Frost

We had our first proper frost of this autumn last week.  This is a bit of a pity, because the courgettes, squashes and cucumbers were just coming into their own - a bit on the late side, I grant you.  But it was also a bit early for such a hard frost.  The plants are not looking at all happy now!  The sprouts and other brassicas, on the other hand, are thriving.  The frosty weather has been followed by warm, sunny days, so they are very happy.

The Under-Gardener has now brought in all the beans, including my beans for drying, and all the tomatoes.  I *think* the tomatoes might have been hit by a late blight.  They're in bags with bananas and should be ripening - instead most of them are turning black at the ends and then rotting.  Oh well.  We'll try again next year.

The apple trees are now fully harvested (and we have also acquired apples from Richard).  The eating apples were delicious; lovely and pink inside and juicy and crisp.  The apples on the allotment tree were a bit scabby, but peeled up nicely and have made wonderful cakes, puddings and stewed apple.  Richard's apples are also going into puddings and cakes - and into the freezer.

We got back on Saturday afternoon and found one of the black chickens wandering around in the vegetable patch!!!  We think she must have flown up onto the roof of the coop and then discovered that she could fly over the fence and out into freedom.  Although she didn't seem to appreciate the freedom - she was wandering around by the fence when I found her, and made no complaint when I picked her up and put her back in the orchard. But the Under-Gardener has decided to put up some extra wire along the top of the fence, the better to contain them.  We are not worried about them running away as such - but they are better protected from opportunistic foxes if they are in the orchard

The Under-Gardener has dug over the bit of ground by the kitchen wall.  Eventually it will be going, to make way for the new porch.  It's a bit early yet to cut back the garden around the fish pond.  But we are definitely planning to make a start on sorting out the flower garden in the autumn and early winter.  I want to get it all dug over, the shrubs and perennials (and bulbs) saved, then everything ready for a proper replanting next spring.

We also seem to have acquired a cat who is after the birds.  The Under-Gardener thought he saw Marlo with a dove the other morning.  Marlo - who was in the kitchen with me at the time - was a bit surprised to be yelled at from outside. The dove managed to escape.  But I keep finding feathers lying around.  There is another black cat that I occasionally see in the garden.  I assume it's that cat that's after the birds.  Not absolutely sure what I can do about it though