We've had a few days of sunshine & showers during a week that saw the Autumn equinox. It feels cooler and fresher in the early mornings now though the daytime temperatures are still around 18C. I've continued to tidy up the allotment and prepare it for the long Winter that's just around the corner. (Pic - a fleeting rain shower causing puddles in my plastic sheeting).
After clearing the sweet corn (see post 20th Sep) I got around to clearing the weeds and any remaining stalks from the area and gave it a quick dig over. I also picked the butternut squashes which have provided a decent harvest this season; much better than last year. I got a very heavy crate full and I'm very pleased indeed. (Pic - Butternut variety Hunter F1).
Overall the Winter squashes have done well. I'll continue to plant butternuts, especially the varieties that have been bred for the short British Summer such has Hunter F1. I'll be nosing through the seed catalogues for any new improved butternuts too, time doesn't stand still. I've a few Turks Turban this year as well, I planted these as 'gap fillers' from last season's seed and they have grown larger this year than last.
I always try and grow something new and this season it was Crown Prince, another Winter squash to add to my collection. We've been very impressed by these as they are both tasty (though they smell like watermelon before roasting) and grow to a good size. One of my middle sized Crown Prince contributed to three meals. Winter squashes are one of the real joys of the Autumn Harvest. (Pic - Turks Turban and, in the background, a silver-grey Crown Prince Winter squash - photo taken just before harvesting this month).
Since the all the Winter squash have now been gathered in, I have finally cleared the bed of withered vines and weeds. I've run the tiller over the area and have covered the beds with plastic covers. Any weeds that germinate now will be choked due to lack of light and I find that covering helps to stop my clay soils compacting over the Winter.
The plot is beginning to look a bit sad now. The north (shed) end has two out of three beds covered with the remaining bed containing the Winter veg: sprouts, Winter cabbage, kale, leeks and parsnips. The south end has two beds covered with the remaining main crop potatoes being slowly cleared from the last area. The south end also contains the fruit bed which needs a real sorting out! (Pic - the allotment is rapidly being put to bed for the Winter months).
That's it for this update. Bye for now.
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