last day of summer

there was three tenths of an inch of rain overnight and there is more forecast for tonight so, once again, i was spared watering in the garden...

my bed was a study in mixed signals today as regards the seasons...

after a shaky transplanted start the alfalfa is robust and, even this late in summer, still blooming for the bees...

one tiller on the zea mays mexicana is still green and full of ripening ears...

while the other side has clearly called it quits...

the husks are beginning to peel back and the ears are preparing to shatter...

i collected some...

and left some lay where it fell just to see what might happen...

the tomato is still green...

and, blurry as the main subject is ( yet the leaves around it are crisply focused..no real explanation why ) this photo proves i was mistaken about the pepper being done for the season...a new one is popping out...

the two maize plants on the west end of the row have been picked clean and something has been at the third one along...

so i pulled the two stunted, ravaged plants out in preparation fro some over winter bed maintenance...i was moved out of the bed i had occupied for a number of years this season and, frankly, one of the reasons i have had such a mixed season is soil quality...i maintained my old bed with additions of compost and by growing green manures as cover crops in fall and turning them under in spring...so after i pulled the maize and hoed the soil...

i spread a mixture of winter rye, yellow peas, hairy vetch, and crimson clover...

along with some sweet clover...

and winter wheat to hold the soil and set nitrogen until i turn it under in spring to feed the worms as the bacteria breaks it down...that and a few bags of compost should help the soil quality improve ( note to me...almost time to plant winter wheat and rye out back )...

finally the guest from the southeastern united states has reproduction as a priority...the spuds failed to fruit...their "wild and weedy" cousin had no such compunctions...it seems to be settling in for a lengthy stay...