Monday 29 September 2014

September Catch-up

I haven't blogged for over 2 months as have been lucky enough to have had some solid paid work to do, but it has really taken it out of me! Visits to the plot have been ever more important in doing something other than struggling through archaeological reports and then struggling to recover! The plot isn't struggling though and it has been a lovely, productive summer.

This was at the beginning of the Great Cucumber Harvest: we've had smooth ones, knobbly ones and gherkin ones (as usual I lost all the labels with their proper names) but they've been brilliant this year. The French and runner beans have produced a great amount, and patty pan squashes and turks turban rather good too. I've never had so many tomatoes ripen so quickly at home, in fact the harvest is nearly over, but the plot greenhouse ones still have plenty to come on. Courgettes have finally provided us with a much coveted glut.  And raspberries (Autumn Bliss) have belied their name by producing from May/June (in the greenhouse) to September and, by the looks of it, way beyond.

Here are the Ratte Potato Queen and King (top of the slope) addressing their followers, who include several ducks. Their subjects are legion as the following picture suggests
 

I'm really pleased with Ratte, and will definitely grow them again- really prolific, really tasty. Also putting in a good effort are the chillies. A mixture of varieties grown- the picture shows the type that I used to pick out of  late night kebabs. Sadly I don't eat chillies at all, but will grow them again for those that do.
 
I'd also like to say well done to the sweetcorn- small but perfectly formed. The second year of growing has seen a 100% increase in crop from the previous year, when they all failed.

And I am happy with this year's flowers- constant sweetpeas, a massive show of verbena and borage (loved by the site bees) good dahlias, sunflowers (not enough) and new for this year: gladioli- an allotment staple.

I like to keep a few hot water plants in the greenhouse too- though I don't see them most of the time, they really brighten up the view inside the scruffy glasshouse.
 
And this is the view into our plot from the adjoining communal area: we cleared the gateway to restore the way through when we took on the plot. You can just see one clematis I planted in this area (Polish Spirit)- but I want, no demand, more, many more- I am a clematis addict!

 

3 comments:

  1. Love the potato meeting, It has been a good sweet pea year hasn't it? They must have appreciated the cool August.

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  2. Good to have you back in the blogosphere! Excellent potatableau.

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  3. I seem to have missed your September catch-up post – but then again, it seems to be the last post you have written so I’ll comment here….I understand you are busy :-)
    Your harvest looks lovely, I grew chillies for the first time this year, and didn’t eat one single, I had a taste of one of them and although they were all sold as ‘mild’ they were too hot for me. I hoped I could use them fresh in salads but that was not possible, not for me anyway. Perhaps more suitable for cooking but I wouldn’t bother with that, I use mild chilli pepper usually. The chillies were decorative though, and grew nicely in the garden until mid-December. Have you got any experience with REALLY mild chillies? Those I grew had a Scoville of 20-25 000, I found a list online for mild chillies but can’t find anyone supplying plants.

    And I agree on the clematis, one can never have too many clematises – I just wish I had a bit more space, mine are mature and taking over the garden! By the way, would you like to have a Clematis armandii 'Apple Blossom'? If you come here (East Ham) and dig it up for me you can have it – be warned though, it will need a lot of space, and it flowers on last year’s growth so you can’t prune it much. Lovely evergreen, so all year interest. Drop me a line: hutaylor64 (at) gmail.com if you are interested :-)
    Take care, Helene.

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