Planting Fall Vegetables - Sponsored by a Super Fall Carhartt Sale

Nothing comes between me and my well-worn Carhartt Dungaree's. Well, maybe TMI, but this superb felt container with Thai Basil sure makes a better male model that I do! The purple flowers are as nice as hydrangeas. Next year, I am growing a border of this variety which is called 'Siam Queen'

As the season shifts, the vegetable garden can either lie ratty and weedy for the remainder of the season, or, I could plant a fall crop or two. I've chosen the later, the third crop in this tiny raised bed that sits closest to the kitchen. It has provided us with an early spring crop of green onions, white turnips, arugula, and green mustard. In late June, I planted a crop of zucchini, dill and cilantro. Now, the squash is just about over ( well, it wasn't but I was sick of it), and I am preparing the bed for a fall crop of lettuce and Chinese Cabbage. Pansy seedlings will be transplanted along the edges soon, but they are still in the seed tray. They will spend the winter under a bed of hay ( the proper way to grow spring pansies). 

How many weeds can an 8 foot long bed produce? In this year of Crabgrass, two cart's worth. The compost pile would rejoice, but the turkeys convinced me that they could make better use of it.

Seeds were sown of lettuce ( Iceberg - because it grows best for us as a late fall crop, a few miniature urly European types and red oak leaf - all grow best when sown in late August and harvested right up until the snow becomes too deep. As for Chinese Cabbage, this is the only time of year one should grow these and other Asian vegetable related to cabbage, the shortening day lengths encourage large leaves and no chance of bolting, and the colder weather later in the growing season keeps insects to a minimum, and enhances the flavor. Heat  and long days are the two enemies of Chinese Cabbage.

Chinese Cabbage ( this is Napa) sown three weeks ago, are already as large as a fist. I carefully transplanted seedlings from one bed, into this prepared bed. Weeds will grow slowly now that the cool fall weather is arriving. The gradually shortening days keep weeds down, and moisture is rarely a problem with autumn rains. A floating row cover will be added once these plants become larger.

The only protection these seedlings need now are my complex web of Terrier cages. I use anything to keep the kids out of the garden. This time, two bean cages and a load of bamboo poles left over from the sweet pea's. These seedlings are Swiss Chard - another crop that grows best in the short days of autumn.

Once the Swiss Chard and Chinese Cabbage is transplanted carefully from the seedling bed, they are watered in with a weak solution of liquid fertilizer 10-10-10, to encourage fast growth while we still have a few warm and humid days. Once it becomes cold, they will find nutrients more difficult to absorb.

- and now a word from our sponsor -

CARHARTT Double Front Work Dungaree's are designed for the hardest garden and farm work. The more worn-in they get, the better they look. I think we all could invest in a pair - wear em for 5 years, and then sell them on eBay and send your kids to college! Have you ever tried to buy a used and abused pair? This hunky male model actually has blisters and dirty nails.

When Carhartt approached me and asked me if I would accept a few pairs of new Carhartt pants to wear in and then promote their September sale, I almost said no - then,  honestly I already wear this classic American work-wear brand so why not support them. They are a authentic as Haws watering cans and Guy Wolff Pots. They had first wanted me to help pitch Carhartt's to women, but then they agreed that a dude-post might be best. Yay - my job was easier.  OK, Twist my arm to wear my Carhartt pants.

I am still being very careful about partnering with any brand, but Carhartt definately a brand that already is a part of my life. I've been a customer my whole life, We have been a Carhartt family for as long as the brand has been around. The brand was founded in 1889, the year my grandfather who built this house that I now live in, was born, so  I am sure that somewhere in the dirt around here, there are a few old Carhartt suspender buttons from the 30's and 40's.

If you spend as much time in the garden as I do, you need great, strong work pants - the type that can handle real knee scraping and mud - Look, I spend a lot of time on sharp rocks weeding, especially on the sharp tufa rock in the alpine garden. Few pants can handle that. The Carhartt Double Front I know that these Work Dungarees are the only pants that I can wear when kneeling in the rock garden. No kidding ( I know, I should be a spokes person, but weeding rare high elevation alpines is hardly working on an oil rig.

Sure, the fashion aspect works too. As a professional designer, I can wear my faded Carhartts to the office. They are the hipster choice for authentic work clothing, and the more ginding they get in the garden,  the more chops they have in the art world. Thanks Carhartt for outfitting me and...for letting us all know that you are now having a big sale - 20% off selected pants here! Oh, yes, they have women's pants too! Really -  I never knew.