Like a bolt out of the blue, we decided to remove the tom plants from the greenhouse. We left the peppers and a couple of marigolds. As most of you know, I plant my toms horizontally in the ground, in stead of the usual vertical method. This foto shows why I do it—more shallow roots. The shallow roots are the ones that take up food, and the lower roots take up the water. So then, that long stretch of roots that you see was bare stem when the plantlets went into the ground. Just look at ‘em now ! We harvested more peppers and the second string is getting longer. We hang them in the pantry now that the temps are dropping and it is becoming more moist. Of course the parsnips are nearing being ready to lift. First there was this lot. Then the apples, oh my. They are quickly ripening now so we harvested what was ready, washed them off and laid them on the footpath to dry. We harvested the Swiss. Chard again for the neighbour lady that lives below us. Our freezer is now totally full. Finally a parting view of the flower garden as we were leaving, looking full and lovely. I wonder when the plants will turn brown so that I can cover the veggie beds for the winter. All those apples will have to be sauced in the coming days, it is raining now and it looks like it will continue for a couple of days, so we'll have the time. I wonder how many kilo’s we will get into the jars. Oh, how I love this gardening hobby. Of course I take it way too seriously, but who cares. Haha
I have few jobs to do from now until December. I've to finish the balustrade of the pergola, then paint it and any of the other woodwork in the garden that I think could do with a touch of Cuprinol and then another coat of paint. Then in a few weeks reduce the height and spread of the tree in the front garden by pruning off a foot all the way round. I'll also strip the wisterias of their leaves once they start to shed some. I do it every year, it saves doing it piecemeal over a month or two. It'll be just general garden housekeeping, mostly clearing up next door's trees' leaves that fall in our garden, until after Christmas when the wisterias will get their prune. I may jetwash the drive. Beyond that, "I'll be looking for things to do."
@Sjoerd , that is what I call impressive, what a great harvest, and lovely display of blooms. Which Clematis is that in your last picture? I have one very similar on a small pergola in the back garden which became so massive I had to cut it down before it finished blooming - it has a strong perfume. When it comes to covering stuff for the winter, we have had a lot of grass cuttings/clippings to dispose of this year as the mulching deck hasn't been working as it should. We found that by leaving them in the sun to dry and then collecting with the sweeper, it has made a really useful mulch which is not slimy like the wet stuff gets. As for loving this hobby of gardening, snap - same here. We had a lot of rain today, and I had to be almost dragged back indoors Zigs reckoned I would get pneumonia ...honestly!
Didn't want you laid up and unable to garden @Tetters Been doing similar but not so much @Sjoerd Cut remaining leaves off tomato plants in the polytunnel, left the peppers for now though, only got half a dozen or so of them.
Tetters—That strongly-scented clematis is the Clematis terniflora. I have five of these in the garden, so the fragrance is almost overpowering on a windless day. The smell carries on a windy day and sometimes folks come to discover what is so “smelly”. I know what you mean about carrying on working in the rain. I do that too, if it isn’t too heavy. Today it is too heavy over here, so we are saucing the Moonlight apples at the moment. Nice piccy Zigs. Lovely paprika, BTW.
That rings a bell Sjoerd, thank you - I won't have to worry about looking it up now. I don't think you're supposed to call them ''smelly'' we have to use the term ''fragrant'' or ''scented''
Well Tetters, personally I like the fragrance. Others on our allotment complex take exception. Having said that there were others that followed their noses to find out the name so that they could buy one for themselves. I have already given way a couple, and they are doing well, in spite of the fact that they do nor prune them at all.
Those tom plants look exactly like mine did the day I pulled them out. You have a decent last harvest there.
Our last tomato, or should we think ahead and save two, will be sliced atop sharp cheddar cheese slices on Multigrain toast, popped into the zapper about 30 seconds to melt the cheese. OH SO tasty. I had thought to pull out the tomato plants. However, several have large, green tomatoes. They simply must wait until later.
Oh No ! Fried green tomatoes are heavenly ! Can even put them on a sandwich ! But a hamburger would be better !
Mart, fried green tomatoes are delicious. So are extra sharp cheese and thinly sliced tomato on multigrain toast, zapped about 30 seconds in the microwave.
