Allotment/Veg Patch - Thread 7 - The Harvesters Arms

[bookbook]

Well, it's been an interesting summer, to say the least.
We are now heading into the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness :)
Everyone welcome to join in and ask for advice , share their woes and just enjoy growing!
previous thread here

oh Cedar - one carrot ? I am sticking to doing the plug planting I think , with the stubby chanteney - probably 4 per plug next year, as they were a bit overcrowded . Being behind hand I didn't get around to sowing my green manure, so will need to plan carefully where the manure and compost goes.
Maybe a bit less on the asparagus beds ...

x post there shove - :) - and I am pleased with the Picasso too

Oh and cedar - pumpkin risotto sounds amazing. Italians avert your eyes - I have just got into pressure cooking risotto in my instant pot, which works surprisingly well with things like butternut squash. You can saute all the veg up first, which helps with the flavour. It is absolutely not the authentic way, but it's passable!

Sympathies on the carrot front.

I love pumpkin risotto - its one of our all time favourites. But maybe I need to think ( I often roast double quantities of squash for that reason)
I use this Italian recipe hmmm :)
www.antonio-carluccio.com/Risotto_di_Zucca

That recipe looks delicious book! I usually do sage with squash, but I must try rosemary instead to see what that is like.

I am wondering about leaf colour this year. Just a few, very early things are starting to turn here, but they are particularly bright. Next door's Parthenocissus is turning from purple-grey to a vivid scarlat, while the Sumac two doors down is a lovely range of flaming reds and oranges. I'm wondering if the dry summer will mean we have New England style colours this autumn??

My Amelanchier is bright , neon orange - it has been turning for a while. Hornbeam is pale yellow, and fast losing most of its leaves . Funnily my Acer Drummondii is normally first out of the blocks, but hasn't yet started ( and not only that I have a fat pigeon sat on a nest in there!) and nothing yet on others.The purple spreading acer is turning greenish, as the purple goes ..

Yes, my acers aren't turning yet either. In fact, all the plants I mentioned around me that are have been under unusual water stress for one reason or another! I wonder if that makes a difference to the timing?

There are interesting theories about the colours too. I remember having to do a paper a long time back on whether trees turned red because they were expending energy to ward off aphids (coevolution, apparently the little blighters are attracted to yellow far more than read) or whether the red pigments were instead an efficient way of transferring beneficial chemicals into the plant and out-competing neighbours (allelopathy) or whether they were just a preventative to ensure that chemicals could be reabsorbed in cold conditions (photoprotection). I cannot for the life of me remember the details though!!

*red not read! Bloody phone!

Afternoon!
I only remember it being the reds (carotenoids ?) were the underlying colours masked by the chlorophylls, but it's a long time ago! Whatever the cause, it is beautiful :)
Well, its been a really annoying sort of day. Expecting a relatively necessary visit from someone to pick up a delivery. Found out at about 2.30 they were not able to come, needed to reorganise ( 8.15 tomorrow morning ) . So had been pottering around ( mind you , rain this morning and this afternoon, not forecast) . Did more sorting in the greenhouse, though I cannot clean it out because of my aubergine !!! It's not large, and its got the weight of two lovingly cared for plants for months on its shoulders - it had better be nectar of the gods. And the plants are still flowering!. So I finally got out pencil and paper, and drew up next years planting guide. I took out last years to compare and decide , and wondered why I bothered really . Sort of right......!

book - your plan is so beautiful and neat!

And your aubergine will be worth it, just for the pride of the thing. They are HARD to get right, especially this far north!!

Sorry about your missed collection, it's so frustrating when things don't go to plan. Hopefully it'll go smoothly tomorrow and you can have a more restful day!

the plan is neater than the plot! and rather hopeful, but a work in progress

That aubergine is just beautiful, books.

I feel your pain re the early morning delivery tomorrow. I have an appointment so need to leave the house just after 8am tomorrow with three children (and DH). Not looking forward to it!

My amelanchier has very few leaves so I don't know whether they've started turning yet, but the beech hedges are a beautiful golden yellow.

I think I have it much, much easier than you Grouchy - I get up early, but normally do stuff while in my dressing gown , while you have to wrangle children ( who always know when to faff around when its important not to!)

Oh a golden trowel!

I'm in the south west and have a full plot.

Just come back from the allotment with some butternut squash. They are doing really well. I am pleased as it is the first time I have grown them.

I am thinking of you both this morning, book and grouchy! I can barely get myself together in the morning so anyone that manages kids as well has my profound respect!!

I'm here -dressed as well! Thank goodness they almost came on time :)
Oh and finally a full plotter too!
Which reminds me - I wonder how Doreen is, and hoping Spotted is okay too...

I miss both of them!! I wonder what Doreen would say about 10 times a day.

Spotted, if you're out there and reading this we are thinking of you xxx

Hello!

Been just keeping up with reading, but a bit behind with posting.

book Chantenay carrots with a long skinny white one - snap. Couple of weeks ago pulled up all the remaining (unspectacular) carrots and there it was. Sorry about yours Cedar, one is very dissapointing.

Jaime - greetings - I did small quantities of Pink Fir and Charlotte - all harvested by mid June, no main crop (I have a problem with voles eating underground stuff, so leaving potatoes in the ground while they are at peak breeding is counter productive - and they love to gnaw through the biggest and best!).

Aww shove (re your life wobbles)

weed hope your cold is getting better

Green sprouting, kale and Greyhound cabbages all doing well. Replacement pak chois and a second round of chard all planted a couple of weeks ago and not found by slugs yet . . .

Still getting about a dozen courgettes a week. Might leave a couple to 'marrow up' soon.

I’ve also been wondering where Doreen and Spotted are.

Off to look for bellas thread in classics.

Morning, feeling much better today but tired. I AM going to go to the plot though, probably this afternoon. The hose is broken so we need to buy a new one. Also fancy planting an apple tree -any recommendations for a crunchy apple? There's a russet tree in the plot behind which seems to be doing well

Morning!
my morning in pictures ( well, an hour or so of it! ) 10 wheelbarrows - bad planning from one end to nearly the other....
nice to know its not me teacup it was a bit
but my courgettes are nearly over.
Forgot to ask shove - how are your perennial caulis doing? Mine have settled into the pots nicely, but think I shall leave them a little longer to get good and strong before planting.
weed - it really knocks it out of you, fighting off bugs, you tend to forget the body is still working hard.
Off for a bath , and a cup of coffee now :)

weed - what sort of apple do you like? just an eater? I'm a fan of James Grieve- it cooks and eats well. I have just started to crop one called Sunset, which is a bit like a Cox , but easier to grow, with less problems, but they are not big apples. Maybe an old variety - I think Shove has some of them , so maybe able to offer up more suggestions

Yes just for eating really and nothing too huge because the kids will just waste half of it! I like crunchy apples, slightly sour. I like pink lady.

this is the one I have - I like Pink Lady, and Coxes. Not keen on the softer texture ones
www.gardenfocused.co.uk/fruitarticles/apples/variety-sunset.php

Thanks book, sounds perfect for me. I'll see if they have it in the catalogue.

Did a couple of hours earlier - bonfire, weeding and planted a nasturtium (sp? ) in an old broken wheelbarrow I found

Afternoon!
a bit slumped in a chair now.
Did a full morning at the plot - more digging over, another 5 wheelbarrows of manure moved. - I have a squeaky wheelbarrow now...... Picked a cauliflower and a couple of leeks , and was given a bunch of beetroot ( everyone has miles too many - it's been a good year) and picked a small bunch of dahlias to bring home.
Actually went back this afternoon with DH and he cut grass, and I tidied up a lot of edging - boy is that a job I hate . Had a nice chat with an old boy across the road, and I have been given the chance to dig up a Dahlia tuber of his soon. He was going to chuck it, so I said yes, pretty please! I just hope it overwinters as well as last years. :)