Earthbox Update - Week Twenty-Six: Time to Plant Greens and What to Do with What I've Got

Holy Garden Buddha! It's week 26. That means that I've been at this urban gardener thing for half a year. It's definitely been an adventure. We've had some highs--beautiful plants, lots of produce--and some lows--plagues of monsoon, disease, and insects. Oh, and let's not forget that personal low of having to help the zucchini "reproduce"--aka host a zucchini sperm bank and act as a fertility specialist. Ew.

Anyway, so now it's October 14 and it's become seasonably cool. Though it doesn't stem my sadness that summer's over (sniff, sniff), it's interesting to see how the veggies respond to this change in seasons. It's definitely curtains for the tomatoes, with scroungy, fading plants and only an occasional ripe fruit.

Although...the cherry plant that I found growing out of the outdoor carpet (let me repeat that as we pause to admire the resilience and determination of nature: the cherry tomato that I found growing out of the outdoor carpet--no dirt, no food, not even a pot of its own to call home) is still producing a few beautiful, orange sun-golds. But that's about it. The other guys--Earthbox and potted plants alike--have pretty much come to an end. Farewell, old friends. The green tomatoes that are still on the vine probably won't end up ripening. Hmmm...friend green tomatoes, anyone?

Future fried green tomatoes

"Darwin" - the amazingly resilient cherry tomato

 The Carmen pepper plant has 11 beautiful ripe horn-shaped reds ready to be harvested. What an amazing plant. Highly recommend. I will definitely be making a gardening note to self to invest in this lady next year. Actually, as I've been picking peppers, I saved some seeds, dried them, and put them away in an envelope. I'm sure I probably messed it up, but how cool would it be if I had a second generation Carmen next year? As in, Carmen's daughter? Then Carmen's granddaughter? A whole family tree of Carmens?! How cool, you ask? Very cool.

Now...what to do with 11 Carmens. To freeze or to cook, that is the question...

Every lady loves a nice big pepper

In the meantime, back to the change in seasons. As it cools off and tomato-pepper season winds down (oh, sweet sadness), it's time to put in greens: lettuce, spinach, kale, etc. Leafy greens tolerate the cold well. So do herbs...which are still growing great guns.