A new month is upon us! Lots of harvesting happening here, and dahlia season is in full swing, so it makes sense that my Six are about the fruits, veggies and flowers dominating Coppertop right now. To see what’s up in others’ gardens, visit The Propagator in the U.K.
ONE — Apple harvesting has begun with the ripening of fruit on our two Yellow Transparent trees. Hubby has begun fermenting hard cider, his fourth vintage. Two other varieties of apples will require picking and storing this month.
TWO — I have a large raised bed of Giant Musselburgh leeks that I intend to turn into a permanent leek bed by overwintering and also gently peeling off and starting baby leeks as I harvest their parents. The harvest began this week.
THREE — Taking a break indoors from all the harvesting, I appreciate the beautiful peach, pink, and coppery tones of this dahlia, Sherwood’s Peach.
FOUR — Back to the veg garden, it’s been the season to harvest garlic! So far I’m curing about 75% of the crop in the shed. These are Duganski and German Red heads planted Fall 2017. The other heads are yet to be dug.
FIVE — It’s now or never for planting fall and winter crops. This week I transplanted cauliflower and more broccoli, and I have Chinese cabbage and kale transplants still to get in, plus spinach to sow this weekend.
SIX — Another lovely break with a visit to the dahlia cutting beds.
Gardens at Coppertop -- March Picker 
Next year…dahlias definitely. I’ve been online looking.
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So many dahlias; so little time! 😉
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I am still impressed with how well they do there and elsewhere in the Northwest. They seem to be popular too, and even more popular there than they are here and in Southern California.
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Interesting. You are harvesting your garlic late in comparison to the advice here, usually around july. Looks like a good crop!
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Ah yes. Mine were sown a tad late and everything grows more slowly here… I’m pleased with the crop.
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Oh goodness, your garden is just so fabulously bountiful! Everything looks healthy and either beautiful,or delicious. I’ve never heard of starting leeks from baby leeks- are they little off shoots, I wonder?
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Thank you, Jane. Yes, I remove small shoots that develop along the length of the thick leeks and replant them. I’m planning to have a permanent leek bed this way, so we shall see!
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What healthy plants in your garden March! If my leeks were as big as yours … it would be great! I might have 3-4 like that but otherwise they are smaller.
About your cider, is it sweet or raw? I live in Normandy, the “country of cider” in France and I like to drink it sometimes. A friend of my wife produces his cider and gives us bottles when we want (he fills about 2000 bottles a year …)
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Hi Fred! We freeze a few gallons of raw or fresh cider straight off the apple press and it’s very sweet. The rest (about 20 gallons) is fermented, and to some we add extra spices along with the yeast. After a couple of filterings and stored in bottles, we end up with a crisp, dry cider at 5-6% alcohol. I’d call it “brut”. 🙂
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I didn’t know if you know “brut”. Great !
“Brut” is also the word we use in France but I didn’t know that you used it. Here the cider contains about 6-7% alcohol and they also make Calvados, an alcohol (60-70%)( you probably know)
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Wow! That’s a lot of apples and leeks to harvest. Lovely and bountiful crop. You must be pleased.
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Lots to harvest, lots to do, and the results make us thankful.
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I love leeks but they go rusty or bolt too soon in my garden. Maybe I will try some in my newish raised bed this year! Beautiful dahlias.
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Thank you! This is my first year with leeks, and I started them from a packet of tiny seeds. They are a success so I’m researching LOTS of recipes with leeks!
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