september

Harvesting Chillies at Peak Ripeness

Harvesting chillies at their peak ripeness is a must for any spice enthusiast. These fiery gems offer a rich, complex flavour profile that can elevate your culinary creations. Additionally, their heat levels vary as they ripen, allowing you to craft dishes with a diverse range of spiciness, from mild to atomically hot! Regular picking not only encourages continual production, extending your growing season but also provides a fresh source of chillies. To avoid wastage, timely harvesting is crucial, and ripe chillies can be preserved through pickling or freezing. 

Harvesting Main Crop Potatoes: A Bountiful Reward for Your Efforts

Main crop potatoes, whether grown in bags, buckets, or the ground, are ready for harvest in late summer to early autumn, usually 15 to 20 weeks after planting when the foliage begins to yellow and wither. Gather your tools, including a fork or spade, a container, and gloves. Gently loosen the soil around the plant, and if they're in containers, tip them out. Handpick the potatoes, starting from the outer edges, and inspect for any damage or disease. After harvesting, let them air-dry briefly, then cure and store them in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place in paper bags or wooden crates to enjoy your homegrown spuds in various delightful dishes.  Just remember to keep the out of the light, as this prevents them turning green.

Sowing Winter Lettuce in Containers for a Season of Fresh Greens

As the temperatures cool and the days grow shorter, sowing winter lettuce in containers can be a delightful way to ensure a steady supply of fresh greens throughout the colder months. Container gardening offers flexibility and allows you to start your lettuce indoors before transplanting them outdoors. When selecting varieties for your winter lettuce, consider options like 'Winter Gem,' known for its cold-hardiness and compact size, making it an excellent choice for containers. 'Arctic King' is another robust variety, able to withstand chilly conditions while maintaining its crisp texture and mild flavour. Finally, 'Valdor' offers a beautiful, deep green colour and a resistance to bolting, ensuring a bountiful harvest of tender leaves even in winter's chill. By sowing these varieties in containers, you can have a flourishing, homegrown lettuce patch that defies the frosty weather, adding a touch of vibrant freshness to your winter salads and dishes.

Harvesting Tomatoes at Peak Ripeness

When it comes to tomatoes, capturing their peak ripeness is a culinary treasure. By harvesting tomatoes at their prime and freezing them, you're not only preserving their vibrant flavour but also unlocking a world of culinary possibilities for future use. Freezing tomatoes is a smart strategy to prevent them from spoiling, as their ripeness can be fleeting. Moreover, the freezing process makes it incredibly easy to remove their skins, simplifying your prep work when you have the time to create sauces, add them to curries, or incorporate them into hearty casseroles. So, seize the moment when your tomatoes are at their best, freeze them, and you'll have a stash of versatile, flavourful ingredients ready to elevate your dishes with the essence of sun-ripened tomatoes, even in the depths of winter.

Leaving Spent Sunflower Heads for Autumn Feasts: A Gift to Feathered Friends

As autumn paints the landscape with golden hues, consider leaving some spent sunflower heads on your plants as a thoughtful gesture to the birds. These once-vibrant blooms now bear seeds that are a valuable source of nourishment for our feathered friends. By allowing the sunflower heads to remain, you're providing a banquet for local birdlife, sustaining them during the cooler months when food can become scarce. It's a heartwarming and eco-conscious way to contribute to the well-being of your avian neighbours while adding a touch of natural beauty to your garden as the birds flutter in, bringing life and song to your autumn garden.  You can also add the flowers to bird tables and on top of walls near the house, in that way you get to see all the visitors.

Ordering Onion Sets in September: Planting the Seeds of Success for October

Planning ahead in gardening often leads to abundant rewards, and ordering your onion sets in September for planting in October is a strategic move that can yield a host of benefits. First and foremost, securing your onion sets early ensures you have access to a wider variety of onion types, allowing you to select the perfect cultivars for your culinary needs. Additionally, ordering in advance ensures that you'll receive your sets in time for planting, avoiding potential shortages and last-minute rushes. By planting in October, your onion sets will have time to establish their roots before the winter chill sets in, setting the stage for robust growth come spring. Moreover, this timing allows you to take advantage of the cooler, moister autumn weather, which can be ideal for onion cultivation. In sum, ordering your onion sets in September is a proactive step towards a successful onion harvest.

Guarding Brassicas in Autumn and Winter: Shielding Your Crop from Pigeon Predation

Autumn and winter can be testing times for brassica crops, and one key challenge is protecting them from the relentless appetite of pigeons. Covering your brassicas during these seasons is not just a prudent choice; it's essential for preserving your harvest. Pigeons have a voracious appetite for brassica leaves, which are a valuable source of nutrition for them in the colder months. By using protective netting or mesh, you create a barrier that keeps these feathered foragers at bay. This simple act safeguards your crops, allowing them to thrive and mature undisturbed. With proper coverage, you can ensure that your brassicas reach their full potential, delivering a bounty of delicious, homegrown produce that's free from pigeon interference.

The Autumnal Harvest of Comfrey: A Gift to Garden and Soil

As autumn descends, the final cutting of comfrey heralds a season of bountiful benefits for gardeners. Comfrey, a nutrient-rich plant, offers a wealth of possibilities for enhancing your garden's health. By harvesting comfrey leaves and using them to create a nutrient-rich "tea," you can nourish your plants organically and cost-effectively. Additionally, adding comfrey to your compost bins can accelerate decomposition, turning your waste into valuable garden gold. Moreover, laying comfrey leaves directly on your beds acts as a natural mulch, enriching the soil and promoting plant growth. It's important to note, however, that when using regular comfrey, avoid including flowers or seed pods to prevent unintentional spread. Alternatively, 'Bocking 14' comfrey, with its sterile flowers and seeds, can be safely added to your garden's nutritional mix.

Cultivating the World's Most Precious Spice: Saffron's Autumn Elegance

Saffron, renowned as the world's most expensive spice, is a treasure worth cultivating in your garden. Its autumn flowering, typically in October and November, rewards patient gardeners who plant saffron crocus bulbs in September. Once established, saffron is a perennial delight, gracing your garden year after year. Beyond its aromatic allure, saffron's versatility extends to the kitchen, where you can create saffron oil to elevate dishes like fish and roasted vegetables. Simply infuse olive oil with saffron threads in a sealed jar for a flavourful infusion that adds a touch of luxury to your culinary creations.