Our next door neighbour has quite a few apple trees in her garden and yesterday she gave us a dozen baking apples. I don't know what kind they are. My daughter made a delicious apple pie with some of them and I ate more than my fair share of it. I'm going to make some more pies to pop in the freezer.Hubby gave the greenhouse it's final tidy out over the weekend. The remaining tomatoes have all been brought inside to finish ripening on a windowsill and the plants have been disposed of. I never add tomato plants to the compost just in case there's any blight around, perhaps I'm just being over cautious. The potatoes which have been planted up in containers for Christmas have now been moved in to the greenhouse to protect them from any frost we might get, though we haven't had any yet.
I had a trip to the allotment yesterday and harvested yet more French beans. I was still picking them late last year too. Even the courgettes are still producing, I brought four home with me and there's more growing and yet more flowers still to open. I don't think it will be long before we get a frost though and that will finish them off. I cleared the flower bed, bringing home the sunflower heads to dry in the greenhouse. They will then be put out for the birds.
A busy weekend by the sound of things Jo! it feels odd at this time of year though doesn't it - it's like putting the garden to bed for another year - oh well at least it will give us time to start planning next years crops
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you have such good neighbors! and also to see you had fun this weekend.
ReplyDeleteWe also get loads of apples from a neighbour up the road, they would only be mower fodder otherwise! Sunday morning frost finished off my courgettes as well. It's been much colder down here the last couple of days.
ReplyDeleteGiveaway apples always taste a little bit better as well don't they!
ReplyDeleteI don't think that you're being over cautious at all as I don't add my tomato plants to the compost heap either.
If we get overnight frosts as forecast then that will be it I guess. Flighty xx
You've done well if you are still picking French beans and courgettes. Any day now we will get a frost so savour the taste!
ReplyDeleteCoincidence - it's apple cake on the baking menu today. I have a day off work, to be divided among house cleaning, allotment and baking. Looking forward to all of them, even the cleaning bit!
ReplyDeleteFor the past two years we have had a frost on the first week in November as that has been when our alpine strawberries have been finished off so let's hope for at least a couple more week.
ReplyDeleteCan't be too careful though.
Nothing tastes better than free apples from a local tree!
ReplyDeleteMy Gran used to make baked apples stuffed with rum soaked sultanas! so lovely!
Mmmmmmmm ~ homemade apple pie is a hard act to beat Jo :) Sadly our neighbour's apple tree died a few years ago - we used to benefit from the windfall. I picked a courgette on Saturday and there are signs of more to come. I also picked the last of the French beans ~ I dismantled their wigwam although there were still some in flower, as I think we will have frost before long :(
ReplyDeleteWe're eating an apple (next door's) and blackcurrant (ours from the freezer) pie. Apples are a fantastic fruit.
ReplyDeletePicked what will be the final courgette yesterday but the french beans are all in for drying - most already dried.
It has felt a little odd putting things away for the winter this year as the weather has been so mild, freerangegirl. It's not going to stay that way though if the weather forcast is to be believed.
ReplyDeleteIt was very kind of the neighbours to pass on their surplus to us, ~fer. I try to do the same with exras which we have at the allotment.
The weather seems to be turning here too, Damo, though we haven't had a frost yet. My heating is on more than it was a fortnight ago though.
There's two things which I don't add to the compost, the other's potato haulms, Flighty. I don't think it will be long before we see a frost, the weather's definitely on the turn.
I'm really pleased at how long the French beans and courgettes have gone on producing, Matron. This might be my last picking though so I'm making sure that I savour every mouthful.
Hope you're enjoying your day off, Linda. I can't say I share your passion for cleaning though. I'm sure your apple cake will be delicious.
It would be nice to have another couple of weeks without a frost, Green Lane Allotments, but it's certainly getting colder now. Fingers crossed.
Thank you for visiting, Phoebe. It's wonderful to know that much of the food we eat has been grown locally, no air miles at all. Your gran's recipe sounds delicious.
Home made beats shop bought hands down, Anna. What a shame your neighbour's apple tree died. I'm sure you're right about the frost, it's definitely on it's way.
I'm sure your apple and blackberry pie tastes delicious, Vegetable Heaven. It's a shame when the summer crops come to an end but it won't be long before we start the cycle all over again.
It feels like we are truly entering autumn now. Sounds like you are doing well for french beans - mine finished ages ago.
ReplyDeleteYou can't beat swapping fruit and veggies with neighbours, it is the best :-) I recently swapped some eggs for apples and made crumble , yum.
ReplyDeleteI got given a big bag of apples too..I am going to make pies and sauce with mine...and maybe look for something a little different to try too.
ReplyDeleteI was still harvesting courgettes this time last year but the rains destroyed the plants this year so they are all gone now.
I am slowly getting sorted for winter too...it's nice to see the plot becoming tidy but kind of sad to see it o bare. Don't you eat your sunflower seeds??
Dear Jo, Our apple trees are too old to give decent fruit so we leave them for the deer to eat. We buy them from a local orchard. Your post has inspired me to go and bake an apple pie.... my husband will be pleased as he has been hinting for ages. Pam x
ReplyDeleteHi Jo, we got a big bag of different varieties a couple of weeks ago from Wisley RHS garden, have been enjoying stewed apple, crumbles and apple cake. Love this time of year. Bit of a shock this morning though to have our first frost! We're not used to it so early down here in South London...
ReplyDeleteAlways worth giving the greenhouse a wipe down with Jeyes fluid to disinfect it thoroughly :) Same goes if you are growing your toms in pots and so on, dissinfect them too. I might publish something on my blog about Jeyes Fluid as it is quite versatile around the plot, even for disinfecting soil believe it or not!
ReplyDeleteYes, autumn's definitely here, Mark. I'm pleased with how long the French beans have been producing, I don't think they'll go on much longer now though.
ReplyDeleteI love apple cumble, Scented Sweetpeas, why didn't I think of that. It's great swapping surplus, you end up with things you haven't grown yourself.
I quite fancy trying apple cake, Tanya, I think I'll give that a go next time. It is sad to see the plot bare, but nice to know that it's sorted out ready for winter. I don't eat sunflower seeds, a bit too faffy shelling them for me.
I'm sure the deer are delighted that you leave your apples for them, Pam. It's good that you can still buy from somewhere local though.
I'm really surprised that the frosts are hitting the south before we get them here, Scattered Gardener. My beans are still producing which they wouldn't be if we'd had a frost.
Jeyes Fluid is great for greenhouses, Craig. It gets a wash down in autumn and another again in spring, you can't be too careful.