So we’re well into Autumn and I have to say that this is a time of year that’s always welcome. After constantly battling the weeds that seemed to poke through over night throughout the summer, it’s nice to weed a patch that will stay clear until for at least a few weeks before you have to turn the ground over again.
Autumn at the allotment is a relatively stress free time because for the most part I’m clearing dead plants and injecting the ground with air by digging everything over. It’s not all dying off as I’m happy to report that the Elsanta strawberries that I have cultivated have established themselves into fine looking plants.
The purple sprouting broccoli I’ve had in the ground for most of the year, has been a massive disappointment – not one sprig, although the plants themselves are in quite good condition so I’m reluctant to dig them up and get rid of them. The Brussels sprouts however, look like their starting to produce a fine crop, so that’s a bonus – here’s to hoping they’re ready for Christmas.
The Rhubarb is dying off for the season and no doubt these are the few plants on the plot that will welcome the frost and snow that winter brings.
Shortly before I went on holiday to Barbados, I managed to plant my leeks outside into the ground – It feels like it’s taken them all year to grow to size of a pencil. I don’t think they’ll be ready for the kitchen until early next year, but that’s OK, it’s good to see something green on a plot that’s slowly winding down for the season. I’ve still got Maris Piper potatoes to dig up, which I’m hoping to do over the next couple of weeks before the weather really starts to turn.
The blackberry plants have also started to stop growing too – at one point it’s as if they were growing out of spite and taking over as much space as they can grab. I’m digging up some white gem parsnips as and when I need them and I have to say, not having grown parsnips before I’m really impressed with my efforts – the only thing that I regret is that I didn’t grow more.
That’s all to report for now – they predict a harsh winter so I’ll let you know how I get on with dealing with that.
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