Loudoun County Master Gardeners

The Vegetable Garden                                                                                                                                                            Back

 

What's happening in the Garden for October:

October brings a month of contrasts. The beginning of the month finds us harvesting what is left of the summer vegetables as in the tomatoes and peppers.  We also begin harvesting the fall vegetables starting first with lettuces, radishes, cress and then progressing later in the month to the potatoes, turnips, kale and kohlrabi.  The cover crop of buckwheat put in during the latter part of August blooms awaiting the first frost when it will be killed and then allowed to die on the beds to provide a winter cover for the beds. The end of this month also brings the vegetable season to a conclusion as the garden is prepared for winter although at times you may find a stray MG out doing some chores.

 

Fall lettuce mix planted

Broccoli

 

The theme of the 2008 vegetable garden is AAS or All American Selection and Heirloom. To see a layout of the vegetable garden and companion plants click here.  Heritage vegetables are considered to be what the colonists used during colonial times generally before the 1800’s. These plants were not necessarily in widespread use but generally had a local following as they sustained the early colonists.  Heirloom vegetables were grown  generally before the 1900’s (some say 1953 even) and are still in widespread use today because they are good, hardy and may possess natural disease fighting tendencies.
Broad view of the east side consisting of 8 raised beds (only 3  visible here). Note the upside down tomato tower in the back on the right side. Broad view of the west side vegetables consisting of another 8 raised beds. The pergola classroom is in the background seen between the 2 fig trees. 
Variety of vegetables the garden donated to Interfaith Relief.  Mariachi pepper in all its glory!
View of the veggie garden with the entrance arbor in the background. Strawberry plants producing flowers and berries.

Squash blossom with a little white scallop squash forming at the base. Winding down the season - a late October shot of the garden from 2007.   That is an elephant head amaranth plant next to the bench.

2008 Plant ID

Details
Beans - Pole

Beans - Bush

 Kentucky Blue,1991 – AAS; Kentucky Wonder,1850 - Heirloom; Trionto Violetto,1800’s - Heirloom 

Black Valentine  1933 – AAS

Beets

Golden, Hybrid; Chioggia, 1840 – Heirloom

Broccoli

Premium Crop – 1975 – AAS; Calabrese, 1800’s – Heirloom

Cabbage

Earliana, Hybrid; Red Express, Open Pollinated (OP)
Chinese Cabbage Ching-Chiang, Hybrid

Carrots

Touchon, French Heirloom; Imperator, 1933 - AAS; Red Cored Chantenay, 1857 – Heirloom
Cucumbers

Diva, 2002 - AAS; Early Russian, 1854 – Heirloom
Kale

Dwarf Blue Curled, Hybrid; Red Russian, 1885 – Heirloom

Lettuce

Salad Bowl, 1952 – AAS; Black Seeded Simpson, 1870 - Heirloom; Oak Leaf, 1771 – Heirloom; Bibb, Heirloom; Red Sails, 1985 – AAS

Onions

Yellow Granex (plants), Red (sets)

Snow Pea

Mammoth Melting Sugar,  1896 – Heirloom

Potatoes

Reddale, Yukon Gold, Prince Harry - Hybrid
Peppers

Mexibell, 1988 - AAS; Mariachi, 2006 - AAS; Caribbean Red, Hybrid

Radish

Champion, Hybrid; Purple Plum, Heirloom; Long Scarlet, Heirloom; French Breakfast, 1880 – Heirloom

Spinach

Baby’s Leaf, Hybrid; Springer, Hybrid

Spinach, Summer

New Zealand, Red Aztec (Huazontle), Heirloom

Swiss Chard

Argentata, Italian Heirloom; Bright Lights, 1998 – AAS
Squash, Summer

Early White Scallop, 1591 – Heirloom; Early Golden Crookneck, 1781 – Heirloom; Eight Ball, 1991 - AAS

Tomatoes

Juliet, 1999 – AAS; Celebrity, 1984 – AAS; Big Beef, 1994 – AAS

Watermelon

Sweet Beauty Hybrid, 2004 - AAS

Companion Plantings:

 

Squash - Dill, Nasturtiums, Amaranth

Asparagus - Parsley (let flower), Cosmos

Broccoli - Zinnia, Sweet Alyssum        

Carrots- Chives, Onions, Calendula                                           

Pole Beans- Salvias, Basil, Bloomsdale Spinach                                                      

Tomatoes- Borage, Cosmos, Dill, Basil

Cucumbers - Nasturtiums      

Peppers - Coriander, Basil, Marigolds, Cosmos

Potatoes - Marigolds, Basil, Bush Beans

 

The goal of companion planting is to create plant societies that benefit from each other.  For more about companion planting see 1, 2, 3.  These links take you off the LCMG website. Use your "Back" button to return.