Allotment update – September

Late, I know, but here at last.

The allotment in September turned out to be somewhere I rushed out to collect eggs and vegetables, and occasionally did a little weeding or cut the grass, but little else.

So I feel more than amply rewarded with produce, for so little input.  And I do actually seem to have managed to get quite a lot done, despite my impression of not having done so.

First of all, I dug up all my potatoes and spread them out in the greenhouse (in the garden) to dry before bagging up the best to save and use through the rest of the year.  Far earlier than usual, when I just about manage to get them all in by the end of October.  Normally they last us until early March, and this year looks likely to be about the same – despite the awful blight that hit while we were away on holiday late August/early September.

The ‘keepers’ are a mix of Charlotte (yellow, waxy) and Desiree (red, good for most things in the kitchen).  Both have a great flavour, and we really notice the difference when we eventually begin to buy potatoes in the spring.

Unfortunately the blight meant I had to be very very careful sorting them through, as quite a few rotted.  And I will need to keep a careful eye on them over the next few weeks in case any more go bad.  I store them double-bagged in hessian sacks in our garage, where they seem to keep well.  Single bags don’t seem to keep the light out well enough.  Since I bought the bags (from Marshalls) I’ve discovered that I can get hold of the perfect bag free of charge from coffee sellers who roast and grind their own beans, like the people we buy from at Bath Farmers Market.

We’ve also had a bumper crop of onions, also stored in bags in the garage and shed.  These too will probably last us well into the early part of 2016.  I’ll use up the last of the red onions later this week by making a small batch of red onion marmalade, as they don’t keep well.

Several of the crops I was despairing of back in July and August have turned out fine, which just goes to show that sometimes it pays to do nothing (apart from killing the bugs). The french beans have been amazing and abundant, despite my early fears that they weren’t coming to anything.  Even the courgettes bucked up their ideas and began producing a bit better than earlier in the season – not as many as I would have liked, but I think others (aka Malcolm) may have been perfectly happy not to have had more.

The brassicas that I despaired of when the caterpillars were at their worst mostly survived, and I now have one kale, four broccoli, and four purple sprouting plants, all looking very healthy – and four lovely heads of broccoli which will be ready for picking and eating soon.

The autumn fruiting raspberries are still going strong, and as we’ve had other things to eat, I’ve frozen most of these for us to enjoy in the winter.  Malcolm’s raspberry trifle takes some beating, and we normally have one at Christmas (and other special family occasions).

The hens are producing faster than we can eat the eggs, so it’s imperative for us to see the sons and their partners as often as possible!  and anyone else we visit gets a box too.

The fails?

Well the biggest one was tomatoes.  Not. A. Single. Tomato.  I’ll just say one word: blight.  Resolve to start them earlier next year, and take better care of them.  Because I do love a really good tomato.  Like those below, seen and drooled over in a market in Paris (we bought some of the black ones for lunch and they were luscious).

And sweetcorn.  Lack of fencing – bloody badgers again!   All trashed.  Next year…..

Inspiration for next year – the one that’s always going to be even better!

I’ve already made a start on next year’s crops – I’ve bought my onion and shallot sets ready to plant out in the next few weeks and over-winter, and my garlic to plant out in November.  And I have my Allotment Association seed order ready to complete and put in.  Mostly I will use this for my seed potatoes, which are always good and we get a good discount.

I didn’t take many photos of my allotment in September, but I did take some of my neighbour’s.  Every year he grows a stunning array of flowers, which he shows (in local competitions) and cuts for his church.  And which I just love.  I hope you do too.

A feast for the eyes, indeed.