The garden season has come to an end. And the to-do clean-up list is never-ending and  just not happening between my work schedule and rain.

But look at these lovely peas! Let’s see if the pretty blossoms produce. All the pots of mint below – I need to harvest and bring indoors. There’s also a bunch of salad greens still producing…

Yesterday, I managed to get time in the medicinal herb garden pulling up plants to put in pots on the porch (and eventually indoors) and cleaning up the weeeeeeeeeeds. It wasn’t sunny – but it was surprisingly mild out and it felt nice to get my hands dirty.

I was surprised at all the goodness I found growing!

I made a list. Wow. Wow. Wow.

Herb Gardens (Culinary & Medicinal)

and just around the property foraging*.

  • Alehoof*
  • Aloe Vera
  • Arnica
  • Ashwagandha
  • Aster*
  • Balm, Moldavian
  • Basil – Green, Purple, Thai
  • Bergamont
  • Black Cohosh
  • Boneset*
  • Borage
  • Burdock*
  • Calendula
  • Catnip
  • Chamomile
  • Chickweed*
  • Chicory*
  • Chives
  • Cilantro
  • Citronella
  • Cleavers
  • Comfrey
  • Dandelion*
  • Dill
  • Echinacea
  • Elderberry
  • Fenugreek
  • Feverfew
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Goldenrod*
  • Greek Mountain Tea
  • Holy Basil
  • Horehound
  • Horseradish
  • Johnny Jump Up (Violas)
  • Klip Dagga
  • Lambs Ear*
  • Lavender
  • Lemon Balm
  • Lemongrass
  • Lovage
  • Marigold
  • Marjoram
  • Marshmallow
  • Milk Thistle
  • Milkweed*
  • Mint – Apple, Chocolate, Lime, Orange, Peppermint, Pineapple, Spearmint
  • Motherwort
  • Mugwort
  • Oregano
  • Parsley
  • Pennyroyal
  • Plantain*
  • Purslane*
  • Red Clover*
  • Raspberry Leaf*
  • Red Henbit*
  • Rose Hips
  • Rosemary
  • Sage
  • Soapwort
  • Spilanthes
  • St. John Wort
  • Stevia
  • Tansy
  • Thyme
  • Turmeric
  • Valerian
  • Yarrow

Additional herbs I have not yet had luck getting established.

  • Agrimony
  • Alum
  • Milky Oats
  • Rue
  • Safflower
  • Solomon Seal
  • Stinging Nettle
  • Sweet Grass
  • Vervain
  • Wormwood

Next year we are extending herbs into the strip gardens, because they actually GROW there and the wildlife do not bother the smelly herbs nearly as much as all the other plants. Will do companion planting in between but yeah – herbs herbs herbs.

This is the first year that a variety of medicinals made it to the end of the season. It takes time I know, but man…I try so many SO MANY by seed and well, I’ve caved and started purchasing plants. (I LOVE RICHTERS (so many MINTS!) and STRICTLY MEDICINAL FOR HERB PLANTS!)

I’m going to try growing many of these herbs indoors this winter – see if I can keep them all season under lights. I have big plans for the upstairs foyer area…

Veggie Garden Woes?

Well, we did get some corn. But the three sisters did not establish well. I tried all the seeds at once – and planted WAY TOO CLOSE.  We did get a nice crop of various pumpkins and squash though – but the dried beans. NOPE. Total fail. And I LOVE DRIED BEANS. The scarlet runner beans on the side porch – perfect. Main garden, nope.

We moved the cucumbers to the strip garden and what a fail that was. After three attempts of planting we had a handful at best. SO MANY BLOSSOMS ready to grow but the cold hit too soon. Might have to move them back to the side area where the sunflowers grew this year.

Tomatoes. Wonderful. The buckets on the patio are always a success. I did not like the moon tomato crop though. Peppers I need to start way earlier and put in larger pots. Last year we had a crazy amount and this year was significantly scaled back. More variety needed.

Eggplant and baby watermelons did well too – giant grow bags, garden cages and bird netting for the win. Need to do the same for potatoes next year.

ONIONS. Man, if I could have just a garden of successful onions I would be happy. I don’t know the secret. I fear our soil is not nutrient dense enough and I need to add a whole lot more organic fertilizer food to make them happen – until then, we keep trying.

Salad garden also a win.