Early autumn

You can definitely feel now that it's autumn.  It was very misty in the valley when I got up this morning and it's damp and cool when you go outside first thing.  And it's dark now when the radio comes on at half past five - though more or less light when I get up at six.

We have pruned the cherry and plum trees.  A little late, I know but not too late - they didn't "bleed" when we did it. They're a better shape now - and it's easier to get about the orchard now that the chicken fence is up.  The Under-Gardener has staked up the apple and pear trees. They were mostly listing in quite an alarming manner!!  I'll prune the apple trees after the leaves have fallen.  One of them - the one we brought from the Hangingwater allotment has turned into a weeping apple tree.  It's not supposed to be. It may be because of the weight of the fruit.  I thought I'd prune it hard to upward facing growth, and then not let it have apples next year.  The other eating apple has done really well this year. Lots of shiny red fruit which is a beautiful pink on the inside.  Alas - the tree has lost its label and we never noted what variety it is.  It's a red and pink apple!!

We are getting a few courgettes and cucumbers - more cucumbers now that we have discovered that the slugs have been eating the baby fruit! We are also getting squash from the allotment greenhouse.  And lots of cherry tomatoes and a few large tomatoes.  If the weather stays warm during the day, we should get loads more.  And that late sowing of peas on the allotment has come up.  Fingers crossed for good weather for the next few weeks - or at least no frosts!  We are getting a few pickings off the previous lots of peas.  They are sweet and tasty. 

We still need to sort out the front "porch" and the flower garden.  And we must, must do something about the muddy, muddy pond.  The Under-Gardener is talking of getting rid of it, but I reckon cleaning it out and patching it up might do the trick.  The question is - what do we do with all the goldfish while we're doing that?