We had a very wet end to September this year, of the 66mm that fell during the month 55 of those fell in the last couple of days, so basically I went from worried about a lack of rainfall to frankly being a bit sick of it all in a matter of hours. The thunder and lightning was fun though. What would be great now would be some warm weather to ensure some good growth and finally my monster cabbages may develop hearts.
The other winter crop I am still waiting on are my broad beans:
They are flowering beautifully and have set a few pods, and I did see some bees on them for the first time today so hopefully I will get a bumper crop. Perhaps the bees were attracted by the orange, mandarin or the lavender all of which are flowering.
I can always tell its Spring by the leaves forming on the fig which is growing under the fence from next door.
Potatoes have yet to surface in my new potato bed but all the pots have sprouted. (Post Script – since initially composing this yesterday some have come through) I am growing Kipfler, Pink Fir Apple, Cranberry Red & Dutch Cream in pots. The tomato seedlings are also looking good and are almost ready for planting out
Of the plants I have been overwintering I have had reasonable results. All my chilli plants got through winter OK and those that I have repotted have all put on new growth.
The capsicums look like they are still alive and one has the tiniest bit of new growth so I am reasonably hopeful.
Of the eggplants the lebanese one didn’t make it through but the two others might. Both put of new growth but a lot of that new growth has subsequently died back on one of them (my adorably son destroyed the labels so I’m not sure what the remaining plants are).
I’m really pleased with my garlic this year. Well so far anyway.
I’m pretty pleased with the garden at the moment. I’m harvesting celery, lettuce, watercress, leeks, beetroot, the last of the broccoli (although I do have some immature plants in a side bed) heaps of herbs – chervil, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, and thyme. The tarragon is regrowing (after being almost smothered last year) and the chives and garlic chives I transplanted from mum & dads are doing well. I should soon have broad beans and cabbages. The only negative (aside from the onions I posted about a few days ago) is that my parsley is bolting and I don’t have plants that are big enough to replace it just yet. Oh for a warm October and lots more growth….
To see what I did in the garden this month click here: September 2011
Your garden looks really lush. Those red cabbages don’t seem to have even a single blemish on them! Our weather here is having a late rally. For the past couple of weeks we have had conditions more normally associated with August – warm (high 20s), sunny and dry. It would be ironic if I had to get the hose-pipe into action in October…
The cabbages do look pretty good I have to say (she says modestly) except of course for the lack of heart problem…I heard it was the hottest October day in the UK perhaps ever. Nice – if you dont worry too much about the hows and whys….Its been up and down here – but they are forecasting a week of low 20s so I am anticipating lots of lovely growth.
Your garden looks awesome! I covet those leeks in your most recent post.