It’s been another enjoyable year in the garden, but yes, ‘Autumn is Coming On’. The heather is out, and is still looking absolutely beautiful. The main apple tree has produced a very much reduced harvest this year, and the small apple tree produced no apples at all. I notice that my neighbour’s apple tree which is usually loaded with apples has none at all this year! Anyone know why? Maybe I need to get the ladder out and do some prunning! On the positive side our main tree has produced enough apples for some apple cakes, as the smell from the kitchen was telling me this afternoon. (See photo above)
Tomatoes plants on the other hand gave one of my best years ever. I picked the first tomatoes on 16 July and we have been picking them every week since. Photos above shows some still on the plants and others that I picked a couple of days ago. If the weather holds out we may get another few pounds yet, if not the chutney option will be implemented by my good wife.
Other things we do at this time of year is pick some local brambles, for our favourite bramble and apple jelly. This years crop gave us 8 lbs of jelly. It was quite difficult picking, as the wet weather had destroyed a lot of the brambles.
The flowers are now fading, apart from the dear old ‘Cosmos’ that are still attracting the bees, and I have started emptying the pots and refilling them with daffodil and tulip bulbs, but still have a long way to go on that. Soon the leaves will be falling and they will need to be vacuumed up. The grass will be given its last cut of the season, after which, I like to put down some ‘feed and weed’ before the winter, as it helps keep the moss at bay. In the greenhouse the hydrangea cuttings are ready for the Spring. And so ends another summer season, and the last of my garden reports for 2019.
At Church we always like to celebrate Harvest – and remind ourselves of the goodness of God. Paul says ‘He (God) has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their season; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy’ Acts 14.17 How true!
To all my fellow gardeners I hope you have had a great year, and are now studying the gardening catalogues, all being well, for Spring and Summer 2020 š
Matthew McKinnon's Blog 