The things we planted in our fall garden are up and growing. Well everything but the onions and we planted them a couple of weeks after the mustard greens, turnips, kale, and rutabagas.
I’m a little paranoid since the deer ate last year’s fall garden, but so far so good on that front.
We think this might be the year we actually manage to grow rutabagas. The plants look wonderful so hopefully we should get to eat some before Christmas.
One of Papaw Tony’s friends has an aversion to rutabagas. He said one time he was in jail and that’s all they fed him and he never wanted to see another one 🙂
Most folks think rutabagas are similar to turnips only sweeter.
I’m not sure we’ll plant anything else this fall, unless it’s another bed of kale or other greens.
I sowed the turnips so thickly that they need thinning so turnip greens may be the first thing we harvest and eat.
Our okra is still producing like crazy. We’re still getting a few tomatoes and a few beans. The winter squash is about ready to be harvested and the second planting of summer squash and zucchini have produced a little for us. The malabar spinach is still going strong, like okra it loves the heat and humidity. Our pepper plants didn’t do near as good this year but they are still producing a little here and there.
Here’s the best planting signs for September 2023.
Taurus: good for all root crops and above ground crops 3, 4, 30
Cancer: best for planting above ground and root crops 8, 9
Scorpio: best for flowers and above ground crops 18, 19
Pisces: good for planting and transplanting above ground crops, trees and shrubbery 26,27
Last night’s video: 89 Year Old Appalachian Woman — Life in a Remote Region of Appalachia.
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My folks never planted a fall garden except for planting turnip greens (sallet). I love the greens but do not like the turnips. I think they only planted rutabagas a few times. Around here the older folks thought you had to plant your turnip seed by August 15th to have turnips, it was ok to plant later if you only wanted the greens. By this time of the year there was not much left in the garden, except for a couple of rows of peanuts and about 500 sweet potatoes to take up. We would take the peanut vines and throw them on the tin roof of a shed and let them cure and then pick the peanuts off the vine. I hated doing this but loved laying in the floor in front of a fireplace beside of my daddy eating roasted/parched peanuts during the winter.
Someone mentioned deer, many deer hunters are planting turnip greens in their deer food plots. I don’t know why they buy a lot of other expensive seed, all they need to do is plant a garden! I saw 18 a few evenings ago in my neighbors yard.
I’m going to have to try rutabagas. We do the kale and collards and I like Florida mustard greens which around here are called Winter Greens. Turnips are good too but I haven’t planted any this year.
I hope to plant some turnips. I like them raw, not cooked. People around here don’t do much fall gardening. My garden is done except cleaning it out. That’s a job for its self. I’m gonna have to gather up some of the beans and save them for seed next yr.
Enjoyed last night’s video. Mrs. Marrow sure is sharp. She definitely does not look 89. It was so interesting to hear about her life. Prayers for all! Take care and God bless ❣️
I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a rootabegger, at least not knowingly. I rarely eat turnips. I like raw turnips sliced paper thin and sprinkled with salt. Taters are good that way too!
Speaking of taters. My tiny tater patch was invaded recently by a hornworm. I saw the damage immediately but upon looking thoroughly failed to find anything. To be honest I wasn’t looking for a hornworm on a tater plant. I went to the house and retrieved my bottle of Thuricide spray and had just begun spraying the undersides of the leaves. There he was! Big as life and twice as ugly! Needless to say he died of blunt force trauma. R.I.P Mr. Hornworm (Rest In Pieces)
Arnold, there are people living around me that would say, “Ohhh…poor little worm”…bless their hearts
Thanks for this, quite timely for me as I have started planting fall garden. So far have planted radish and also some carrot, lettuce and kale seed. Saving some room to do a second planting in 2-3 weeks as it is still hot here for cool season plants. Also let some mustard from back in the spring flower and seed. Dug around under them and also scattered some of the branches with seed pods to let them naturally seed. They will be far too thick of course but I’ll thin and use some of the thinings. I found some brussel sprout plants but checked 4 places before I did. I am still in the hunt for broccoli and cabbage plants. We finally got some decent rain.
Enjoyed watching last nights video. Mrs Morrow is pretty spirited to be 89. She got my interest when she mentioned Oak Ridge. That’s just down the road from me! Hopefully you can do more videos like this one since Matt can travel with you.
I’m trying to get some beds ready for fall planting, especially kale. Still getting some grape tomatoes from a volunteer plant which have a better taste than some other plants I’ve had this summer.
Have great weekend. Prayers and love to all.
Tipper, I must say you are fantastic gardeners! I never even thought much about a fall garden, but onions, kale, spinach, squash etc sound wonderful although I get blood clots easily and can’t eat dark greens much. I like onions and I’m like paw paw Tony’s friend about Rutabegas- that’d serve ‘em right in jail lol (mommy boiled them or turnips ruining perfectly good potatoes.) I couldn’t eat them and still can’t. It reminds me of porridge and stuff like that… lol. I got tomatoes and bell peppers needing canned and am considering making a run of salsa. May the Lord Jesus watch over you all in NC and especially your beloved mother who is getting better every day in Jesus name!!! Thanks, Tipper, for the birthday wishes. I bought myself a Fenton glass cat and I’m hoping for cupcakes from somebody somewhere anywhere!!! LolI told my friend in the show me state I want The Rockford Files on DVD…
Seems like y’all might get a big fall crop with it coming up so well already. Let’s hope the deer stay away, at least from the garden. I have no doubt Deer Hunter is hoping he catches a big one for y’all to eat on all year. Let’s hope he does!
My mom and dad always grew rutabagas in their garden. They love them. I don’t hear of many people growing those around here anymore. You made me remember that. I am going to try to find my parents a couple at a farmers market and surprise them. I enjoyed your interview last night with the wonderful lady from Violet. I love listening to stories about the past and life in rural areas. She looks so young. My mother-in-law is 88 and is the same way. She walks a couple miles every day and goes to water aerobics once a week. She has many friends. She deserves all of her free and easy time, especially after working so hard and raising 7 children. Have a great and relaxing weekend everyone.
As I no longer plant, it is wonderful to hear about your garden and how it fared this year. I especially love watching the videos of how your family works together to produce and prepare harvests, which brings back beautiful memories. God bless you and yours, especially Granny as I am near to her age and understand how aging-related issues can get in the way of formerly normal and daily doings.
My folks used to mix their turnip seed with sand to help avoid planting too thickly,I’m sure you already know that.
Ron-thank you for the tip 🙂
My daddy did the same thing, he would also punch holes in the lid of a jar and shake the seed out, think of a large salt shaker. We did not say turnip greens but would call it sallet. I probably misspelled that word. He planted a mixture of purple top, seven top and mustard seed. He mixed these seed together.