Indian Summer

   The last week or so has seen what I guess would be called an Indian summer. The mornings have been cool and most of the day sunny and warm with the odd day of rain. Grand growing weather and good working out in the garden weather. Only problem is life gets in the way!
    In the poly tunnel my Christmas potatoes have shown their heads! Will this year be the year of the Christmas potato? Sweet peppers continue to ripen as do the chillies. The few lettuce are growing well as is the latest batch of salad bowl lettuce. It has not been a good year for drying herbs in the poly tunnel, too damp. 

Water Melons

   In the vegetable garden water melon have been harvested and eaten! Yum! Carrots are being pulled and there is a marked reluctance to eat anymore aubergine! Beetroot are also being pulled. The first picking of  the Asturian tree cabbage has been made. Not a bad taste, very much like "spring greens" but not so strong tasting.  My daughter said it took ages to cook. The grass continues to need mowing and I am starting to look at the apple trees with a view to cutting out dead wood. Bulbs are on my mind but the area I need to plant them in is going to need some work first.
    The chickens continue to be a menace despite whatever I do to keep them off the plots. Latest casualty has been my fennel and the row of carrots along side them. Would not have thought chickens would like fennel. My garlic bed has been gone over a couple of times now.
   I am trying an experiment with Louvier cabbage seed. I have sown individual seeds and put plastic bottles over them. This is to aid germination and also to keep those feather menaces from eating the seedlings. The idea is to get the plants to a size whereby they will stand the winter and come next spring produce a spring crop of cabbage. Worth a try. The turnips, swede and winter cabbage are now picking up from the chicken strikes. I have covered them with netting. Fingers crossed I may get a turnip or two but I am doubtful about the swede. The cabbages will do something whatever. They are big enough now to stand the winter.