Robbing the Cradle

I didn’t spend much time in the garden this weekend. I had errands on Saturday and a dinner party to attend in the evening. Sunday I woke up to a very cool day. I made coffee and biscuits, checked email and learned none of my volunteers was heading for the garden, so I decided to go in the afternoon, before a foray to the grocery store.

Ready for the oven.

Not much is growing now except the greens, which are thriving. It is definitely fall. The light is changing rapidly and trees are coloring up.

Alex’s mustard greens and kale look luscious!

The weather forecasters said we might have a frost this weekend. Arlington is a microclimate, so our frosts are later than those around us. Still, I began to look at the tiny zucchini and summer squash and wonder if I should harvest them.

The zucchini looked pretty small.

They had not grown much since last week. It was possible a freeze would damage them before next weekend.

This little squash was going to need the fur coat.

I decided to rob the cradle.

Baby theft!!

I also had some nice chard and beet greens again, as well as tomatoes and peppers.

There was one okra pod worth harvesting, which along with the other takings, went into a black bean soup the cool weather had made me hungry for.

After cradle robbing, I wandered around to see what other gardeners had. So much will not have time to mature. But that’s the way of gardening.

This little fig may just have enough time…

I did a little work in the small garden, which is nearly ready to be put to bed.

I was also pleased to be able to pick another bouquet for home. Some of the plants had seed heads, which I scattered along the fence line by the sidewalk. I’m looking forward to a bit of a rest this winter, but also thinking ahead to next year’s flower borders!

I’ll pick flowers as long as they last!