End of another growing season (well, almost!)

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End of another growing season (well, almost!)

An old Australian group called The (New) Seekers has a song called “Circles” in it there are a couple of lines that say “the seasons go ’round & around, lets go ’round one more time”. Well that’s how I feel about the growing seasons, one is coming to an end & now we look forward (or back, as the case may be) to another season!

I’m going to take you on a “look-back” on what has been happening on Gerry’s allotment which as you all know I help him with.

Lentils & Pinto beans at the top of the plot:

Beetroot Bolthardy at the top of the plot:

Beetroot Bolthardy in another part of the plot but sown a couple of weeks earlier:

Pink Carnation seedlings at the top of the plot:

These are from seeds my wife brought back from Spain. Having nowhere to sow there on my balcony I sowed them in the GH & now I’ve planted them out to make bigger plants that I will lift & pot up in the spring & take home so she can see them flower during the summer on our balcony.

Godetia Azalea flowered

Another of my wife’s favourite plants. These are annuals & will die with the first frosts – just as the flowers are beginning to open, I sowed them too late!

Carrots Autumn King

These have really grown a lot during August & now in September they are looking great!

Apple tree

A couple of photos of Gerry’s dessert apple tree. Last year there were two apples …

… this year we have had a 100% increase – we now have 4! In this photo all 4 can be seen at the same time, if you look closely!

Ipomea or Morning Glory

When we were in Spain, in May 2011, I bought a packet of seeds that my daughter-in-law brought to my attention – these Ipomea or Morning Glory.

They would seem to be a newer variety as the flowers stay open most of the day, even when it is pretty warm.I grew these in Spain for many years but only a couple of colours & they invariably died by midday – unless the temperature was low, like it is now in the autumn.

Cucumbers Marketmore Harvested

The smooth skinned one grew in the greenhouse but the other one grew outside. The tomatoes that can be seen alongside are some I harvested the same day.

Peanuts

I’m afraid after the first flowers, I showed you in a previous blog, no more have appeared! The plants continue alive, as can be seen in this photo, but they aren’t growing any more.

Tomatoes “Mallorquin”

The tomatoes are now beginning to ripen & I’ve now started to harvest them:

Here is a view of them growing on the plot. As I’ve stripped off some of the lower leaves the French Marigolds & the Tagetes really jump out at you!

Three Sisters’ bed

The Three Sisters’ bed, although long since reduced to Two Sisters after the last of the water melons died, is still going strong:

Here is a photo of the runner/green beans I picked from the few runner bean plants that grew up & produced beans:

Lettuce Webbs Wonderful

My Lettuce Webbs Wonderful are doing quite well. Gerry will be able to start cutting them for his rabbit & birds while I’m away for a couple of weeks.

Potatoes Maincrop Maris Piper

Here are the my maincrop potatoes in a wheelbarrow. Almost the last to be lifted.

A view of Gerry’s Runner/Green beans. These plants were absolutely loaded down with beans! I picked a lot to take to the Harvest Thanksgiving service we had at our church on Sunday 18th September.

Lentils & Garbanzo beans

These are doing very well. They are growing on the ridges left behind after harvesting the potatoes:

Sunflowers Tall

In spite of the strong winds we had this month the great majority managed to stay upright.

I have no photo from the shed this month – not even from the outside. I’ll see if I can include one in next month’s blog.

• 18 Sep, 2011
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