Though this little video was taken last weekend, it tells an annual story: season over.

Gardening is a new adventure each year with subdivision exploits through the several months that mark the beginning (start the plants indoors) and the end (last harvest or last winter squash cooked). Newness is due to many factors in constant change: the gardener, the soil, the weather, the trees and bushes that expand up and out each year, rainfall, and more. I love the unknowns, the relative predictability, the out of the blue, and the new critter or insect that is its own factor. All of it together. All of it. What fun!

Keepers/Returners

• A variety of beans, string and drying. String: Rattlesnake (3 yrs now), Blue Lake Green (4 yrs), Purple bush (4 yrs) – all from saved seeds annually. Drying: Cranberry bush (3 yrs) from my seeds, Colorado River Bean (1st yr), Scarlet Runner (1st yr). Seeds now saved.
• Peas: Shelling climbing peas (4 yrs), Climbing Sugar Snap Peas (2 yrs) plus bush varieties of both that I will use mostly for ground cover. The climbing peas produce better.
• All the tomato varieties grown this year: Pineapple Hawaiian (2 yrs), Yellow Pear grape (2 yrs), Pole Cherry (3 yrs), Sunset Grande (5 yrs), Purple Cherokee (4 yrs), Pink Cherry (2 yrs), Chocolate Cherry (2 yrs), Early Girl (4 yrs), Beauty King (2 yrs) all from saved seed; plus Gardeners’ Delight Cherry and Amana Orange (first year – seeds saved)
• Kabocha winter squash (3 yrs)
• Hon Tsai Tai, Yukima greens, parsley, basil, cilantro, dill
• Kales and chards
• Puffball Marigolds (2 yrs)
• Common Marigolds (5 yrs)
• Cosmos (5 yrs)
• Miniature Marigold – herb (3 yrs)

Also, veggies or flowers from purchased seed: Cabbage, Zinnias, Long Cucumbers

Non-returners

• Black-eyed peas, the sweet corn tried out – neither did well
• Collards: they do well, but after 4 years growing them, I realized I prefer other greens

Wishing you a restful winter and fun pre-planning your next season!