Saturday Farmer's Market - Taking Stock

Created by Heather at Capricious Reader, and now hosted by Chris at Stuff as Dreams are Made on.

I started my own Tomato plants this year, but I started them late.

This means that they sprouted late and I got them into the ground late.

It also means that they started setting fruit late.

I've only had a few at a time throughout the summer, but as Autumn closes in, the vines are filling with beautiful green tomatoes.

Granted, I'm lucky enough to have a long growing season here in Northern California, but it's still doubtful if they will all ripen. 

The Cape Honeysuckle is big and beautiful right now. 

It is just starting to bloom, and should do so up until frost hits. This is only it's second winter, so I'm not sure how long it will really stay in bloom.

With some help I was able to get my Agave pups into the ground.

The first one pictured has barbs, not only on the tips, but along the sides as well.

It's a wicked one! Its mom is against the side fence, away from traffic.

I put this little guy in the center of the Crepe Myrtle bed, between the Lavender and the Lantana.




I've created a small dry bed for some Succulents.

Over watering is still my biggest issue in the garden, and this is an area where the results could be devastating.

It's is a new endeavor and I'm hoping for the best.

The next picture (sorry it's so blurry) is of an Agave that is almost the same as the first, except it only has spines at the ends of its leaves.

Those spines can still be wicked.





The last one is a softer Agave with no spines at all.

Even my local nursery didn't have names for these different Agave, so I will end up doing some research.

I understand that there are somewhere around 150 different types.

So, wish me luck.




When I can finally work in the garden again I have a lot to do.

• It's time to prep the beds for winter. 
• I need to build a second cold frame. 
• There are some odds & ends of repairs needed. 
• I need to build raised beds and finish my vertical Basil planter
• The fruit trees need pruning and will soon need to be sprayed.
•   . . . 

The list is endless, but I don't know what I'd do without it.

I'm considering not putting in vegetables next year. I need to build some raised beds, and at this point I have neither funds nor capability. I'm considering spending the year getting my act together so I can do things the right way.

There's a first time for everything! Right?

I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose.

- Arthur Conan Doyle