were being overrun by the other veggies in the bed. I also acquired yet another Top Hat from City People's this fall. It was a nice looking plant and on sale. I couldn't resist!

Even though it hasn't rained that much, removing the soggy plants was quite a feat. The roots had even engulfed large rocks making the load even heavier. I had to piecemeal it into two yard waste carts, fearing the collectors would think it was too heavy to take away.

With the pond empty, it was now time to fill it with soil. Could I get away with just filling it in? The form has two levels: a deeper middle section and a ledge around the perimeter. I filled in the middle section as much as I could. It rained the following day and was a soupy mess. The blueberries would probably like a little more drainage. I couldn't get away without having drainage holes. Better do it now, rather than realizing after completely filling it in and fully planted out.

I love starting conversations with my husband like this: "Do we have an old quarter-inch drill bit you don't mind going through plastic, soil and rock?" Luckily we had exactly what I asked for. In about 15 minutes, I was able to drill all the holes.

Here's a look at the middle filled in and the ledge drilled out.




I was fortunate to have fair amount of extra soil in an adjacent bed. Last year, I installed a small eco-turf lawn and ended up with twice as much soil delivered than what I asked for. I threw it into the veggie beds and thought, "Well, as least I can grow some really long carrots!" The extra soil was perfect for filling in this space.

I couldn't wait to get planting once I finished my last shovels of soil. Here's a shot of all four plants. The Top Hats are on the ends and the two North Sky in the middle.

Here's a detail shot of the lovely fall color already showing on the North Sky.


These plants should be happy in their new location: plenty of sun and good acidic soil. The cool rains have started. I'm going to enjoy their colorful fall show and dream of a fruitful harvest for next summer.

Edibles in Front

This is the second year I've planted my heat-loving tomatoes in the front garden and the first I included eggplant.

Last year, despite our minimal summer, I enjoyed a fair amount of tomatoes from my south-facing front yard. I decided it wasn't worth trying to grow them in the back yard this year. Even with my west facing beds, I have much more space in front for them.

We had another cool summer this year, but with the little heat we did get, I had a great crop of cherry tomatoes. Remember, I'm not growing big, beefy heirlooms like Purple Cherokee. I choose varieties that have less than 85 days to mature.

Look at these gorgeous Black Cherry tomatoes!



If wonderfully vine-ripened tomatoes are your goal, then you may want to consider changing your aesthetic perspective. I find tomato towers a nice accent to my perennials. Check it out. Wow! cherry tomatoes growing behind my Cape Fuchsia and Symphytum 'Axminster Gold.'




You can see the Symphytum again behind my 'Kyoto Egg' eggplant. Both types of eggplant thrived here.


Breaking the rules and norms can lead to beautiful veggies AND a beautiful garden. Get out there and try something new!

Not-so-Edible

Yes, there are times when something I've grown in the garden just doesn't quite work out.

My early purple sprouting broccoli has grown wonderfully. The stalks are huge and about 4' tall. But, I have yet to get any flowers on them.

Instead of giving up completely, I decided to try sauteing the leaves with some butter and garlic. A friend told me that the leaves can be very tasty. They seemed similar in texture to lacinato kale and became a lovely green color when I cooked them up.


Looks good!

Oh, but what a disappointment when I tried them. They were leathery and not flavorful at all. No amount of butter, garlic, and even Parmesan cheese would make these right!

Ah well. I guess I'll keep growing on the others until they finally sprout or a freeze knocks them back for the season. Stay tuned!

Beans, Beans!

Beans really are a magical fruit. I am amazed how easy they are for me every year. I directly sowed the seed once it got warm enough. This year, it was just before the 4th of July...although we got tricked into thinking that was the start of our summer here in Seattle. Then I watered them in and kept the soil moist and within a week and a half or so, they sprouted.

I couldn't keep up with the harvest this year again. But, that's okay since what I don't eat can be saved for next year's planting. And the old plants can be turned under before I plant my winter veggies.

I had fun this year planting my Purple Pole Beans next to a rose bush as a support. This rose reaches about 7-8' and was a lovely natural trellis.


I planted Purple Podded bush bean as well. Both of these had a nutty flavor. I never did get around to cooking them up. I imagine they'd be great in a stir fry. I just ate them straight from the garden. Yum!

Another cool variety were the 'Dragon Tongue' bush beans. I wish they were a pole bean because the pods with their contrasting cream and purple skin are hidden close to the ground. I'd like to have them at eye level. Ah well.


Still fun to look at even if you have to crouch down to get a peek at them. These had a more green flavor...not quite grassy, but close. Again, I only ate them from the garden and didn't get around to trying them in a dish. All of them are perfect for snacking as you wander the garden.

Oh, and for the record, another bowl of tomatoes were harvested this evening. Woohoo!

Tomatoes and Eggplant

When I got home this afternoon, my son asked if we could go outside and pick tomatoes. No one has to ask me twice!

Today there was a definite hint of fall in the air. It rained last night and was still overcast when we headed out. But, still warm enough where I'm not feeling panicked about ripping out tomato plants just yet.

We gathered a fantastic looking bowl of tomatoes and eggplant. Check it out!



Most of the tomatoes are the Isis Candy which are delicious! Tangy and sweet with a cool orange-red swirl of color around the fruit. I would say it's a nice balance between the sweet, sweet Black Cherry and the punchy tang of the Wow!

I had given up on the Isis Candy harvest since they are quite slow to ripen given the cool summer we had. If it weren't for growing these beauties in the south-facing front yard, I'm sure most of them would still be green.

As we filled the bowl, my son reminded me about making green tomato pie. And, he mentioned several times he wanted it "now." Maybe later this week, we'll fill a bowl of all green tomatoes just for that.

Oh, and I almost forgot the eggplant! One of my Little Fingers eggplant finally came round and produced a handful (pun intended!). If you look closely at about 6 o'clock in the bowl, there is one peeking out. The others you see are Kyoto Egg. One single plants had a good looking and sizable crop--close to 10 eggplants!

I promise I'll make a separate post of what they look like out in the garden. I hope to convince you to plant your edibles amongst your perennials.

End-of-Summer Tomatoes

I wouldn't say I've had a glut of tomatoes this year, but I managed to collect at least two bowls full. Better late than never with the heat we had the last week and a half. You didn't hear this Seattleite complaining about the weather. I wanted ripe tomatoes!


I took this latest harvest and added it to the pesto pasta I made last night. The pesto was simple: basil, garlic, parmesan cheese and toasted hazelnuts. Whirl the ingredients in the food processor with enough olive oil to make a paste and a couple dashes of salt and Voila! It was a big hit with my friends.

Before adding the tomatoes to the pasta, I quartered them and sprinkled them with a little kosher salt and olive oil to bring out their bright and tangy flavor.

Maybe I'll grab some crusty bread at the farmer's market tomorrow and use the rest of them for bruschetta. It will be my toast to the end of summer as I feel the slight chill of fall in the air.