This is it. A deep freeze two nights in a row has ended the 2015 gardening season here in the Northwest foothills of New Jersey.
Welcome to the final ‘Garden Update’ of 2015. I’m sure I’ll do a “greatest hits” summary of the season in the coming weeks, but this will be the last weekly update of the year.
Plot #63, Roseville Community Garden, October 18, 2015.
A big change in the weather brought about a change in plans. The garden is open until November 1, and it’s been possible to grow that late in years past, but a high pressure system parked over the Midwest began streaming the first really cold air down across the Mid-Atlantic, and temperatures were forecast to drop below freezing overnight on Saturday and Sunday nights. Did they ever: 25ºF Sunday morning and 22ºF Monday morning.
My goal for the week was to begin clearing out anything cold-sensitive before Saturday night; all peppers, lettuce, chard, green beans, parsley, and rosemary. And was there ever a lot to harvest this week! See the images below for the bounty of the garden since my last post. I left the last carrots and radishes in the ground, figuring they wouldn’t be hurt and if the forecast was wrong, they’d get a little more growing time. The forecast was wrong – the temperature dropped much lower overnight. I went back Sunday morning to gather them up and close up the plot for the year.
It was sad seeing the garden empty of anything living, a return to how it looked back in April. Despite the cold and wind, I took a few minutes to sit and reflect on all the bounty it had produced this year. As I gathered my things together to leave, the skies opened and a blustery snow squall blew across the farm, a fitting farewell to a tremendous season in the garden.
On the bright side, the 2016 gardening season is only 164 days away.
And as if on cue, it began to snow as I left the garden for the last time this season.
The green tomatoes harvested last week were put to good use…
…and combined with onion, jalapeno and bell peppers, turned into a great spicy green tomato relish.
It was a week where I harvested peppers…
…and more peppers…
…and even more peppers…
…and some carrots, Nero Tondo radishes from Johnny’s Seeds, and parsley.
And with the remaining ghost peppers my nephew in Minnesota sent me, I made some ‘burn your brains out’ ghost pepper hot sauce...
…and another batch of ghost pepper jelly that will warm the soul on cold winter days! And make great gifts for friends and neighbors.