Sunday 17 October 2010

When is late too late? What did well and what suffered from a late planting

Well the ground has been cleared for the shed and many plants have been cleared away. All but a few beans have been cleared, I just left a few for seeds for next year. The cauliflower  I was so proud of was a victim to the shed clearance.

While the cabbages are bulking up nicely they have been in the ground all year and take up a lot of space so may not feature so heavily next year. Cavolo nero, which is expensive and hard to find, and pak choi (pictured), which are quick growing, can be sown late in the season and is good in stir fries may be the only representatives of the brassica family next year.

Chilli peppers and aubergine took too long to mature and the physalis (cape gooseberry to me and you) is prolific but green so unlikely to be on the menu again.  The asparagus pea that  planted had one lonely scarlet flower but I will try again next year and sow it earlier.

Having left a few tomatoes on the plants, disaster struck and we suffered full blown blight in the damp late season.  A lesson to us all to clear away and create chutney!

The Jerusalem artichokes are flowering (like tiny sunflowers) and apparently can be harvested from Autumn through to Spring.

Other successes are the giant radishes. The curse of the radish seems to have well and truly lifted and I am producing monster plants. They will be grated and added to salads in the future.

Previously,  mentioned the late sowings of the poundland potatoes has produced a decent crop. Of course now the potatoes have gone the cats have moved in. Grrr.  Any ideas on how to stop them?



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