Autumn pickings

IMG_0285.JPG

It is now officially Autumn given we have entered October but the weather is unseasonably warm. We have picked one or two large bright red strawberries on each visit over the last week or two, along with lots of blueberries and while the squash are almost ready to be picked, the dahlias continue to bloom next to them. It is lovely to see but we can’t help but wonder what the impact on the next growing season will be!

Speaking of strawberries, we covered the asparagus bed with well rotted manure and the strawberry runners we potted on and cut off can rest there until there are ready to be planted out.

IMG_0286.JPG

We cleared out the greenhouse beds on plot 118 and in order to make good use of all that space we buried some dahlia tubers from plants that had not lasted quite as long as some of the larger ones that were still flowering well.

Neil was on a mission, a manure mission, and put about eight barrows on the plot to be dug in at a later date. It really does feel like Autumn when the expanse of dark manure takes over from the green.

IMG_0287.JPG

The basket of goodies has also taken an Autumnal turn, with gluts of tomatoes replaced by beetroot, apples and grapes making regular appearances. Although it is sad to think that the tomatoes, peppers, chillies and aubergines are gone for another year it is made better by the anticipation of parsnips, squash and kale and is totally forgotten in dreams of crumble and other treats to come!

IMG_0288.JPG

When September ends

We hadn’t spent much time at the plot in the last fortnight so we had an awful lot of things to pick, almost too many flowers for appropriate vases, in fact I think some might have ended up in jam jars!

IMG_0282.JPG

IMG_0283.JPG

We had some good peppers but I don’t think that there were going to turn red left on the plant and we usually like a mix of colours. But once we picked them and took them home it was only a couple of days before most of turned fully red.

We cleared some flowers and plants that were past their best and also dig in the phacelia green manure we had planted when we dug up the garlic earlier in the season.

We had been growing our wallflowers and sweet Williams in the greenhouse and kept them there initially after we had pricked them out to individual pots. But now we had some space we planted them outside. The wallflowers seem to have fared much better but we hope the sweet Williams will catch them up!

IMG_0284.JPG

Summer show successes!

Wowee another successful show! It was one of those years that when we looked at the plots with a view to putting in show entries we weren’t sure we had much that was up to scratch. But as usual once you get your eye in, with your schedule in hand, you can actually muster up a pretty good bunch of entries!

We took a scattered approach in terms of the categories entered and it seemed to pay off. No best in show for us this year, but we didn’t expect to replicate that success so no disappointment here. It is enough that we now have a five year run of winning first prize for our garlic. We are really pleased with our colourful certificates that are a sign of time and energy well spent in our view!

IMG_0276.JPG

IMG_0275.JPG

IMG_0277.JPG

IMG_0278.JPG

IMG_0279.JPG

IMG_0281.JPG

IMG_0280.JPG

Slowing down

It’s that time of year when things start slowing down towards the end of the season. We still have the summer show to go but it has felt cooler and as if it was later in the year than that. But we also have some things which are coming into their own now the height of summer has passed, such as the flourishing squashes and the grape vine that is threatening to burst out of the greenhouse.

IMG_0267.JPG

IMG_0271.JPG

IMG_0268.JPG

We have still been taking full baskets of goodies home, the selection is gradually changing to the later crops. It starts to feel like planning for the next season is the focus of our time and attentions, which can be just as exciting as picking lots of treats. Neil certainly likes this time of year and it can be hard not to get itchy fingers and tear stuff down too early!

IMG_0269.JPG

We have restrained ourselves to pulling up the broad beans, storing bags upon bags of the tasty beans in the freezer and putting the first barrows of manure out. We also cut off all the strawberry runners that we potted up a few weeks ago. When you are potting them up it always feels like you might not have enough but once they are cut free from the main plants and the pots are lined up it suddenly feels like an awful lot of strawberries! It’s a good job we love them!

IMG_0273.JPG

IMG_0274.JPG

Treats to come!

This visit this weekend was relatively short, firstly due to their not being that much that needed doing (ssssh before we find jobs to do!) and secondly due to being busy with other things.

As such the main jobs were picking things to take home. We had quite a treasure trove which included that last of the potatoes which Neil dug up, broad beans, French beans, courgettes, tomatoes, cavolo nero, cucumbers, herbs and flowers. We also had a bonus of a good bunch of salad leaves, all in miniature as they were actually those leaves that we had thinned out from the beds and were too good to go to waste!

There are plenty of things that are being closely watched, with growing impatience for when they will be ready to pick. Almost immediately on arriving at the plot each time I go to check on the progress!

IMG_0254.JPG

IMG_0257.JPG

We got another haul of goodies to bring home and some beautiful flowers including the first of the dahlias. But we left this one for the bee!

IMG_0253.JPG

Harvesting

The time of year quickly comes round again when harvesting becomes a top priority on visits to the plot. It’s always exciting to literally see the fruits of your labour, but it is bittersweet as it signals to approach of the end of the season.

First up were the onions. Certainly not as impressive in size as last year, not really sure of the reason for that. We weren’t sure whether it was down to the soil needing some more nutrients, not feeding them enough, or the weather conditions this year compared to last. But there were a good number and if we hadn’t had the whoppers from 2013 we wouldn’t be so critical!

IMG_0250.JPG

Next was the garlic and a similar story applies in that they are not as good as last years Best in Show crop! There are some good bulbs but some don’t seem to have fully developed their papery skin which hasn’t happened before. Those ones will still be good for the cooking pot but won’t stand up to the scrutiny of the show bench!

IMG_0251.JPG

IMG_0252.JPG

You can’t dwell on the crops coming to an end too much as you are always looking forward to the next few months. In place of the onions we planted the wallflowers out. They may need to be brought in if the winter is harsh but for now they can get the opportunity of some good growing outside.

IMG_0256.JPG

We set up loads of pots of compost around the strawberry beds and stuck a generous selection of the runners into them. They will sufficiently regenerate those that are tiring next year.

IMG_0244.JPG

The curly kale, cavolo nero and the purple and green sprouting broccoli was planted out into the tunnels that were prepared a week or two ago.

IMG_0255.JPG

And there is always some colour to make you feel like summer is still winning out!

IMG_0248.JPG