Grow Your Own – Winding Down
by John Weckerle
With the beginning of autumn now safely behind us, we find that the yield on the garden has begun to decline. At least part of this is due to the fact that something, probably a squirrel, managed to gain entry to the south bed and took out several eggplants and part of the string beans. I believe it was entering through a spot where the vegetation had pushed the chicken wire away from the frame, and have closed that point of entry. They have had access to the north bed, and have been taking tomatoes. New enclosures next year should prevent future depredations.
There are still a few string beans to be had from time to time, and the zucchini and yellow squash continue to produce. the first of the brussels sprouts should be ready in a couple of days. There will still likely be enough eggplant for one more parmigiana. The spaghetti squash provided dinner Friday and lunch yesterday (made with tomato sauce and Trader Joe’s meatless meatballs). The lettuce is about gone, and the field greens are still too small to harvest, so at this point it’s just a question of how long we can hold out before the frost.