Buddistuff Antiques, Collectibles.....& books!

Even though this wasn't the ideal year for gardening, we managed to get some stuff.........This was a cool, rainy summer here in Michigan and that garden was definitely in line with that.  It's the chance you take living here - but the four seasons are still nice - just when you get sick of summer, it's fall and so on........In the garden we had green tomatoes until a week ago and got some but not the usual bunch.  We were lucky not to get the blight that was going around.  Just wasn't hot enough for them.  We did get a ton of peppers - sweet banana, jalapeño, green and red.  Also scallions, yellow onions, white and red potatoes (half of what we normally get), and corn (we blanched over 100 ears but the raccoons got to the second batch before we did!)   We still have brussel sprouts to pick but last night we had a pretty heavy frost and it killed most of what was left.  Yesterday was a busy day of picking - I sure feel every muscle in my body today!  We did have some asparagus earlier in the year, chives and strawberries but all were slim.  Can't forget about the broccoli and cauliflower that did really good!  We did not grow any lettuce this year.  I'm sure I'm forgetting something.  Oh and of course what about the GOURDS?

Last night's frost killed what was left of the vines.  Yesterday I picked the softer shelled gourds like the warties and small ones.  No luffa grew this year, even though they started out good.  I think a little critter must have munched on 'em :(.   That was disappointing.  I have some bushels and birdhouses out there but don't see many martins, though I did plant them!  Last year we had a lot more big gourds.  I hear I am not alone here in Michigan.  Again, just not hot enough for them, but water was not an issue!   Ken's pumpkins did really good which was a surprise since we didn't have the heat -- must have liked the water though!  He got 25 good-sized pumpkins.  Might have to take those to market, there's just so many nice ones!

Oh I did forget to mention the squash!  We got butternut and acorn.  We bought butternut and something else I can't remember........we also got a few volunteer buttercup that we grew last year.  That was a nice surprise!

So, this weekend we might get the energy to clean up some of the dead vines and plants.  If your tomatoes or any plants had blight or other diseases, remember to throw those out.  You could compost them but not directly.  Has to dry out first or the disease will spread in the composted soil.