HOcTober

Wewll into mid 70's as summer finally arrives - and departs...

Managed to dig up last of spuds and onions and give a good tidy up this week with a couple of days fine warm weather - if a little breezy.

Blackberries fruiting well, with last of the blueberries picked.

A poor summer for much of the stuff, but fruit did fairly well and kale now reaching epidemic levels.  Those carrots that survived the mystery assasin (rodent?) did nicely too.

Picked first pathetic cob of corn - maybe 25% matured - was delicious eaten raw all the same.

Autumn

Brief late afternoon visit after weeks of neglect - surprisingly busy on the site, with quite a few around getting in last minute jobs before it gets too cold.

Still not planted garlic and getting a bit late unless we get a mild spell - or I cloche them to get them going (but plastic does not survive well in winter).  Corn never quite made it and a few frosts have seen them off - will have to plant earlier next year.

Cut down the remaining sunflower heads to extract seeds and cropped more (gigantic) sprouts, cabbage, sweded, beetroot and salad leaves.

Remaining pears had mostly been blown off trees but still good to eat and very juicy - mainly from Conference tree.

September Sunshine

We always seem to get a week or two of settled weather in September, so took advantage and cropped rest of onions last weekend, which should see us through to spring.

Allotment is a rainbow of colour with gladioli, nasturtiums, sunflowers (highest now over 7 foot!) leading the way, backed by a blaze of orange things I can never remember the name of.

The sweetcorn is progressing well - if a little late as it was last year - and rivaling the sunflowers for height.

A whole lotta sowing going on

Taking full advantage of the new Polly House... which is packed out and has miraculously not blown away despite first strong westerlies, and then a week of stronger easterlies since we put it up.

Thur 7th May:
12 Savoy Cabbages seedlings potted on;
100 * Rhondo Peas 10* Sweetcorn (to finish packet off) 40* Dwarf French Beans 30* Russian Giant Sunflowers and a tray of Nasturtiums sown.

Sun 10th May:
6 Broccolli seedlings potted on;
Trays of seeds sown: Chantennay Carrots Penstemom Calendula
Seedlings planted out into the ground: Radish Mixed Salad Little Gem (Bed E) and Mixed Oriental Mustards (Bed C1) - to replace those eaten (by slugs/snails not us!).

Mon 11th May:
More sowings: 12 Physalis from an old packet Spinach Spinach Beet Sweet Peas

Weds 13th May:
And even more sowings: Mixed Salad Little Gem Mixed Oriental Mustards Beetroot (Choggia)