Last of the Summer Harvest 2012

The last harvest of summer 2012!  I still have green peppers, a few tomatoes, and a couple cantaloupes left to mature, but for the most part my organic gardening has come to an end this year.  Now time will be devoted to making that compost gold for next years produce. 

Chicken wire removed from garden and rolled up waiting for next year!

The last and only cantaloupes of the year.  I left these buggers in my garden and will see if they get any bigger.  Update will follow. (update:  without the chicken wire covering, I came out one morning to check up on the cantaloupes and they both had huge bite marks out of them...lesson learned...next year I will not remove the covering until ALL veggies are harvested in my garden!)

My Green Bell Pepper Tree!  Still producing and making me proud!  The key to my success this year; started early, cut back while still inside to make plants stems stronger and leaves thicker, and brought outside and planted in container with compost and peat moss.  Watered every day when it didn't rain, and added additional compost halfway through season.  Due to the success of this plant this season I will be making more container green and red peppers next year.  Can't have enough peppers!  They freeze great!

Vegetable Plants in my compost pile.  Nature is remarkable in that nothing is wasted.  This wonderful process of composting will nourish my organic garden next year producing chemical free food for myself and family.  To this compost pile I will be adding the fall leaves that are so abundant here in my yard to compost over the winter and bring forth the tremendous amount of worms that just love living, eating, reproducing and pooping in my compost pile!  Other items added from inside the home are dryer lint, hair, vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, tea bags, shredded paper/envelopes(no ink).   I don't add any meat or dairy products to my compost.  I read that this would invite critters you don't want in the vicinity of your home.  I am not sure how they would affect the compost itself.  Better to be safe than sorry I guess.