Garden Wrap Up

Growing pumpkins in Grandma's garden was a big disappointment this season. The pumpkin harvest consisted of just four big pumpkins and three small pumpkins. Only 4 of the 8 pumpkin plants produced pumpkins.

The pumpkins were added to a fall display of mums and asters in a wheelbarrow in Grandma and Grandpa's front yard. There is one more pumpkin still in the garden that will be turning orange soon.

Grandma will try growing pumpkins again next year in better soil and growing conditions. Also, Grandma will continue to grow the Walczak pumpkins, which always do the best.

Other Garden Happenings...

Fall Color

Dahlia flowers bloom best in the fall. Grandma has many colors and sizes of dahlia flowers in her garden.

Elephant Ears and Puppy Dog Ears

One Grandma's favorite plants in her shade garden are elephant ears. These plants have leaves as big as Poppy and Nermal.

Trapping Rabbits

Grandma and Grandpa are still trapping rabbits. These rabbits are the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd ones that have been caught.

Garden Cleanup

At the end of the gardening season, it's time for garden cleanup. Grandma and Grandpa take the plants that are done growing to the city garden waste site. The plant waste will break down and become compost. The compost can then be added to the soil in gardens to help plants grow.

Below are some of the 50 tomato plants that Grandma grew. Grandma and Grandpa loaded up the plants in the back of the pickup, drove with Nermal and Poppy to the garden waste site and unloaded the plants.

Putting the Garden to Bed

After the gardens were cleaned, Grandma planted a cover crop of oats and field peas in the raised beds. The plants will help the soil stay in the bed over the winter and will break down in the spring which will feed the new vegetables.

Also, Grandma and Grandpa moved several plants in pots that won't make it through the winter into the heated garage and basement. These plants include banana trees, ferns, hibiscus, an olive tree, and lemon trees.