What can one say? Report time.

   The rain that fell freshened up the crops and they now look a little happier. The grass though has not budged. Horray! Downside. Leaves are falling and I have been gathering them up for the leaf compost heap.
   I decided to dig up all the rest of my potatoes and that has taken some time. Reasonable crop but a fair few have been got at by bugs. Note to self. LIFT THE POTATOES EARLIER! Still, I am happy with them. Desiree, Blue Avergne and Rosebelle. I have cheated and bought some winter cabbage and brussel sprout plants. As it is fairly late for these it will be interesting to see how they do. I reckon to have (fingers crossed) about five, maybe six more weeks before the winter really kicks in. I have concluded that growing cabbage from seed is almost not worth it. Golden Primo works well for me but just about everything else fails. For this season I even prepared a brassica bed last autumn but it did not make any difference. Cheltenham green top beetroot has done well and I will be sowing them again. Haricot vert not so good this year but again this year the De Colmar carrots have been good. Must remember to plant more in the middle of the season rather than just one row. Parsnips were a disaster! Melons excellent and I shall grow them the same way next year, celery very good, sweet peppers very poor. Onions grown over winter and from sets poor, onions from seed brilliant! Shallots good. Leeks from sown seed, ok but could have been better, leeks from bought plants good and I believe I will have a good crop over the winter. Runner beans - jury still out. Outdoor tomatos were ok but that earlier frost caught me out and I feel happy that I got any at all! Sweet corn - first lot grown in pots in the poly tunnel were frosted after being planted out, however, a sowing of seed directly into the ground did just fine. NOTE - forget growing sweet corn in pots in the poly tunnel. Courgettes - not happy with the variety, they grew into large courgettes too fast! Broad beans grown over winter were a big success. Cucumbers outside successful, in the poly tunnel just amazing! Butternut squash has been ok, 13 so far, fingers crossed for two more!  My herb beds are now well established and I am very happy with them. For the first time I managed to grow peas successfully. Result. I am going to try to grow some over winter and I have bought a variety that should be ok. We will see!
   In the poly tunnel I have now planted beetroot, kohl rabi and corriander. The tomato's are still doing well but the days are getting shorter, less sunshine and less time when the air temperature is high enough to ripen them. Still, considering the setback of the frost in May I feel overall I have done ok this season.