When the temperatures dropped earlier this week, we were amazed that our basil was spared. Usually that is one of the most delicate plants to respond to the early frosts.
All season we have been busy pinching back the developing flower buds. If we had not removed the flower buds, not only would the leaves be diminished in size, but also the essential oils would disappear. We enjoy using basil in salads and in dishes with tomato, as well as in pesto.
Other plants surprising us with continuing productivity were our few zucchini plants. Sometimes, they grow so fast, they still get away from us with their size. When this happens, we simply use them in the compost after cutting into smaller pieces.
Even after a frost kills other plants in the garden, our rhubarb chard continues to provide us with healthy meals. We prefer chard to spinach, and it doesn’t wilt during long, hot days.
The ‘buttercup’ squash at the east side of the corn are essentially finished producing, but the squash on the west side of the corn is still actively growing.
After we ate most of the corn and froze plenty for the winter, we just let the animals finish it after they seemingly became used to the talk radio and the light placed in the patch.
We are still getting more green tomatoes developing after picking most of the larger ones. Those green tomatoes not used in Topsfield relish and vegetarian mincemeat are becoming red indoors.
We keep them in large strawberry shipping boxes that allow us to stack the boxes without harming the tomatoes. They do not need direct sunlight to ripen.
We have covered the carrots with hay to prevent the soil about them from freezing solidly. They will be easy to harvest for at least one more month.
Soon we will cover the garden with a good layer of hay and will be ready to make the rows of peas next spring.