Final Harvest of the Year

The time has come to pull the almost everything out of the garden.  With impending hard frosts and cold nights to come you have to take in even the hardy pumpkins and squash and protect them from the cold.

When pulling in the last of the fall produce you are confronted with the sudden problem of what to do with the sudden bounty at your disposal.  Most fall produce is of a very hearty variety like winter squashes, pumpkins, carrots and other cold season crops that can be stored without canning or freezing.

Each type of produce has its own special type of storage you can use.

Pumpkins and winter squash should be stored in a root cellar type structure and maintained at 50-55 degrees and with a humidity of 50-70 %.  This is only after curing the pumpkins for 10 days in 80 degree heat and 80%+ humidity.  The curing process toughing the rind of the pumpkins and heals small cuts or nicks that could let air and bacteria into the pumpkin.

Carrots can be left in the garden soil if they are properly insulated with leaves, straw or sometimes a cold frame.  If you don't want to leave them in the garden instead place them in the root cellar in a bucket or container filled with sawdust or sand.  By keeping the sand moist the carrots with retain moisture and flavor well into the winter season.

After I removed the last of the produce most of the tops of the plants went into my compost bins to reclaim the organic matter with the exception of my pumpkins and zucchini as they were suffering from a powdery mildew infection.  After I pulled all the tops I spread out the wood chip mulch I used in some spots over the whole garden.  Since this picture was taken I have also added a layer of straw on top of the wood chips as additional mulch to protect and enhance my garden soil.

To read more about what I do to prepare my garden for fall check out 3 Ways To Improve Your Garden This Fall