For my family who asked me what had happened to my posts....
September is a good month for taking stock and looking forward. As always, there have been horticultural challenges.
- Our tomatoes took a long, long time and are now suddenly ripening all at once in this week's high temperatures.
- Our cooking apple has three fruits - however this was to be expected as it did so well last year.
- Our eating apple is again netted against the blackbirds. Reduced yield here too but much larger fruits ripened and ready to eat.
Some successes too:
- French beans have been great. Thanks to Y and her memories of Aunt Berta's garden. They flourished in the sun, as predicted.
- Blackcurrants and raspberries did well. Gooseberries got sawfly again. Drat!
- The blueberry has been magnificent. It inhabits a specially constructed tent to protect from those pesky blackbirds.
- Runner beans are also doing well.
- Spinach needed several attempts but has finally overcome the 'leaf miners' and kale is as reliable as always.
- Garlic and shallots produced a yield but I shall sow earlier and at the recommended spacing next time.
Looking ahead -
- My husband has just finished his next recycled raised bed for the greenhouse made from pine bunk beds. This is purpose built for next year's tomatoes.
- Yesterday we visited our usual source of horse manure and came back with plenty of bags. There were no shovels left out and we forgot to bring a spade so he improvised with two fallen branches. Next year we are anticipating a better harvest of squash and cucumbers with the addition of this special ingredient.
