After plenty of thunder and rain yesterday, what a beautiful day we have had here in Oxfordshire. Glorious sunshine with a slight chill in the air, my perfect type of weather and one of the many reasons I love Autumn.
As long as I remember Autumn has been my favourite season of the year, filled with many childhood memories of long walks, skipping through fallen golden leaves and conker hunting in boots and cosy jumpers.
I must admit that those so called ‘childhood’ memories are still as regular today, even last weekend I couldn’t help but run under a conker tree and start collecting them up in my jumper.
Following a few days away from the plot, I headed up to No.27 for an hour at lunchtime with a strong need to get the plot under control and a bit tidier. It never ceases to amaze me how much my tranquil space of land can change in a couple of weeks. I have so much I want to achieve in the coming months, digging more beds so the full plot is being utilised for my second year and planting 100’s of spring bulbs to name a couple of jobs. I really need to get a move on and find sometime in between visiting family and finally finishing university.
I got two more results last week, a pass and a merit which I’m really pleased and more than anything relieved about. I just have one module to re-take over the next few months then I will be done by Spring, with more positive results hopefully arriving in June alongside lots of flowers at the allotment. So if I go a bit quiet that will be why; my head will be stuck in a laptop or book indoors dreaming of being outside. Sorry in advance if I do.
Back to today; as I said there is many jobs that need doing but I decided to focus on clearing the pumpkin and squash beds. Harvesting the remaining delights, followed by removing and composting all the brown tired foliage.
I finished by giving the area a good hoe and rake over to get up all the weeds that have been growing under the mass maze of vines.
Little bit more weeding to be done but….wow, what a difference it made, the soil underneath is looking and feeling rich of nutrients. That’s before I have added a good layer of rotted manure for next year.
I always feel like I have accomplished more when I focus on one bigger job than when I spend the same amount of time but doing little odd jobs all over the plot. It’s a great feeling!
Right, it’s that time again, off to the land of nod I go before another busy week. The weekends always go too quick for my liking, whether I am just relaxing or non-stop manic it’s always the same.
What did you get up to today? Any harvesting, clearing or bulb planting?
Have a great week and Happy Gardening!
Great read as always, good luck in the coming months with your degree x
Thank you very much lovely x
Fantastic crop of pumpkins Belle. What variety are they? I wanna say ‘provincial’ something or other… ?
Thank you! The pumpkins are ‘Rouge Vif d’Etampes variety.
A most enjoyable post and lovely pictures. I like this time of year as well. Good luck planting all your bulbs.
I didn’t do any plotting over the weekend but did this morning in the sunshine.
Thanks, and you too.
Thank you very much, really pleased you enjoyed reading.
It sounds like you’ve had a very successful year all round. I’m currently enjoying harvesting and working through all the different ways I can think of to use my monster 3kg butternut squash!
Thank you, I don’t have anything to compare it to but I would agree, everything seemed pretty successful minus the courgettes. I will take one minus against lots of positives. Next year they will probably do great and something else won’t.
Wow, I am collecting squash recipes at the moment for my crown prince ones. What’s your fave way so far?
Squash pasta bake and squash chips get my vote so far!
Yum!
Would live to come and see your shed extention and how you did it.
I inherited it other than some tidying up and painting but you are more than welcome to come visit anytime and have a look. It certainly was a great idea of a previous owner!