The air is getting cooler, the leaves are changing colour, and the gardening season is winding down. 

I realized today that I had not yet taken September photos of the garden, but as it is only the 2nd October, I figure it’s close enough. 

This cute little nutmeg melon is trying to make the most of the September October sun, but I don’t have too much hope for him ripening before frost sets in.  Poor thing.  This was our second, and last, year for growing melons.  They have had the best of everything this summer – heat and a long growing season, and still they do not ripen.  We will use the space next year for something else. 

The basil is still going.  I’m looking forward to a few more days of pesto before these plants die off for good.

The lemon balm has spread out nicely…I realize I am going to regret plopping this right into the garden, but at the moment, it looks pretty.  Anyone know any good lemon balm recipes? 

My potted sage is languishing but this plant is gorgeous!  Perfect for slipping under the skin of a roast chicken.

I bought this lemon verbena for less than a dollar at an end-of-season sale.  It was sad and pot-bound but it looks happy now.  Another herb I need recipes for. 

The last zucchini!  Or so I thought until I harvested it and found two more underneath.  This plant does not give up!

The first parsnip I have ever grown.  Can’t wait to make some roasted parsnip and carrot soup. 

The leeks are finally getting some substance to them.  I am hoping they will mature while I can still pull them out of the ground.  Notice the tomatoes which are everywhere… 

My ground cherries are another failed experiment.  Unripe, but they look pretty, don’t they?

One baby green pepper.

And the tomatoes that took over the world.  Seriously, there were tomatoes everywhere!  And the poor sick-looking plants with all of their unripe fruit.   I spent 3 hours with the tomato plants this afternoon.  All the Mystery Keepers are tucked away to ripen, there are red tomatoes in the kitchen for stewing, a few green tomatoes left on the vine for making green tomato ”mincemeat” and a basket full of yummy yellow tomatoes for eating.   While I harvested tomato after tomato and composted plant after plant I decided that we would not plant so many tomatoes next year (what were we thinking??)  Our garden is just too small for so many plants.  Mystery Keepers and Yellow Kopchen will stay (I have never seen a plant produce so much fruit!) and then we just need to find one good red tomato variety and we will be set. 

I’m thinking of a tomato and cucumber salad with basil and goat cheese. 

The compost is overflowing but the garden is looking a little less like a tomato plant graveyard.

What’s growing in your garden?  Any plants that you definitely will, or will not, be growing next year?