Change of season

[Mrs Ava]

Autumn came to Essex today.  I spent the whole day, well from 9.30am until 2.45pm, on the allotment, and all day, the sun was low in the sky and I could smell the apples that ave been falling from my two trees.  I could almost imagine the smell of bonfires and the crunching leaves underfoot!

I filled to sacks with apples so am going to have to find 101 things to do with them all.  Dug volunteer spuds - no idea on the variety, but they were huge, so jacket taters for tea tonight!  Pulled lovely beetroots and still have plenty so am hoping to have a few roots left come winter.  Same with carrots - so many still there! Just hope the sun keeps shining after all of the rain we have had so they swell quickly.  Most of the squash plants have died back now, so will hopefully clear the last of them later in the week, although I did notice one of my yellow courgette plants and one of the white volunteer courgette plants have made a sudden growth spurt and are in flower again and producing small fruits, so a last minute harvest coming.  Pulled a lovely long leek as a test, but they do need earthing up some more, so another job for later in the week!  Brassica bed ready and waiting for Dobies order to arrive.

Hope you all had a nice Monday.

[Mrs Ava]

[Derek]

Your right...the seasons changing quite rapidly....My runner beans are starting to turn yellow, courgettes about finished and the tomatoes in one greenhouse are almost done...the other lot in the second greenhouse are still producing well.
The end of season means we are having a few people leave the site for one reason or another. I have managed to aquire some scaffold poles for my beans next year plus a load of slabs which I reckon will just about do for the path between my two half plots....no more falling off the uneven existing grass path.... HOORAY....mind you I have learned to fall gracefully.

It's like sale time in January as the people who are leaving give stuff away to their gardening friends.

Now next year....exciting isn't it?  ;D

Derek

[Derekthefox]

Each season has it's own specific delights, and I definitely focus on these to feed my soul. My lottie has been rather overgrown with weeds recently from neglect, as my heart had not been in it, but with the turning season I am getting more attuned again. I had forgotten just how much I love the approach of autumn! The season of mists!

Thank you Emma for starting this thread!

Derekthefox :D

ps Sorry your back is giving you so much trouble Wardy

[Multiveg]

Well, the catalogues have started to come through the letterbox - only got one so far, but the others should follow soon.... One book I was reading said to snuggle up by the fire on a cold and damp autumn/winter day and look at the seed catalogues!

My heart hadn't been in it this year - June was a month I could have done so much, but didn't as I had some sort of infection that didn't let me down the plot. Took me ages to get back into the spirit of things but then was too late for successional sowings. 

[wardy]

Sorry to hear you've been out of sorts and hope you'll feel more like lottying soon  :)

[aquilegia]

I love Autumn. (But then I seem to say that about every season!)

The leaves are already turning. The mornings are all dewy in anticipation of the forthcoming frosts. The starlings are agathering in the oak tree and chattering away before suddenly going quiet and then swooping off in great flocks...

Last year I remember the door suddenly slammed shut on summer and it was cold. hope it's not that just yet this year!

Still haven't received any seed catalogues...

[beejay]

Seed catalogues......................I've had my first Christmas catalogues!

EJ I like your description of the changes, tho all your work on the allotment makes me feel inadequate. I began to feel autumny at the end of august. We didn't go away until Bank Holiday week so it was still school holidays, but we realised that the evenings had started to draw in unlike at the beginning of the holiday season. Must go away earlier next year, tho maybe it won't matter any more as I expect we will have abandoned daughter by then.

I too love autumn. Apparently global warming means we should get more/better autumn colour.

[wardy]

I've just been rummaging in the wardrobe for me trusty cardi so it must be getting cold  :)

[Roy Bham UK]

:o Wow Wardy it's still summer here in Brum, last weekend was a bit cooler as it pead down Sat/Sunday cloudy, but temps like today 23.3°C I can handle till Xmas ;D

Edited to say...I'm still lottying in my shorts 8) Nice legs shame about the face :P