Where did this month go? October is coming to a close and I have yet to get my hoops up. The temperature actually got down to 32 degrees F a few nights ago. We're expecting warmer weather this week so I'm hopeful that I'll be able to winterize the garden next weekend before the first killing frost arrives.
Today I picked the first ripe Meyer lemons of the season. Last year, my potted tree produced 9 HUGE lemons. This year, there are 20 medium-sized lemons. These weighed in at just under 2 pounds - enough for a batch of marmalade.
My fall broccoli is still producing plenty of side shoots. I actually really enjoy the young leaves that accompany them.
In other news, the field mice have taken down the last of my rhubarb chard, which is so unbelievably frustrating! I've killed 3 of them this past week alone. Sometimes I wish I had a garden cat to accompany the gnome.
This week's numbers were pretty light (by choice). I've stopped weighing my tomatoes.
Turnips- 0.26 lb
Broccoli - 0.40 lb
Artichoke - 0.20 lb
Chilies - 0.35 lb
Lemons - 1.93 lb
Total harvest this week - 3.14 lb
Those lemons are lovely. I see you are still getting artichokes. I only got 1 out the three plants!
ReplyDeleteThis warm weather will give me the needed time to clean up my garden too!!
Beautiful lemons! So sorry about the mice eating up your garden. I'm lucky to have a few of the neighbor's cats around to keep them in check outside. My indoor cats keep them from coming inside when it get's cold.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if an owl or hawk statue would work?
Beautiful lemons and broccoli too. I started my fall broccoli too late.
ReplyDeleteYour broccoli looks so good. I'm really missing having it this season.
ReplyDeleteI've never had a mouse attack my chard before. I've had the squirrels eat it and some lettuce the other week. I tossed some netting over it to dissuade them and it worked. It doesn't work for mice though. They just go under it all. I'm wondering if I won't have any mice at this house. There are four cats that like to hang out here. I often see a cat sitting on one of the fence posts. Too bad they don't go after the squirrels though. I guess they are too big for them.
What a lovely crop and what a lovely blog you have got! I am so pleased to have found Daphne's blog and Harvest Monday-theme. It makes me find wonderful blogs that I never would have found otherwise:)
ReplyDeleteHave a great week,
Charlotta in Sweden
Cesar's Garden
Ugh, I can't get over all you are losing to rodents Thomas. That must be very frustrating! Om the other hand your harvest is awesome, I hope broccoli goes better or me next year. Do you start all your seedlings in pots and then transplant?
ReplyDeleteDarn mice! I moved several of my swiss chard plants into the greenhouse as we are supposed to have a wicked winter this year and I wanted to be sure to have some mature specimen's going in the safety of the greenhouse. Keeps the pest problems lower too.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are getting a break in the weather so you can get the garden protected before it gets too cold.
Lovely lemons!
Our feral cats do seem to keep the rodent populations down. That's some nice looking broccoli. you're getting side shoots and I'm still waiting for the main head!
ReplyDeleteNice lemons! We planted a Meyer lemon last year, and I am eagerly waiting on ours to ripen. I just checked, and there are eight lemons showing some yellow. Almost there.
ReplyDeleteI have used cayenne pepper in the past to deter rabbits. I wonder if it would work with mice.
I think it's so cool that you can grow your own lemons!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your Meyer lemon harvest! I just made my first batch of Meyer marmalade this weekend, but I made mine spicy with chiles.
ReplyDeleteI feel your rodent pain, the rats and voles continue to pester my garden too, although they don't bother the chard. The ants and aphids colonized my chard while I was away, what a nasty mess that is. I had to cut it down to almost nothing and throw it all in the compost.
I'm just seeing the first inkling of broccoli growing out there, I hope it looks half as good as yours!
ReplyDeleteOh Thomas, those Meyer Lemon are beautiful, congratulations. And an artichoke too how lovely. / Tyra
ReplyDeleteWOW! I'm really shocked to see Lemons that far North. Look great!
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool you get some many lemons! I broke down and got a Myer a few weeks back. I hope it fruits as well as yours.
ReplyDeleteSo do you have a preference between fewer but larger lemons vs more medium-sized lemons? Either way, I think it's fantastic that you are successfully growing them in MA.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about your mice problems. Of all garden pests out there, I don't know if there's any way to keep them out of the garden (other than having an outdoor cat), because they can climb up and burrow through anything!
Those lemons look wonderful! One day - when I get my new, bigger greenhouse I'm going to have a lemon tree planted in one corner and a vine planted in another corner!
ReplyDeleteYou probably didn't have a mice problem last year because they hadn't fully found your plot then. Our cat (and the foxes and badgers that live at the back of our garden) keep our mice in check - fortunately! I think you're going to have to get a cat - but don't worry, the dogs will soon realise who's the boss! :)
The meyer lemons are most impressive. Well done!
ReplyDeleteSorry about your rodent problems.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful lemons and broccoli harvest, my lemons are turning yellow as well, maybe I get to pick some for next Monday.
Thomas, I took one look at your lemons and closed my eyes imagining how wonderful it would be to hold a fresh lemon and enjoy their wonderful fragrance!!
ReplyDeletePrize winning lemons! How lovely, Thomas :-)
ReplyDeleteIs there anyway to ask Joanne to come open a branch in Malaysia, we are in dire need of a bakery like that here.
ReplyDeleteYou really make me want to move into your garden now...
ReplyDeletecina
Wow! What a gorgeous bowl of lemons! Amazing that you have 20 of them.
ReplyDelete