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Running out of steam

It’s getting more unappealing to be on the plot. Cold, slightly slushy underfoot and usually with chilly breezes nipping at your face. I could do with a break from it. I’m looking forward to cosy winter days of planning and poring over seed catalogues, not wrestling with blackthorn (yes, that’s still going on) or wielding a mattock. And I have an exciting seed-based project for the New Year, of which more later when the creases are ironed out.

land-drain-pipeThere are 3 BIG jobs I want done and before next season if possible: a) moving my shed (many eye-rolls accompany this one), b) putting up the second greenhouse (which requires a decision on exactly where) and c) planting out my transplanted soft fruit plantation. Which will require a proper fruit cage and also depends on where the greenhouse goes. And if/when I get bored of all that, I have a land-drain to dig when it gets massively boggy again.

Aswedeslthough most of the plants sighed & died in the frosts, we have plenty of winter veg to keep us going. Swedes and parsnips are what I am particularly looking forward to, but I also have kales, pak choi, leeks and beetroot ready to pick, and on the horizon are sprouts (meh! not really grown for me), oca and wonderful, glorious PSB.

leek-parsnip-and-swede-bed

The red Russian kale is especially tasty, without the slight bitterness of cavolo nero and I foresee much more of that being grown next year.

However my quinces were a disappointment. I had lots – about 30, but when I cut them open the insides were dark brown. I have no idea why this is – whether I left them too long or if it was something either bug- or fungus-shaped. If anyone does know I’d love to be able to avoid this next year. The ones which are ok are nestled in a big jar of brandy. Unfortunately at the same time work got insanely busy, I was too tired to mess about with jam pans and the juice for jelly went mouldy. Next year…next-years-leafmould

Like last year, the gardeners have left me two massive tonne bags full of leaves which need transporting a mile up the road to the plot. I might need to hire a van. Unlike last year they want their bags back by Tuesday week, so I’d better sort this out sharpish!

Categories: Diary 2016

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6 replies ›

  1. Beryl, we had quinces in our place in the Languedoc and unless we picked them early, they were always rotten inside. I’ve never had a nice sweet soft quince! They were either rock hard or rotten….
    Coing in French, which is not from the phonetic Languedocienne pronouncement “cong” whose meaning in Langued’oui French I leave you to decipher…… and the tree is a cognassier.. Probably why you don’t find them too often at the “greengroce’r”

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    • That’s a really good tip, thanks. I’ll pick earlier next year. I left them on to get as yellow as possible and that was obviously a mistake. Plus nice French lesson 🙂

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  2. This makes me feel better. I ventured up to the plot today after snow and rain earlier in the week. Lots of new plot 8 is under water. I cut back the asparagus on plot 7 and harvested the summer sown carrots. Did a bit of weeding. I still need to clear out and clean the polytunnel and weed 2 more beds before spreading manure. The fruit bed is a horrible mess of couch grass and the blackberry needs hacking back. I will do what I can do and accept it, given the lack of daylight hours, poor weather and other demands on time.

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    • Sounds like a good plan for keeping your sanity! Sorry you’re a bit flooded out already. Am going to steel myself for a few shifts in the cold this week to get more on top of it all.

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