Fall Sprouts – Part 2
In Southern California, growing food is a year-round activity, passion, and, for some, profession. There are no long, winter months to perfectly plan for the following year, we just do the best we can with what we have and keep going. This is a follow-up to Fall Sprouts – Part 1.
Here are eight more sprouts from my fall garden. It’s amazing that so many of the sprouts look so similar after just opening the first set of heart-shaped leaves. Only the next set of leaves begins to identify the plant. With the exception of the celery seedlings I planted on Labor Day, my entire fall garden was direct-seeded in November.
Mesclun Salad Mix
Cascadia Snap Peas Hybrid
Mei Quing Choi Baby
Five Color Silverbeet Swiss Chard
Redbor Kale
Wild Farm Garlic
Veronica F1 (Romanesco) Cauliflower Hybrid
Cherry Belle Radish Heirloom
As you can see, I have some bug and slug damage on a number of the sprouts. I’m going to have to be very vigilant (didn’t I say this in Episode 8 of “Late Bloomer?”) to nurture these plants to maturity. Seeds are from Botanical Interests, West Coast Seeds, and Seeds of Change. I planted 18 cloves of garlic from a head given to me by Lisa at Wild Farm in Woodside, California, Episode 15. I intermixed them with the leftover Mexican Sunflowers along the street, and it took about six weeks for them to emerge. Nothing was happening till we got three solid days of rain over a week ago, then they started shooting up. I haven’t watered the garden since it rained, as the ground is still wet. Just think how much Colorado River water (that we we exist on) would have been saved if all the homeowners turned off their automatic sprinklers for a week. Grow food, not lawns!
If you haven’t visited Late Bloomer Facebook page, please do, and subscribe by following the simple directions in the top post. There are lots of great links to inspire, educate and encourage, so please Like. And post your own garden photos! Let’s get the conversation going. You can see a clip of my small, front garden here. Thanks for stopping by! What are you growing? – Kaye
Category: Cool Season, Grow Veggies
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The sprouts look like you are in for healthy eating!
Interesting that you refer to long winter months without being in the garden as if it’s a benefit. It is more like punishment. I always think at the end of the growing season that I will be prepared for next spring but never am. It is always a scramble! Great post, Kaye. Your sprouts look…delicious!
Hey Kaye what a terrific thing to grow year ’round! Your sprouts looks great and I’m sure will taste delicious when ready to harvest.
Believe it or not, we still have carrots out yonder and the garlic isn’t technically ‘growing’. It’s been mild then cold then back to mild here.
One odd thing did happen this past week…I got my FIRST seed catalog…before Christmas, that’s a new one.
Have a great week…glad to hear your garlic is up