A Wild Child Garden In September

Labor Day signals the end of summer. For as long as I can remember, we have enjoyed the long weekend at our favorite lake and squeezed every last drop out of the season.  When we are at the lake it feels like summer will never end.  But the minute we arrive back home, it is all fall for me.  There is so much excitement surrounding the cooler temps, cozy comforts, and the beauty of the coming season. I start the transition from summer to fall like any good southern lady with a trip to Hobby Lobby and a new fall diffuser blend.  One of the first things I do in the mornings is fill my diffusers.  The blend below currently has me feeling all the fall vibes. 

This same excitement for the new season follows me out to the garden as I begin putting the final touches on my garden plans, picking the last of the summer harvests, and replacing the peppers for broccoli and cabbage.  There is nothing quite like the transition from summer to fall in the garden.  Everything seems to slow down and tidy up, and the fresh start is something I am always looking for and ready to welcome in.

The summer garden has taken us on a ride.  The  tomatoes and cucumbers gave us a run for our money, as we could barely keep up with them.  Now we turn the page to a very different season. The cool season is slow and steady and ever changing.  It is important to understand this difference to appreciate what is to come.  The biggest difference in the two seasons in how we plant them.  In spring we rushed out to get everything planted at the first opportunity. That was important because we needed our plants to get up and growing before the unrelenting heat of summer arrived.  In the fall garden, we plant slowly. We rely heavily on the moon to guide us since root vegetables are affected my the moon's cycle.  And we really never stop planting.  That is because unlike the spring and summer season where one plant yields lots of fruit, in the cool season, one plant oftentimes yields one fruit. This is a stark contrast, but once we understand it, we can embrace it and it becomes such a lovely rhythm.  There is something about picking and planting and picking and planting that just feels so good.  I share more in this week's episode of the Wild Child Kitchen Gardening podcast.  Tune in here for the full episode! 

So while there is definitely much to do to get this new season underway, none of it feels like a chore.  Instead, it feels more like a reunion with a friend.  And I welcome it all.  Here is what is going on in the wild child garden in September.  

Preparing For A New Season

In the wild child garden, empty beds are rare. So when we get the opportunity we take it.  There is something about the end of summer that calls for a clean out.  It is the one time of year that I pretty much empty all of my beds.  I crave this refresh, and I am always thrilled to get my tidy garden back. The end of summer can be so wild and unruly.  Seeing that clean soil and those empty beds gets my wheels spinning for what all we can grow.  

Once the beds are empty, I give every one a good refresh.  I test my soil, add lots of organic matter, and a fresh layer of compost to get the new season off to a great start.  I think about all that these beds have grown in the last six months.  When I last saw them they were tired and wore out. We need to give the soil a little pep talk. Organic matter works wonders!  You can download the five things I add to my soil at the end of summer HERE.  

What I'm Planting 

This month is THE month to start planting our cool season gardens.  I have a couple things I am super excited about growing this year that I can't wait to share with you.  Also, I share all of what we can plant in Louisiana in my monthly planting guide.  You can download it here.

First is fall potatoes.  Here is the thing about growing potatoes and why I love them so much.  They are really easy and don't require garden space.  We grow them in containers outside of the garden, which means that first, we can control how much sun they get, we can protect them from an early frost, and we don't have to devote a single square inch of space in our beds to have a great harvest.  I will be planting my potatoes this weekend, and I have a class that will walk you step by step by step through the entire potato growing process. From choosing soil to how to pick the right potatoes to plant to pests and feeding all the way to harvest and curing.  Grab it this month and get those potatoes planted!!  You will be so happy you did. 

One more thing to note about growing potatoes in the fall.  When we plant for spring we chit our potatoes to get more out of them. Chitting is the simple process of cutting up potatoes and letting those pieces dry out before planting.  This gives you more potatoes to plant.  In the fall, we don't chit. We plant the potatoes whole. That is because they are much more susceptible to rot this time of year, so we don't want to give them any ideas.  Plant your potatoes whole in the fall for best results.

I am also excited for garlic and onions.  Hands down one of the easiest things to grow, I look forward to them every single year.  And this year is no different.  The beauty of growing them is how little space they need.  Both are planted 4" apart, and that is 9 plants per square foot.  9 plants per square foot!!  You simply cannot beat that!  For years we have grown them right inside our vegetable beds. We grow them in the corners and along the edges. This works so well because they are a long game plant.  They will be in the ground until summer, so you want them out of the way for not only fall picking, but spring planting.  They are also great pest deterrents, so they work hard for the money alongside tomatoes in the warmer months. They are a must for me!!  This year we trying something different. We are experimenting with them in our pumpkin patch. We solarized the pumpkin patch this summer, so it is ready for something to be planted!!  The garlic and onions will be perfect.  We are hoping to have lots to store and share.   If you get all excited about running out to the shed for fresh garlic that you grew, like this below, don’t miss planting time (next month) for these guys!!  You should order now!  I got my garlic from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds this year!!

What I'm Picking

With the wrap up of summer comes some official goodbyes for the year. While it won't be long and we will back to starting our seeds for the warm season, for now, they have to go.  I LOVE to celebrate the end of the season.  We pick everything left and haul the plants to the compost after thanking them for all of their hard work. This is not easy to do, but when you quit while you are ahead, you get to grow so much more!! Don't hang on to these plants.  Get the last of the fruit, thank them for their service, and get to planting something else. Ugh, it feels so good.

This is the last of my 'gypsy' peppers. They are such overproducers.  I will never stop shouting their praises, and if you can only grow one variety of pepper in your garden, this should be the one!!  Gypsies are a sweet pepper that is great for stuffing. My favorite way is to stuff them with cream cheese and breakfast sausage.  Delicious!  You can also prep them and freeze for a quick and easy supper long after the pepper plants have been pulled.  Freezing them is simple. Follow the recipe below for "pepper poppers" all winter long!!

These tiny tomatoes pack a huge punch and are so worth covering a trellis in all summer long. As the days slow down, so do the tomatoes, so either remind yourself of that or get them out.  This season, Im taking them out. This is my last harvest, but man my harvest apron is full.  Hands down, my favorite way to use cherry tomatoes at the end of the season is THIS roasted  tomato sauce.  Jar it up and have sauce all season!!!  

SEPTEMBER PRO TIP: Keep cutting the zinnias!! Here's why!  I talk so much about growing zinnias, and I have to tell you again, please plant zinnias next summer.  When you do, here is the pro tip, choose some colors that will fade into fall.  What do I mean?  I mean varieties like 'Queen Lime Orange' and 'Precious Metals' as they will look like spring in spring, summer in summer, and fall in fall.  This will make your garden pure magic while you transition season to season. Check out my 'Queen Lime Red' and 'Queen Lime Orange' in spring and summer and now in fall.  Do you see how they naturally fade?  This is such a treat, and reminds me that we are always growing and always changing.  The garden leads the way.

I will be posting all month on my social media as we transition from summer to fall in the garden!  It is truly beautiful. I hope you join me there!  And if want to download my September Planting Guide, you can do that here!