September

The thing I've been most chuffed with this month has been the Victoria plums. It's been the best year I can remember for them, no burrowing insects inside and very few have rotted on the tree. In the shops they're purple and green but growing my own means I can pick them at the peak of ripeness; they taste like they're laced with brown sugar.

Also cropping this month: runner and French beans, kale, mizuna, leaf beet, carrots, blackberries and raspberries. Nom nom.

Fruit

The top fruit hasn't done at all well this year - the apples, pears and plums all suffered through there're not being many pollinators about back in the cold and wet at blossom time. The only exception has been the little cherry plums which were blossoming during the heatwave in March. The blackbirds and thrushes carry most of them away but it's not as though I can eat them all. And the trees are not completely bare; having less helps me appreciate what I have got all the more. How right on is that?

With the exception of the gooseberries the soft fruit have been as abundant as ever. The summer raspberries have given way to the autumn crop, the grapes are about ready and the wild blackberries never have a problem fruiting - and their flowers are so useful for the bees and butterflies.

Holly blue on blackberry flower

 

Grapes ready to nibble



The brief return of winter

Last Wednesday on the plot - the blossoming plum tree looking surprised to be surrounded by snow:

The temperature was 2 degrees - compared with 22 the previous week. Fortunately the snow didn't last long and I was able to get the new potatoes in on the traditional planting day of good friday. Since then we've had some useful rain and the climate is at least back in line with the calender. Sunshine and showers forecast for the week ahead.

Feeling fruity

Loads of fruit on the plot at the moment - blackberries, raspberries, cherry plums, plums...

Orchard in July

Speaks for itself really.

Plums

Plums and apples

Plums