What I did today - 2017

[Bren In Pots]

Finally got around to taking out my Telephone peas the last few seeds I've been saving have gone crispy.

I'm with SP. Thanks Bren! Will Briam freeze, do you know?

Not tried freezing it Bee mostly because ate what was left the following day, but I don't see why it won't freeze fine.

[Chestnut]

Picked up some manure from a friendly stables, then made jam (and showered in between!)

[bario1]

Picked up some lovely free manure, and some free bags of gravel.
Pulled up and composted the spent sweetcorn along with all the weeds that'd sprung up between them.
Cleared out the dumping ground that was my cold frame, and composted any dessicated stragglers that never made it out of there in Spring. Also composted my disastrous aubergine plants.
Cut back the brambles and nettles that were encroaching on my fruit tree area.
Moved my potted apple tree to the centre of the plot ready for permanent rehousing.
Removed spent Cucumber, tomato and aubergine plants from blowaway to improve air circulation for remaining chillies.
Filled reserve water tank and put away the hose for the year.
Unlinked the leaky barrel from the water butt chain behind the polytunnel for fixing.
Generally weeded and tidied up the beds.
Feeling a lot happier about the state of the plot heading into Autumn now.

[bario1]

^^^^^^
Just checked my (enormous) todo list, and only 'pick up manure' and 'pull up sweetcorn' were on there! How is that possible?

[Cadalot]

Picked up some manure from a friendly stables, then made jam (and showered in between!)

Errrrrr Manure Jam

Pickled and bottled the second batch of Beetroots and Gherkins, and thanks to a post on the vine did the beetroot by baking in the oven rather than boiling on the oven and in the microwave and it's the best, and fastest way I've done them in the last five years.

[Chestnut]

Don't worry, none of the manure went in the jam
Just all the blackberries which have gone in the freezer over the last couple of weeks - now have a year's supply of bramble jelly and blackberry and apple jam!

[bramble]

Well its a case of "what I didnt do today"
As I said on another thread I was up early and decided to make the most of the day.
Lovely dry sunny day.
Went out walking.
Painted the garden bench and the bird house.
Cut back some chillis and tomatoes in the greenhouse.
Collected seeds and deadheaded the sweetpeas and dahlias.
Squeezed myself in between the greenhouse and the back wall to pull up the weeds so the daffs can get a lookin.
Did several loads of laundry while the day was dry.
Emptied some pots and buckets and stored them away.
Pulled up the last of the cauliflowers and dug over the patch they were growing in.
Cut down the sweetcorn.
Pruned back the roses.
Pulled all the weeds I could see.
Feeling shattered now but a very satisfying day.
Still have to make the dinner.

[Jungle Jane]

Today I planted out some 'electric onion' sets next to some strawberry plants in my raised bed & sprinkled some bonemeal around,then sowed meteor peas all along the outside of the bed. Potted up six hyacinth bulbs Carnegie & Delft Blue,they're being forced in the shed under a black bin for darkness. I put sticks all over the beds so my cat can't get in there to do his business if you wondered why is it so messy

[Baldy]

Dashed around he plot edges with the mower - I probably won't have time to do much weeding before the next plot inspection (that I do) but felt I'd better 'do summat'
Whether its enough to impress the rest of the committee I will only discover on Saturday at the end of season inspecton and BBQ. If I get any grief one of the other bleeders can put the gazebo up and start the BBQ

[bramble]

Cut down some of the sweetpeas that have finished.
Pruned some of the chilli peppers to see if they will make it through the winter.
Started bagging up the leaves from the front and back garden.
Weeding and tidying just to keep on top of things.
Wallfĺowers growing well now they are in their final space.

[Guest]

prepped a bed for bulbs only to discover all the mature tree roots on the surface so change of plan.
Worked another bed and planted 300 bulbs (I hope I don't regret this)

[bario1]

On Saturday:

Removed the tangle of basket tomatoes in the polytunnel, pulled out and composted the cucumber plants, most of the cordon toms, and trimmed all the leaves off any toms that still have viable fruit ripening. What a difference it makes to be able to move about and breathe in there again!
Weeded around my leeks (i hate that job) and mulched with manure.
Pulled up and composted all the marigolds from my raised beds.
Picked up some shredded cardboard and some freebie concrete pavers for my stepping stone paths.
Sowed 16 'Superaquadulce' broad beans in root trainers for overwintering.
Released the tension in my brassica cage - two PSB plants have grown so huge they were stretching the netting to bursting point!
Removed the timer for the soaker hose in the tunnel and switched off the water supply from the tank.

Feel a bit more ready for the off season now!

[Florence Fennel]

Yesterday - emptied summer bedding into green bin, replanted containers with spring bedding plants, sowed saved agapanthus seeds in stayput hoping they germinate and planted garlic

[Small pumpkin]

Removed all squash off their plants. Put them into the tunnel to ripen.
Ripped out all the plants and shredded them.
Took down the wind break from round the bed

[Jungle Jane]

We had a new patio door fitted yesterday,had the old one for more than 15 years,the wooden doorstep started wearing away with age making the door sink down so I've been moving pots out the way for the glass men & then putting them back again. The door looks nice with my nemesia that's still flowering,here's a little peek