Wolfe County plans Fall Gardens

Last week we had our Extending the Growing Season and seed saving workshop with Master (organic) Gardener, and Wolfe County Resdient/Enthusiast, Toni Welch-Eddleman. We just love having Toni share her expansive knowledge on gardening with us. She is so helpful, knowledgeable and inspiring. We gave out light and mid-weight floating row cover (Agribon) and metal hoops at the meeting. Everyone also received some beautiful cabbage and broccoli transplants. Some folks are trying cauliflower and kale. There were almost as many non-Grow Appalachia participants at the meeting as GA participants– the good word is spreading and we are excited to get more of the community involved in organic 3-season gardening.

Crops that can be planted in July, August, and September as seen on the chart on pg. 21 of this year’s UK Home Vegetable Gardening manual. I refer folks to this chart all the time as a good quick visual reference for planting times.

Here’s some goings on in Wolfe County gardens.

Working on Florida Weave at the raised beds built last year with the help of Grow Appalachia. Love to see those kiddos out there helping out.

Here is another raised bed garden (this family already had the frames built from previous tenants). They have some of the prettiest and very productive tomato plants around these parts.

We built a bean trellis that goes over the walkway so that you could walk under and easily pick those beauties. Clever uses for the GA Hortonova gift. First time growing okra– an intriguing heirloom variety– and it is one of the most fascinating fruits to watch grow. Casey has been working hard on understanding and being one with the berries. His hard work shows in the bounty of blackberries this summer. The raspberries are just coming on!

A little doggy garden helper in the cabbage. He especially loves the orange bailing twine that we are using for the Florida Weave. All the cabbages were recently picked and put up (along with beets and tomatoes and beans, oh my!) and the gardener is excited to plant another round for fall.

Here are a couple of bonus photos. My neighbor put up this incredible gun-toting scarecrow. It made me laugh out loud the first day it appeared and has cracked me up ever since so I thought I would share with everyone. Then there is me with an uncanny cucumber. Another garden moment that made me laugh aloud at my surprise to find it. Yippe and yikes!