Cabbages and Community

Hope you're feeling better soon.

Great, thanks

Agreed. Thanks Dave.

Thanks Nick.

I’ve had limited success with peppers in the past. I grew scotch bonnet chillies last year but they are too hot for us. I’m tempted to pick a pepper and Jalapeño to try. Do you think I should or leave them a little longer?

Thanks Emily. Hope she is feeling better.

The temp in the poly tunnel was 20C this afternoon. Outside, several degrees below, so I think they will be coming home soon.

I’m keeping my eye on overnight temperatures Peter, but I suspect they will be picked green. My wife is standing by to make green tomato chutney.

Agreed 👍

Green turtle bounces back from brink in conservation 'win' Once endangered due to hunting, it is making a strong recovery thanks to global conservation efforts.

The latest Red List of endangered species ... now includes 172,620 species, of which 48,646 are threatened with extinction. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Now more than ever we must be the voices for nature.

No surprise there then.

I’ve always taken great satisfaction from changing the bed, washing & getting the sheets etc clean, dried & put away in a single day. All without the aid of a tumble dryer.
A warm, sunny day with a nice breeze does help of course. 😉

That’s very interesting. Thank you. I hadn’t been aware of any bugs doing the rounds, so that could be it.

Thanks Laura. Maybe 🤞

We’ve been doing the same, particularly with Moneymaker, Brandywine & Oxheart. Meaty toms that are great for sauces. They’ve gone in everything. The big guys have also been great, eaten raw, sliced with Mozzarella, basil & a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Delish!

Thanks Mike. I haven’t previously, hence my annoyance at this malaise. Hope you remain well.

I had my flu jab this week. Mild cold symptoms since, but the real killer has been the massive drop in energy levels. I spent the morning in bed today. Can’t remember the last time I did that. Anyone else in the UK had similar?

Spider

Sprouting garlic

This little chap has been living in the same web in the corner of Tunnel 2 for weeks.
I’m assuming he is still quite comfortable. Garlic cloves are starting to sprout. I must start planting them out next week.

Peppers

Chillies

Never fear, if posts about the tomato harvest are becoming boring, I’ll soon start talking about sweet bell peppers & Jalapeño chillies. 😉 I can only just wrap my fingers round the big guy on the left.

Tomato harvest today

Brandywine

Outdoor Marmonde

You must be getting a little bored with my repeated posts about the tomato harvest. Well I’m afraid it’s not over yet.
There’s still another whopping Brandywine to come plus loads more Orange Queens & that’s before the outdoor Marmonde start to ripen 🤞

Thanks Peter. The good thing is that on re-reading, apart from a few corrections & adjustments, I’m really pleased with it. I’m aiming at 100k words & then once it’s been edited a few times, I’ll think about publishing. The allotment & garden will also get some attention. The garlic needs to go in!

I’ve written so much in recent days. There’s lots still to do outside, but several things have combined to keep me at home since we returned from hols. I’ve made an early start on my winter hobby of book writing & it’s just flowed. I was at 75k words at the start of the summer. I’ve just added 10k.😁

A close-up of a glow-worm with a black plated body and a bright green glowing tail clinging to a stem of grass in the dark

The scaly brown and beige head of a lizard in side profile, its black eye seemingly staring at the camera

A dark grey moth with bright beige splodges on its wings. It sits of a bright green leaf against a black background

A small brown bird with a cream chest and darker brown tail feathers perches on a reed against a background of blurred brown and green reeds

We've got some fantastic nature news to brighten your day 🎉

Wicken Fen has become the first UK nature reserve to record an incredible 10,000 species. A moth that imitates a wasp was the 10,000th species to be recorded. This work is possible thanks to a major grant from The Nature Recovery Project.

Thanks Dave. I’ve always thought of Moneymaker as a middle of the road tom, but they excelled this year.

😂 I will certainly consider a diary clash when they call the next one.

Brandywine were a first for us & are good. The Moneymaker were exceptional. As are the Oxheart. All excellent for sauces etc. The cherries are always the sweetest. Will grow them all again as I have seed left. Will rationalise the following year.

OMG That’s another 2 hrs of my life I won’t get back. The second Committee Mtg of the Horticultural Society I’ve attended & it was no better than the first.
Waffle, waffle. This lot wouldn’t survive in a commercial scenario. Time for wine. 🍷

I'm a 'soft southerner' remember. 🌬️

Tray of mixed tomatoes

Yet another great harvest from tunnel 2 with lots more still to come.
The largest Orange Queen weighed in @ 230g.
There’s also a mix of Oxheart, Balkan Zauber, Black Cherries, Tiny Tim + the 2 Green Zebras that had blown off an outdoor plant.

Toms 1

Toms 2

Toms 3

Got back yesterday from a short break being entertained by #StormAmy in the Lake District.
Fortunately Essex has not experienced the same severity of storm & all was well at the allotment.
2 Green Zebra toms had detached from an outdoor plant. Apart from that all was well.
Peeked inside tunnel 2 ….