Tuesday 20 October 2009

Great autumn day!

Had a great time on Sunday when I spent most of the day on the plot.

The weather got increasingly better during the day and it was warm. So much so that tomatoes are still ripening, and there's still plenty of flowers: blue borage, cascades of orange nasturtiums, tiny white thyme flowers, yellow coreopsis, even one calendula bud. And pretty strangely, in the greenhouse, tomatoes and chillies are still flowering. And there are a couple of strawberries, that I found clearing one of the old beds.

Soft fruits were, in fact, the main task of the day: making a new bed where to plant my new blueberry Earlyblue and the strawberry runners. The new blueberry is now in its home, and I transplanted the old one (Top Hat) as well. With just one type of strawberries - Judibell - I filled half of the space: they did not crop but made tons of healthy vigorous runners. I also transplanted all the new gooseberries: Captivator - purchased, a cutting from my heavy cropper (pre-existed me at the allotment so I have no clue what it was) and a self seeded plant I found clearing the kiwi fruit bed. I added a currant cutting to fill up the space (not sure which currant - red or black - and I forgot to try the smell test: blackcurrant leaves, if rubbed, smell like the berries). It does look fantastic, I must say, especially as it is near the shed, which I cleared of the old fence panels I had propped against it. Nice and tidy (almost) now.

Unfortunately I did not do any sowing, but started covering the herbs bed, with the fennel plant. The rich aniseed smell of the chopped stems stopped fellow allotment holders in their path as they were leaving, so I decided to make good use of them tied in bundles in my cupboards. Not sure if the smell is going to last but it was worth a try.

It was dark already, and, after quickly throwing some fleece on the last outdoor tomatoes, I had to make my way home. Not before taking a picture for the record of my 'masterpiece' in the fading light, though.

Tired I was, and happy.

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