Autumn is most definitely underway!

Well- it's been a month since I added an entry, but that's really because not a lot has happened, and I sort of feel a bit guilty about it. As Autumn has settled in I've figured doing too much on the allotment is probably a little silly as we plan on overhauling the whole plot this winter to create raised beds. So when it comes to cutting back the greenery and putting in some elbow greece I've really not had the inclination thinking that winter will soon set in and things will stop growing anyway! 

In the mean time I've been popping along every now and then which has been quite nice to see the season take hold. 

 Pretty much everything in the shed-come-greenhouse has been harvested- but for some reason everything seems to have decided to have a second flourish which I wasn't expecting! I've not got another cucumber in the making- and a lot of flowers on the plant waiting for their turn. I've also got a second flush of jalapeño flowers & my aubergine plant has even decided to sprout a fair few flowers with some little aubergines appearing. Not what I was expecting at all but it must mean the shed-come-greenhouse has been a good & useful creation of I have draw out the growing season so much! Hopefully I'll be able to start really early next spring too!

My butternut squash unfortunately hasn't really become anything! I had these two, and that was it! (The snails demolished the ones in the ground from the roots up) but then my husband ended up snapping off one of these two by accident- so now there's only one left! And it's not really doing that much to be honest so they haven't been a success. 

The carrots have been quite good, especially considering we just scattered random seeds into the thick clay soil. I'm quite impressed they didn't all come out looking like strange hands- and the lovely thick green tops have been very much appreciated by our bunny! 

Today I came across these pumpkins- unfortunately not on my plot! But it's made me realise (due to how unbelievably cute they are!) that I want to grow munchkin pumpkins next year! 

These two photos were taken earlier today at about 5pm (it's rather dark already!!- and the clocks haven't even gone back yet!) but as you can see- we have clearly given up on it for the season.

 We did make a point of pulling the taupawlin back that's been lying over the ground for months- we were worried frogs would start hibernating underneath it so wanted to take it up before that happens- luckily we were there in time! The frogs are still having a bit of a chill out around the pond which is still lovely to see- so I'm definitely expecting (and hoping) for frogspawn next spring. 

 We also spent some time today removing the dead leaves from the bottom of the sprout plants (they have been a success!- we've harvested some already and they're delicious- and still plenty to go!) We also harvested the last of the carrots so now that area is ready to cover for raised beds to begin at some point. 

My bird feeder has been a perfect addition- meal worms are the definite favourite as you'd imagine- there's a hedge row that lies on 2 sides of my plot and plenty birds sit in there watching the food get put out. So I'm glad I put that in place. Perfect timing for the winter months! I'll just have to remember to keep going along to fill it up! 

 

Need to stock up on bird food now!

August almost over...but still plenty going on...

I can't believe August is almost over. Despite being off over the summer I just find the time flies by and I always feel as though I haven't quite done enough. This summer has been my first with the allotment though, so it's been great seeing how it copes as the season passes.

Every time I go to the plot I automatically walk to the back to see the pond. I always hear half a dozen (sometimes more) splashes into the water as I walk up the path. I can't remember the last time I was there when I didn't see a frog though which is great! I also noticed last time I was there the arrow head flowers have started to open. I wasn't sure if they would this year but they look beautiful. The marsh marigolds have come into flower as well, which is just another reassurance that the pond is pretty happy. 

I also spent some time weeding the onion/carrot bed. I took up some of the stragglers from the edges and decided to take them home to pickle them. No idea what they'll be like, but thought it was worth a go! I'll give them a taste in a couple of months. 

The shed/greenhouse has also come into it's own over the last few weeks. I've been harvesting plenty of cucumbers and jalapeños (I decided to pickle those as well) and my tomatoes have finally decided to fruit! 

 We've had a fair few storms lately as well, a lot of heavy rain, wind and thunder and lightening over the last couple of weeks- so there was a true test on the shed which I was happy to discover it held up perfectly. So it was definitely will built and it now gives me confidence for the winter. 

My husband and I also installed a bird feeding station next to the pond. Complete with fat balls, seed, mealworms, peanuts and fresh water. I'm looking forward to visitors turning up for a feed. 

A cloudy but productive Saturday...

Well, the sun may not have been shining so much today, and it may not have been as warm as it has been, but I still managed to spend 4 ours at the allotment in my t-shirt today. 

Yesterday I took various things to the local tip, leftover rotten/scrap bits of wood from when the shed was built, a large compost bag full of rubbish that had accumulated over the last few months (we find a lot of glass and metal on the allotment still) and we had a large double glazed window that we needed to take along as it had cracked along the middle and water had started to get in. So- after the tip run we stopped at a can and carry like shop to pick up a few things, compost, a few paving slabs and a little wooden dividing fence.

So today I got to work putting things in place and doing some more organising! 

I painted the little wooden diving fence blue- the same colour as the shed and gate of course! I wanted that put down just to edge the wild area as things had started to creep over into the celery bed. 

I've discovered in photos the allotment is quite deceptive: 

It doesn't appear to be in any incline at all- but when I photo is taken from the gate you really don't seem to be able to tell how long it is. I always think the pond area looks tiny from this angle - but when you get up there and stand at the edge of the blue fence, there's another 3 metres until you reach the back of the allotment. Strange how it does that! 

I also placed the 4 paving slabs I bought down (4 for £12) I think I'll buy another 4 for in front just to define the area a little more- it will still allow me to either plant things along the fence in the ground or put pots along there too.

 You can also see to the left of the photo in the yellow buckets- I planted out 2 of the butternut squash plants. They're verging on flowering and were clearly too big for their little pots so this is quite a change in size! So hopefully they will grow on ok. 

 I think I am going to take up the strawberries as well and plant the remaining butternut squash plants into the ground. The strawberries haven't been great- I was given them from a kind neighbour but for some reason the yield was very small and other creates often beat me to the ones that were there.

 I think next year if I grow strawberries I will do it in pots on/around the shed. 

And here's a final photo today of the pond in all it's glory. If you look carefully you'll be able to see a few frogs. I counted six at one point. Two didn't move an inch the whole time I was there. But it seems really healthy! There's still plenty of pond skaters on the top and the plants are all looking really good. We keep having to remove some of the green plant from the top of the water- we're quite ruthless when we do, as it grows so quickly I don't want it taking over and suffocating everything. Though I always leave plenty for things to hide in and under. It seems to be working out though! Next plan for next to the pond is to weed/turn over and get some turn to turf the back right area of the allotment. After all, I don't have a garden at home, so I was determined to have a garden area to relax in as well as a growing area for veg and as many flowers as possibly for the bees and other insects that need them. 

 I've still got 6 weeks left of the summer holidays as well, so plenty of time to get things done!