Fall is here and it’s a great time to evaluate what worked and what didn’t in the garden. The counts for both vegetable and flower gardening.
There were several things I loved about my pots this year. Gomphrena is a must-have a on list for 2027 and it was the centerpiece in the pots in front of our shed. Heat tolerant and requiring little care, it’s bright purple button-like flowers gave a burst of color clear up until temperatures dipped below freezing. I was also partial to carpet petunias. Once again, they took the heat and the cold so well around the flag pole in the backyard and just kept on blooming.
In the field, we had a few misses. The mostly hot and dry conditions were trick for cantaloupes and specialty melons. We already have a plan in place for next year so we can get water to the plants if necessary. It was however, a great year for our nearly seedless and burpless cucumbers. We picked hundreds off the plants throughout the summer.
Green beans were also a bit of a struggle but our fall crop flourished thanks to multiple layers of frost cloth, we survived the first frost and freeze of the year. Apples also had a good year or at least for most varieties. My Mom and I have been able to put apple pies in the freezer, can multiple jars of applesauce and make more than two dozen apple-based desserts with just the second apples we were unable to sell. For those who also have a bumper crop of apples they are storing, I’ve shared a couple of apple recipes
So now that all the crops are in, what is there to do besides plan for next year? Plenty.
If you compost, now is the time to work on your heap. Cleaning garden tools and pots can also reduce the risk of diseases from last year’s plants latching onto your future plantings. It’s also time to sharpen trimmers, tighten handles on hoes, shovels and other items and wash those gardening gloves.
It may also be time to trim back certain perennials and shrubs, divide plants and put bulbs in the ground for spring blooms. Be sure to check before trimming back plants that bloom on old wood such as certain varieties of hydrangeas.
Apples, apples and more apples. Here are a couple of apple recipes to try if you also have an overabundance of apples.
Snickering Apple Salad
12 oz container of whipped topping
5 oz package of instant vanilla pudding
6 apples (the recipe originally called for Red Delicious but I used mixed apples I had on hand) chopped and cored
6 mini Snickers bars, chopped
1 banana (optional – I didn’t use banana)
½ cup caramel ice cream topping
½ chopped peanuts ( optional)
In a large bowl, mix whipped topping and dry pudding mix until blended. Add apples and candy pieces. Fold in banana if using. Drizzle caramel topping on top and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Snickerdoodle Apple Pie Bars
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
For the filling
4 medium apples, peeled and slices
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Topping
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9×13 baking dish.
Make the cookie base by creaming the butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mix until well-combined.
In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Gradually add the other dry ingredients to the wet mixture and blend until combined.
Press 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to make an even layer.
For the filling toss the apples with brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice until coated. Then spread over the apple mix.
Add the topping
Crumble the remaining snickerdoodle dough over the top of apples. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the topping and sprinkle over the bars.
Bake the bars for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and apples are tender.
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