“In most places, the arrival of October and its cooler weather signifies the end of the growing season for gardeners. In central Texas, it’s a bit different. Mild winters with only occasional freezes make this one of the best times of the year for gardening. It’s a busy time for us as we prep our garden beds and begin planting our favorite crops for winter, including beets, beans, spinach and greens of all sorts. We are lucky to have a climate that allows for year-round gardening, and try to take full advantage of it! Attached are some photos of what happens in October in our garden. Enjoy!”
Julie on Instagram: (@gardenkeepr)
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Comments
Good morning, Julie. I don't know if it is a curse or a blessing to be able to garden year round. There is something rejuvenating to be able to put the garden (and me) to rest for a couple of months-although winter does seem too long.
While I grow predominantly ornamentals, and a few herbs, I have great respect for those who grow fruit and veggies. I have easy access to fresh local food, so it always seemed to be too much work (probably my loss). Thanks for sharing your photos.
Hi Kevin,
Thanks so much for the comments. Yes, it's so nice you get a garden rest. It's also so nice to be able to go outside for your Thanksgiving meal and grab food from your yard too. ;) You are lucky to have fresh local food year round...that's fantastic!
Thanks again,
Julie
Hi Kev. - Definitely a blessing being able to garden and have an outdoor lifestyle all year round - trust me! Cheers mate
Omg! That is Gorgeous Frank! What is it?
Hi Lily - It's a Swan River Myrtle, which is a native of south-western Western Australia. Cheers, Frank
Lovely!
It's beautiful! When does it bloom?
Hi Dee - late winter into spring in a Mediterranean type climate. It will grow nicely in pots and could be taken indoors where there are harsh winters - but that sounds like hard work!
What enchanting flowers, Frank. Do they have a fragrance and is the Swan River Myrtle a bush or a tree?
Hi Michaele - It's a shrub (3-5 ft in height) which flowers in winter to spring. Flowers are not fragrant to us, but birds and insects love them. Likes sandy soils and is very drought tolerant. Cheers, Frank
Thanks for sharing this beauty with us!
Hi, Frank. I think I would like to be outdoors more in the winter (without freezing), so your climate is very appealing. Still, I do like the gardening break (even though I love to be in the garden).
The photo of the Swan River Myrtle is gorgeous. Thanks for teasing me with cool plants.
You are the lucky one, with a year-round growing season. Here in New Hampshire things are winding down for the year. Enjoy!
Hi Julie - I'm with you. It's great having a climate where you have flowers and veggies during winter and are not confined to indoors etc. Thanks for sharing. Cheers from Oz
Love the picture that shows you, Julie, intently interacting with the dirt (perhaps patting a seed in place?) behind the curtain of green in the last photo. Isn't it wonderful and such a blessing to lose oneself in such a mentally healthy activity. The young radish leaves are adorable...do they keep that heart shape throughout their growing cycle? Shame on me for not knowing.
This was the best start to my Wednesday morning! Thanks for sharing.
Exciting, Julie! Love seeing your garden! :)
LOVE! There is nothing like fresh vegetables and greens from the garden. At my winter home we joined a community garden and I am looking forward to growing spinach, arugula, kale and collards all winter but I think things grow bigger in Texas? Happy gardening and eating!
Julie, Thank you for this post this morning. " To forget how to dig the Earth & to tend the soil is to forget ourselves" Ghandi, came to mind when I saw the last photo. I planted a small organic vegetable garden for my sister & I could not have given her a more appreciated gift. I hope you send photos of your harvest. Thank you & good luck, Joe
You always find the right words, Joe.
Good afternoon Linda, Thank you for the kind remark. I believe in H.S. I read something that went like this With your hands in the soil you are in contact with the rest of the world. I think those words fit GPOD & the gardeners who frequent this site in the morning whether they get involved in the discussions or not.
Good luck, Joe
Hi Julie, our winter climate is not quite as garden friendly as yours, but does allow for planting crops in Sept. to harvest in the spring. We just planted purple sprouting broccoli and fava beans, two favorites. In other years, we’ve harvested kale, carrots, etc. all winter. Year round gardening is a blessing, but Kevin has a point about resting the body:)
Beautiful photos and garden. Especially love the photo you behind it. Thanks for sharing!
Hi, Julie,
Your pictures of your sweet young things ALMOST inspired me to put some plants in- but our climate here in SW Missouri is changeable so quickly, and I'd have to weed the vegetable patch before putting anything in, so, for this year, I'll just delight in the tomatoes that are still (slowly) ripening and the plump red raspberries that are in full production. Thanks for the delightful photos!
I’ve never even seen a kumquat! Julie, your pictures feel like pure love. Thanks for sharing.
Lovely photos, Julie! We have a small plot in an allotment garden here in North Vancouver, BC, where I often think it looks as beautiful as any ornamental garden. Many of the gardeners tuck a few flowers in among their vegetables, and, of course, the veggies often have pretty flowers, too. The luster of a dark purple eggplant or the sheen of a ripe red tomato are simply gorgeous, as are the drops of water beading the edge of your kale leaf.
Julie, I have always been appreciative of gardeners who plant vegetable and fruit gardens. Your pictures and commentary indicate you enjoy working in food garden as much as you do a flower one. Growing up though, I spent loads of time picking fruits and vegies on our family farm. My son-in-law does the fruit & vegetable production and I get to reap the benefits of his work.
I must admit I have gotten too lazy to plow and till the soil, and like Kevin, enjoy picking up fresh goodies from local farmers markets and really good fresh food groceries in the area and having a little down time in the winter. In my area the down time is only mid Dec. to mid Feb. and while my hands are idle my mind will be busy planning and planting the next installments in my landscape.
Baby radish leaves looks just like hearts. And the baby beet leaves are beautiful. Sage is so delicate looking.
Beautiful photos, and all so well done! I love your attention to the little things, and the details. And I love the depth of field that you use on your photos! Excellent and refreshing view of gardening!
What beautiful photos. Garden on!
Great to see something a little different on GPOD. Great pics!!
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