Veg Journal - 2011 October
The month started off very warm, so it was possible to finish off the installation of the cupboards in the potting
shed. We had the first frost of the year in the middle of the month, and we decided to harvest all the frost sensitive
veg rather than see whether they would survive the cold temperatures. This included everything in the greenhouse except
for most of the herbs and the French marigolds. We took the Enviromesh nets off all the beds but left the frames up
over the brassicas in case we need to put bird netting on later. Although the production of chutneys, pickles and
wines had slowed down, we still made a few batches this month with the green tomatoes, celery and beetroot.
Week ending 8th October
2nd - Dug up 3 carrots (10oz).
3rd - Last really hot day.
4th - Stuck most of the trim round the back edge of the work surface in the potting shed.
5th - Harvested some French beans (15.8oz), runner beans (4.6oz, possibly the last), 1 big courgette (2lb
12.2oz), 3 small courgettes (3.8oz), 1 marrow (4.9oz), the last 3 peppers (4.7oz) and some tomatoes; 6 outdoor
(9.6oz), 5 outdoor plums (15.7oz), 8 greenhouse plums (14oz), 18 cherries (7.3oz). Finished fixing the trim around
the potting shed work surfaces.
6th - Picked one head of celery.
Click on the photo to see a bigger version:
Week ending 16th October
10th - Picked 4 greenhouse plum tomatoes (9.2oz). Fixed the handles on the cupboard doors in the potting shed and
tidied it out.
11th - Picked one head of celery, the last runner beans (0.4oz), some French beans (1.7oz), all of the broad
beans which had regrown (7.8oz, 2.7oz podded) and the last very mildewy peas (1.4oz, 0.7oz podded). Took the netting
off the peas and cut down the re-grown broad bean stems.
12th - Brought the sack of potatoes into the pantry from the potting shed, to try and avoid a repeat of last
year's problem with frost damage.
13th - Dug compost into the old potato beds, ready for sowing the over-wintering peas and broad beans.
14th - Picked some tomatoes; 5 greenhouse (12.1oz), 7 outdoor (10oz), 6 greenhouse plums (6.7oz), 3 outdoor
plums (5½oz), 1 cherry (½oz).
15th - First frost of the year on the grass this morning, but it turned into a very warm day. Took the nets off
all the beds, and removed all the netting frames except for those on the two brassica beds. Most of the nets need
some attention to replace the cotton ties & loops - left them outside to dry off before storing them. Tidied up the
beds in general; removed dead leaves & weeds. The leaves on the parsnips all seem to have gone mushy and rotten, but
there are new leaves coming up. Pulled up the carrot which had flowers on it, and also a couple of turnips which had
rotted. Cut down the pea stems and left the roots in the soil to fix the nitrogen. The brassicas are infested with
whitefly and grey aphids again, so will spray them when the weather is calm. Cut quite a lot of flowers off the
calabrese and pulled up the remaining spinach. One of the autumn cabbages has split open, but otherwise looks
okay.
Click on a photo to see a bigger version:
-
A view of the back beds from the corner of the greenhouse (13th Oct)
-
The raspberry plant and the old verandah area of the potting shed (13th Oct)
-
The plot in autumn with the netting removed from the beds (15th Oct)
-
A view of the front beds (15th Oct)
-
Savoy cabbage (15th Oct)
-
The beetroot bed is still doing well (15th Oct)
-
L to R: Carrots, parsnips and celery (15th Oct)
-
The view across the veg plot from the compost heap (15th Oct)
-
-
Week ending 24th October
17th - Picked one head of celery. Also picked 2 carrots (8.7oz) which were completely free of any pest damage for a
change. Put the dried nets in the potting shed. Put some more ties round the broccoli as it's getting very windy.
18th - Picked some tomatoes; 2 greenhouse (7.2oz), 5 outdoor (11oz), 1 greenhouse plum (1.4oz), 5 outdoor plums
(10.4oz). Also picked 3 heads of celery and made a gallon of celery wine.
19th - Picked the remaining celery (about 12 heads), French beans (1.8oz), 4 turnips (1lb 11.6oz), some calabrese,
9 spring onions, 2 courgettes (0.6oz), 9 greenhouse plum tomatoes (10.1oz), various ripening tomatoes (13.7oz) and
various green tomatoes (4lb 10oz). These are all frost sensitive and frost is predicted for tonight. Cut the French
beans down to just a stub of stem, composted the remaining turnips and cut back the courgettes/marrows and most of the
greenhouse tomato plants. Most of the tomatoes picked are green, which will be made into chutney. Made another gallon
of celery wine. Covered the beetroot bed to protect it from frost.
20th - Used the chopped up celery from the wine to make lots of soup.
21st - Chopped up 6lb of green(ish) tomatoes and put them in a bowl with salty water in preparation for making
green tomato chutney.
22nd - Pulled up the peppers, aubergines, tomatoes, dill & most of the calendulas in the greenhouse, and generally
tidied up in there. The marigolds, one calendula and the rest of the herbs are still doing well. Also pulled up the
marrow & courgette plants and watered the raspberry as it was a bit dry. Made 4 jars of green tomato chutney.
23rd - Picked some beetroot (3lb). Made 1 gallon of beetroot wine and 2 big jars of pickled beetroot.
Click on a photo to see a bigger version:
-
Three heads of celery (18th Oct)
-
Kale, calabrese and broccoli (18th Oct)
-
Some of the remaining frost sensitive vegetables - turnips, calabrese, spring onions, French beans,
courgettes (19th Oct)
-
-
Week ending 31st October
26th - Picked 2 beetroot (3lb). Made 5 jars of beetroot chutney.
28th - Pulled up the remaining calendula in the greenhouse. Moved the raspberry plant from under the potting shed
canopy so that it will catch the rain.
30th - Picked the split autumn cabbage, which was fine on the inside, and 2 carrots (7.3oz).
Click on the photo to see a bigger version:
|
