Preparing the garden for the inevitable. Sigh.

The overnight low for Wednesday is forecast to be 34 degrees Fahrenheit. Today is Sunday. Things could change. I suspect what will happen is this: It will or will not be 34∘Wednesday night. And even if it isn't, it will or will not be 34∘the next night, and the next... . But it is inevitable that it will be 34∘some coming night. 

Sigh.

A few things linger in the summer garden. Tomatoes, of course. Several varieties set fruit when it started to cool down in August. They will be fine for one cold night. I'll let them hang on the vine as long as I can and then bring those that haven't ripened inside. 

And I'm going to have to make a hard decision about those tomatilos. [Funny that the red squiggly line doesn't recognize tomatillos, with alt. wpelling.]

I still have a few of my favorite melon in the garden, and they are just beginning to ripen. If it looks like it really will get that cold, I'll cover them with cloches. Note to self: mid-June is too late to plant Long John melon.

Radishes and Rutabas don't care if it gets cold. Neither does the spinach. 

The peas have come up. I've gotten the leeks and Vidalia onion seeds planted, and some quick growing lettuce. I'm still waiting on the garlic sets to arrive in the mail. And I still need to plant the artichoke seeds. 

Other than that, all that remains is cleanup, throwing some lime on the garden plots, and tilling them up. To that end, I've been drying basil.

Basil drying and the reflection of my cupboards

A quart jar of dried basil

My kitchen smells so basily! If I dry all the decent basil that remains, I'll probably wind up with two quarts.

I've picked what will be-- thank God!-- the last of the green cherry tomatoes. 

The basket is much larger than it looks. Crap. We are going to have to pickle these.

It's October 16th. To tell The Truth (nod to Prof. Lynch), I am ready to start thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas and next year's garden. 

Sigh.

We have company and a get together this next weekend!