Garden Journal 9/23/10: Busy, Busy and Another Raised Bed Seeded for Fall

The bumblebees and I both love sedum autumn joy, which darkens in color as the season progresses.

Realization of the Day:

Okay, so it's probably going to take me months, rather than weeks, to get through that ambitious list I recently shared of upcoming blog post topics. But you knew that already, didn't you?

There were at least half a dozen bees on this one plant, all in a pollinating frenzy.

In the meantime, while racing the darkness on the last fertile day in the second quarter, and using the same scatter and cover seeding technique I described in my recent post on growing Asian greens, last night I planted another 4' x 8' raised bed for fall. This seeding technique works great for growing lettuce. You can read more in my previous post, How To Grow Your Own Gourmet Lettuce From Seed—It's Easier than You Think!

All varieties below are open pollinated (not hybrid) and new to me, except for the Easter Egg and French Breakfast radishes, which are both easy to grow, tasty, and beautiful. You can see photos of them in this Radish Cream Cheese Spread with Parsley, Scallions, and Feta recipe post.

—Canton Bok Pak Choy (2009, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

—Freckles Lettuce, medium green with burgundy freckles (2009, Pinetree Garden Seeds)

—Cimmaron Lettuce, bronze-red heirloom romaine, long producer (2009, PT)

—Cherry Belle Radishes, round red roots, mild (2009, PT)

—Easter Egg Radishes, tangy and multicolored (2008, PT)

—French Breakfast Radishes, red and white, mild and elongated (2008, PT)

—Purple Plum Radishes, oval, 2 inches long, mild (2009, PT)

—Watermelon Radishes, sweet and mild, looks like watermelon when sliced (2009, PT)

Lucky Buddy Bear (who is shedding like crazy now that summer is over) needs to be brushed yet again & this poor sedum needs to be cut back for, um, the first time ever.

It was 91 degrees and humid as all get out yesterday, but the calendar says it's finally fall, my favorite time of year. Does it feel like fall where you are yet?

© FarmgirlFare.com, the crystal ball-less foodie farm blog where nobody can predict exactly what will happen in the garden, but I'm betting there will be some serious radish cream cheese spread making sessions in my future. Thank goodness, because I love that stuff and haven't had any in months. (So much for my plan to start a row or two of radish seeds every couple of weeks.)