Phew. It's Been A While!

Hello, my last post was on my birthday, just over two weeks ago but seems ages.

Since then Autumn really seems to be coming in with a vengence and I love it; gradual changing in the leaf colours and the weather, too, with it being chilly at night time more frequently. However, yesterday, and today, have so far been glorious and the bedding is blowing beautifully on the line.

I thought I'd do a little round up about things since my last post. We've had 10 Airbnb bookings, including people booking the new room which is  great, plus others already booked including a repeat guest for New Year's Eve!

The garden is changing but I still love my little patch of paradise.

In the poly house bed I've sown the Nantes 2 carrots I ordered recently, hoping for an early crop in January, I took up the last cucumber plant and prepared the soil for not sure what yet and the Dwarf Meteor peas are showing already so very pleased with that. 

The Christmas spuds have been moved into there now as we had a slight frost on the night of October 6 and didn't want to risk it. However with the weather improving -  the temperature in there being 78 degrees yesterday, I was maybe being a bit panicky...!

My main crop spuds I'm very sorry to say have been an epic fail. I think my problem was planting the tubers far too close together coupled with the VERY warm weather plus not watering the tyres enough. Hay ho, lesson learnt and won't be doing that again next year.

In the greenhouse I have hardy Sweet Pea Spiced Mix just showing their faces which is great. The beetroot is doing really well and I took up the last tomato plant and sowed turnips in its place. The sweet spuds are dying back now but going to leave them a bit longer. 

The Spring cabbages are now covered with netting as taking no chances with those.

A few onions have bloomed a little late in with the cabbages so seeing how they do...

Jon has built all three raised beds now, including one a funky triangular shape, which needs painting.

The biggest couple of jobs I did this week were some of the beds. I took out the few weeds there were in the far end of the main patch then covered with with chicken poo, homemade compost and polythene for over Winter. 

I was outside until 7pm last night and the bed at the back of the poly house has now been prepared with lots of lovely homemade compost as I plan on putting either the garlic or shallots in there; sets will be arriving soon.

I just need to finish the other end of the main patch, now the climbing peas have been taken up as that will be used for the onions. I love getting things like this ready.

In the kitchen I've processed all the cooking apples gifted to me by Jon's dad, apart from a few I have stored in the cellar. The second freezer is packed with bags of them and I have bottled five jars of them in sugar syrup. 

But a little mad with myself as I didn't pack them down enough so there's a bit of a gap and excess syrup but it will make the puddings I make with them lovely and sweet!

Well I'd better get on as the next lot of washing will need to be out soon.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx