Occupied beds and impatient seedlings

The vegetable garden is providing for a bit of a surprise with vegetables like the brinjals and tomatoes having a longer season than usual. The onion seedlings are ready to be transplanted, something that is only meant to happen in August.

With some vegetables occupying their beds for longer and some ready for transplanting sooner than usual I am stuck with a double dilemma. Should I see how long I can keep the tomatoes and brinjals going and hope that the development of the onions will slow down now that we are getting colder weather?

Or should I just take out the brinjals and tomatoes, prepare the beds for the onions and transplant them a month earlier than usual? Do I stick to old patterns and ignore the changing growth patterns? In so doing, do I deny myself the pleasures of summer flavours of roasted mixed tomatoes and roasted brinjals with winter meals?

When I took out the pan of roasted mixed tomatoes from the oven to make roasted tomato and ricotta fettuccine for lunch, I instinctively wanted to serve it on the lawn under the oak tree. The cold wind and bare oak tree reminded me that it is winter although my meals are quite summery.

I enjoy the luxury of the summer flavours on cold wintery days but I have to remind myself that it is unusual and the garden needs the cold to rest. I must get back to the rhythm of the garden because I do not want to disappoint the impatient onion seedlings waiting to spread their roots in the comfort of their own beds.