On 15 October during our last visit to the plot before we went on our break, I took a few photos. I took some photos in the garden too.
There was still colour in the front and back garden. Plenty of flowers still strutting their stuff as well as autumn leaf tints.
On the plot too we still had floral displays. Despite having had a slight frost the dahlias had survived and so had the strawberry flowers. No tell-tale blackening of the centres indicating that the chance of any fruit had passed. I would have thought these two plants would have been the first to suffer frost damage but it was the courgette plants that were the most badly hit. Nasturtiums had also been knocked back.
As well as planting the autumn onions as mentioned in a previous post we also harvested some mini onions, (although these were comparative giants in relation to some of the onions harvested earlier). These had grown from the sets left over after the onion beds had been planted. We squeezed the left over sets into a short row so the onions that resulted are only very small but may be very much needed this year.
We dug some carrots - thank goodness this year we are enjoying a good harvest. Some of the carrots are huge but still have the small carrot flavour.
The parsnips have healthy top growth but as yet we have not explored beneath the surface so have no idea how well they may have done.
All the brassicas were also looking good.
We picked what could well have been our last soft fruit and cucumber harvest. A cauliflower and the carrots would be travelling with us and were enjoyed at the holiday cottage in Stokesley.
I'm hoping our next visit to the plot won't deliver any nasty surprises.
In the album below I'm sharing a few more photos just in case you haven't seen enough!
PS - Did you know that we gardeners are being held partially responsible for the poor potato harvest? Read Martyn's blog here to find out why!
PS - Did you know that we gardeners are being held partially responsible for the poor potato harvest? Read Martyn's blog here to find out why!
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It all looks great. I got some baby carrots out of my tubs but no larger ones this year which is a huge disappointment as you can't beat home grown carrots.
ReplyDeleteI really need to get finished tidying up at the allotment...maybe I will get some more time next weekend!
I think it will take us most of autumn and winter to tidy up, Tanya - lots to do
DeleteYour photo slide show is good and lots still growing in the veg plot. The parsnip, swede and cabbage all look very good. I'm wondering when the first hard frost will come, hopefully not for a few weeks yet.
ReplyDeleteWe could have a frost this weekend, Kelli. At least hard frosts sort out some of the bugs.
DeleteI too haven't harvested any parsnips yet. The joy of anticipation eh? let's hope it won't be followed by disappointment! Looks like we are in for a wet and mild week down here in Hants, so probably no frost just yet.
ReplyDeleteWe are having murky and miserable weather here, Mark
DeleteThose carrots look great, as do your brassicas. I don't think you'll go hungry this winter. I've managed the total sum of three parsnips so I'm hoping they're magnificent to make up for all those which didn't germinate.
ReplyDeleteWe'll need them, Jo what with vegetable prices I wonder how safe our crops will be?
DeleteThose carrots look lovely. I'm glad you have parsnips, I didn't get time to plant any this year. May be next year I will get around to it and hope to have loads as I love them so much. I think I may try some sweet potatoes too.
ReplyDeleteWe may not have parsnips below ground, Liz
DeleteEverything looks great! I wish my carrots had grown that thick. I was thinking about trying parsnips next summer. Your flowers are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI think the carrots appreciated our bizarre weather, CM some are big enough for a helping for two.
DeleteBeautiful harvest! I always enjoy seeing other gardener's glut. I can just feel the joy that this gives you. Enjoy! :)
ReplyDeleteCan you taste the joy too, VG
DeleteThat's very good harvest of carrot and onion! You vegetables are doing well too!
ReplyDeleteThe onions were very small but very welcome, Malar.
DeleteThose carrots look brilliant, good work! Our fledgling efforts at growing carrots have, to date, met with total failure. I may have to scour your blog for advice!
ReplyDeleteI've read about the whole potato farmers vs amateurs thing elsewhere. It's an interesting one; no-one would deny the virtues of growing your own, but I sympathise with farmers, whose livelihoods are at stake. I have to say, some allotmenteers on our plots have had blight but not seemed to have been in any rush to "bag it, bin it, burn it", leaving the haulms to rot away for days and even weeks. Not good.
If allotmenteers would like to give our creed a better name among farmer-folk, you can sign up to be an official blight monitor at the Potato Council website here: http://www.potato.org.uk/publications/gardeners-advice-potato-blight
Try my website too Lee - the links to it are at the top on the 'tabs'.
DeleteI sympathise with farmers too, Lee but from what I have seen from round our area the losses have been down to fields being under water so it seems a bit strange to blame gardeners and blight. In a way during a time of possible shortage the stuff that we grow must help so telling us to stop growing potatoes and buy them from stores seems a bit strange. I suppose you could also say that increasing use of stronger industrial chemicals has created superbugs too and also maybe blight (as a living organism) has built up some resistance.
Oh I would like to munch those juicy berry while using my brain to work out my research data.
ReplyDeleteHope your research is going well Diana.
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