Sunday, August 19, 2007

Plans for Autumn

Our seeds have arrived from the Organic Gardening Catalogue so the next few days before we go on holiday will be spent sowing seeds so that they have hopefully have germinated by the time we return.

The beetroot, radish, and turnips will get sown direct into the beds (I will harvest the beetroot and carrots that are in at the moment), but the spring onion, endive, swiss chard, and lettuce will get sown in trays for later transplanting outside. I'll probably only be able to do that with one sowing unless we have a very mild autumn, but after that I hope to be able to continue with lettuce and endive in a cold frame or the lean-house™ through the winter. I already have some little gem lettuce going which I'm going to put in all the gaps that are emerging as things get harvested. They aren't quite big enough to go out yet, but they are getting there.

I'm also considering a fig tree, I've been wanting one for ages and I don't think I can stop myself any longer. The choice is now Gardening Express or Guardian. I had some lovely witch hazels from Gardening Express, so maybe I should go with them. Hopefully the tree will come with small fruit already on it.

<edit> Just noticed that you get 15 free Purple Alliums with the Guardian, so that might swing it!

4 comments:

Pepette said...

Back from hols and catching up with all the blogs!

I really like your green tomato recipe! Might give that a go when I'm left with tons of green tomatoes at the end of this too cold summer.

About the fig tree:
First I'm not sure they'll fruit here but I would like to be proven wrong.
And more importantly, I don't think we're allowed to have fruit trees on the allotments anymore - vague memory for the AGM last year. Best to check with M. before you go through with it!

urbanbumpkin said...

Good plan. I was thinking of keeping it in a pot though, as they fruit better if constricted, so that may be OK. But I'll make sure to check with M. first.

I did see one at Dobbies Garden Centre which had fruit, but who knows where that came from! It could have been grown much further south.

We are just off on our hols, I'm hoping for sun, but I doubt Northern Europe will provide.

Pepette said...

I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be a problem if you keep it in a pot. I think they just didn't want plots turned into orchards as it makes it difficult for the next tenants to grow vegs if there are trees all over the place!

There must be varieties grown specially for cold climates after all and if you keep it in a pot you could always have it in the "Lean House". I'd be interested to know though as I love figs and would love to be able to grow them here (although I ate way too much of them when I was back home!).

Enjoy your holidays! Hope you get some sunshine!

Anonymous said...

I had a fig tree from www.gardeningexpress.co.uk and we had 15 figs on it this year. not bad for a first year plant i think.