Gregory Campbell

I frequently bury food scraps here in the Denver area. Usually I put a piece of flagstone or other pavers on top so the raccoons or other critters don't dig it up. It seems the last 10 years or so the ground hasn't frozen for long periods of time. If I needed to do something with food scraps in the winter and the ground was frozen I'd let it freeze outside in a secure bucket until the ground thawed. Generally though I have a wood chip compost pile going that I can add to during most of the winter.

The problem with starting cover crops is frequently there aren't any open beds until after the first frost. Then after the hurried last harvest and bed cleanup/preparation for cover crops it takes time for them to germinate. Next they need to get a certain amount of growth before the cold and the declining sunlight really kick in.

Last year I started my experiment by digging up topsoil and putting it in a 72 tray flat the started a variety of grasses. This worked out okay but I wanted better this year. This year I started the same way but used about 20 different types of seeds. Clover, grasses, vetches, radish, winter peas etc. I sowed heavily in the little one inch containers. This was about September 10 to 20th. Then I decided to use larger 2x2 inch containers and sowed heavily again. The plants definitely seemed happier in the bigger containers. As the summer crops  started coming out I transplanted the seedlings in. So far everything is looking good. I think going forward I'll use the bigger containers. Certainly not something to do with lots of large beds as it take some time but for my 5 smaller beds it was manageable.

Have a fair amount of bloom going on here in mid August. I mix a variety of flowers throughout the vegetable areas.

I would leave them all in unless there's a need to use the space for a fall garden. I usually let the tops to start getting brown before pulling them out.

Yes it has been hot for about the last month, some 80s but mostly 90s and a couple 100s.

They get irrigated water once or twice per week depending on if we get rain. I usually go for infrequent but heavier watering. The soil seems generally moist at least the top inch but with that said I was just planning on getting out the moisture meter and probing around.

Edit: Moisture meter says moderately moist though we've had about 1/2" of rain in the last 2 days. First time we've had a significant rain in the summer since 2019.

I have several currant bushes that are having problems. They are in full sun most of the day which probably isn't ideal. The soil is a somewhat loamy clay more clay than loam covered with mulch year round which is primarily chipped leaves and wood chips about 2 inches deep depending on how it's breaking down. Did a soil test about a year ago. Most minerals are in the high range mostly due to the clay.

First I suspected spider mites but I don't see any signs of the little buggers. I see no evidence of an insect issue.

The brown leaves are spreading to all of the bushes. One bush has very few leaves left and those are going fast.

Any suggestions?

The leeks and onions will most likely survive the winter but probably will try to flower in mid spring so they may not get very large. Some onions might rot over the winter.

You can definitely start brassicas now. The one big downside I have seen in my garden in summer season is that bug pressure is fairly high. Brassica seedlings do not get along well with flea beetles. Also cabbage aphids could be a problem. I tend to start transplants indoors for a fall garden to be ready sometime in August no later early September.

The mustard is fine to let to go to seed. By "salad" do you mean lettuce? If so it's fine to let lettuce go to seed.

Onions are also easy to start from seed and at least for me less likely to bolt vs. starting from starts. Onions usually don't show stress from lack of water and don't do well if soil dries out. I generally try to keep a light layer of mulch around onions which is most often shredded fall leaves.