Progress

Continuing to pick the apples on the second tree and still loads to go at. Had one or two off the Red Falstaff's and these are really nice. They're still developing but should be fully ripe in another month or so.

Greensleeves should be the next to become ripe and can't wait, they're more like a Granny Smith in taste and texture. At the moment, however, they are staying put on the on the tree and stubbornly refusing to budge, that's show's my patience - none!

Picked more blackberries and raspberries. Didn't quite get enough of each to make a pie so i mixed together the blackberry and raspberry, sprinkled with a little bit of sugar and added a crumble toppping.

Within 10 mins of it coming out of the oven it was half eaten, but it was delicious. That's what i call home-made, home grown fruit and home made topping, perfect.

Finally got the strawberry bed finished....still got a few stray runners to clear up. There has been some more top growth already so they must have enjoyed the hair cut. Not producing runners now i've trimmed them back as they are putting all their energies into new leaves which is just perfect. That should give them a bit of protection over the winter.

Whilst i was tidying up the bed I noticed the amount of whitefly that were made homeless...they didn't seem to do any damage but i've had a lot of whitefly this year and they're still fluttering around my runner beans and apples...anywhere there is greenery really. Must be due to the exceptional hot weather as I've never seen so many whitefly.

Apart from the picking of fruit and tidying up the garden is really slowing down now. However, the warm weather we've all been enjoying has helped to get ahead in the garden for a change. I'm sure we'll all be in for a shock when the weather does turn...but let's hope it's not until nearer to Christmas.

First year i've grown Broccoli and caterpillers had got to it so i decided to snipoff the heads and see if it would regrow. Which they did so today i managed to pick my first home grown broccoli. I was amazed at the difference between home grown and shop bought. I notice too that a couple of my brussel sprouts seems a bit short but are still producing buttons, will leave them and see how they fare as they seem to be getting bigger. The other ones are developing well and are nice and tight so i'm hopeful for picking in a month or so after the first hard frosts. Only thing is i adore brussel leaves but the caterpillers got these.

The cauliflowers were a disaster in that this was the first year they developed heads and i was well chuffed and then the caterpillers got them so haven't been able to pick one decent one. The cabbages didn't fare much better so i decided to cut my loses and cut the heads off them and composted them leaving the stumps to develop smaller heads which they have done so i should salvage something from them. Such is the highs and lows of veggie growing. On the whole though it's been a good year and i've really enjoyed it. Actually felt like I was in charge (well almost).