The Brownwood Community Garden reported more than 1,000 pounds of produce harvested in September and more than 7,000 pounds for the year as of its Oct. 4 report, but the final weeks of the growing season remain uncertain. A rain event and cold front at the end of September signaled the change ahead after a month in which most days were described as well above normal highs.
The garden hopes to continue harvesting for roughly another month. However, the report cautioned that colder conditions could first slow production and then end it, with winter weather sometimes arriving quickly and unexpectedly. That leaves the garden balancing the need for additional warm days against the risk of an early frost or a sharp temperature drop.
Heat keeps several crops producing
Cucumbers continued to be one of the garden’s strongest crops. Production began with shintokiwa cucumbers in the spring and continued through the summer with Indian Snake cucumbers. Cucuzzi and luffa squash also benefited from the intense heat, while Tahitian melon squash, planted later than the other varieties, was only beginning to produce as September ended.
The garden’s decision to grow moschata squash varieties instead of the more traditional yellow and zucchini squash in the pepo family worked well overall. Tromboncino squash was an exception: vine borers attacked it early in the season, and the plants did not survive. Luffa, cucuzzi, Seminole pumpkin squash and Tahitian melon squash otherwise performed especially well while resisting vine borers and squash bugs.
The unusual appearance of some of those squash varieties has affected how readily people take them. For the first time in years, the garden was able to supply squash to Good Samaritan and the Salvation Army, but some people passed over the produce because they did not recognize it. The report noted that the varieties can be used in cooking in much the same way as zucchini and identified better public understanding of their uses as work for next year.
Cantaloupe is another crop the garden hopes to expand. The fruit is in demand, but the garden said it needs to improve how it manages insects and animals that have been taking produce only days before it is ready to harvest. The report said possums were suspected, rather than confirmed, as one source of the damage.
Peppers improve as temperatures ease
Peppers have been plentiful, although many were smaller after the Texas heat intensified. Shade cloth might have helped protect the plants, but the report said that approach is not particularly practical for the garden. With October’s cooler temperatures, bells and jalapeños had already begun growing larger.
That improvement comes with a limitation. The garden does not want temperatures to fall too far or cool too quickly, because the plants could go into shock and production could slow. The report described the conditions as a balance the gardeners cannot control: temperatures must be cool enough to ease the heat but warm enough to keep the plants growing.
Tomato harvest remains below demand
Tomatoes have been less successful. Although the plants had been producing blossoms for some time, only a small number of tomatoes had developed. The garden’s assessment was that the continuing heat may have interfered with pollination. Gradually cooler weather could help, but an early frost or a sudden temperature change could eliminate the possibility of a fall tomato harvest.
For now, the garden is harvesting only a few tomatoes each day, not enough to meet demand. Leaf-footed bugs caused problems earlier, and the high temperatures added to the reduced harvest. The result has been fewer tomatoes available for familiar local foods such as BLTs and salsa.
Okra, figs and plans for next year
Okra production has begun to slow, although many plants have been pruned and are showing new growth. Garden organizers hope the crop will recover before cold weather ends the season.
The first fig crop was damaged by frost, while the second crop was doing well when the report was prepared. Figs were among the few fruits the garden has grown successfully in its orchard this year.
Next year, the garden expects to make only limited changes but hopes to grow more fruit and manage its most damaging pests more effectively. Cucumber beetles, vine borers and squash bugs have been recurring problems over the years; leaf-footed bugs were identified as the principal concern this season. The gardeners plan to study control methods while continuing to provide fresh squash, peppers, tomatoes, melons and cucumbers to the Brownwood community during the remaining warm weather.
Despite the crop losses and uncertainty ahead, the September total and the year-to-date harvest indicate a productive season. The garden’s immediate goal is to make use of the remaining favorable days before cold conditions bring this year’s growing season to a close.