rain stops the mass movement of leaves

Not down to the ground that is.

So the veggie garden is down to broccoli raab, lettuce, and leeks ... things were getting a bit slow. Then the leaves began to fall on campus.

It brings on the season of comments like

"raking again!"

"a leaf blower would be easier"

But I see it as my personal mission to get some exercise into the lives of my students. Two beds planted with garlic have a nice cover of leaves. And three giant piles a spread about the garden and soon we will cover all the beds for winter. It does much for the garden in my view.

nutrients for one, organic matter for two, and thirdly ... weed control till we plant in the spring time. All free, if we work hard. The piles seem to show we have done some work. Weather permitting we will be busy moving leaves till Thanksgiving break. Will get some photos when the rain stops.

deer protection which is not perfect but does float

I wish my garden at the school did not look this way...

But this does keep the deer away and it also does what it is meant to do... keep insects pests away and in the fall--- some frost protection. Air, sun, and rain pass through the floating row covers and except for a failed attempt at growing radicchio, the deer have stayed on the other side. The onions and the leeks in the foreground have yet to be bothered by pest. Since I took this photo three more "tents" have appeared in this area.

plants that tend to vine, will find there way out and since I took this photo the tip of this cucumber plant has been nipped....

and then there are peppers. For several years no mammals had a taste for them, but apparently those tender leaves at the top of the plants are approved deer chow. Here is a look at the peppers under cover....

looking possible

and now with three gardening days left... it is looking possible. The big bed of winter squash (buttercup, butternut, spaghetti, and crookneck) is planted. Italian flat green beans and bush green beans... planted. leeks-- mulched. two beds of potatoes weeded and hilled. and lots and lots of this and that. Pepper plants staked and bed weeded. Everything protected from deer which got a taste of the potatoes...

I do it by using green stakes, twine, and floating row covers...

Tuesday, I dedicated our time to a promise I made late last fall to the Director of admissions, who wanted plants instead of stones around the patio outside of her new office. It was to be done last Friday with the help of volunteers, who were coming to the school, however, a storm coming up the coast ended that plan. The students worked hard raking, shoveling, and carting off the stone; and then we planted 20 ornamental grasses around the perimeter.

I stood back and looked over the vegetable garden today and I was pleased. Not as varied as years past, but we are getting close to having something in most of the beds. Still need to plant a bed of a highly favored zucchini, some patty pan squashes, and maybe one more bed of the loved Diva cucumbers. I can get more beans in as we harvest the garlic in early July. Oh, I can't forget the hot peppers are still in the greenhouse and some tomatillos.

Three gardening days left. Lets see what happens.