These last few warm summer days are wonderful aren't they. Down at the plot there are things buzzing everywhere. There was some sort of mass bee event in town today as well, swarms moving around and looking for somewhere new to be.
I haven't been at the allotment much lately, and it shows. There is much work to be done. I picked two enormous tromboncino squashes. They're summer squashes and I use them like courgettes, so they were a bit big to be useful and ended up on the compost heap. I feel less guilty about that having seen Monty Don compost his excess produce.
I finally grew a smattering of rudbeckias this year (the second photo). This one's rudbeckia "Cherry Brandy". I may have grown it just for the name. Although that colour is one of my very favourite in the garden. Some of the cosmos turned out to be white after all - you may remember my packet had some bright pink ones in it by mistake. They are still flowering happily in the garden.
I pottered around out there today, weeding and fiddling with pots. I'd like to get the allotment sorted before winter really. I didn't last year and it made a big difference. If I can clear it and get weedproof membrane down it will be a good start to the season. The trick is to do it before the soil gets too wet to walk on.
I might leave some of the plot covered next year and work on a smaller area. It will fit better with my time constraints. I have two enormous gooseberry bushes and a big blackcurrant bush that I'd quite like removed, but as it would be an absolutely mammoth (and painful) job I shall no doubt leave them. They are doing quite a good job of suppressing the weeds.
I hope everyone is enjoying this last blast of summer. Wishing all a good weekend. CJ xx
Your squash is incredible! I've never seen one that size or shape, so skinny like that. How interesting. We've passed our dog days, thankfully, and are finally enjoying milder days and cool nights. I never thought it would happen. I hope you all have a good weekend. :)
ReplyDeleteWe spent the afternoon zooming along on the river on our new little boat. We also have a big harvest of zucchini.. love it. Enjoy your getting your garden plot ready for winter! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteYour Dog Days are Flower Days! I love the Cherry Brandy rudbeckia, and the white cosmos, and the bees who are loving them....
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you had the spectacular thunderstorms last night, but if so, I fear your allotment may already be too wet to walk on. The ground is flooded here! Your squash is amazing; at first glance I thought it was a cucumber. Beautiful flowers too. Enjoy tucking your plot up for the winter. xx
ReplyDeleteNot a drop! I was amazed to see what had happened in other places. Hope your flooding isn't too bad. CJ xx
DeleteLove that squash!! And hasn't the weather this week been just fantastic? I ate my breakfast outside one morning before work when it wasn't yet light! Enjoy your dog days!
ReplyDeleteCaz xx
We certainly have had a couple of beautiful days but the last two have been mist and that horrible fine rain. Certainly no gardening or fence painting getting done here. You really do have an impressive looking allotment, all your hard work pays off.
ReplyDeleteLove the first photo - all that frothy abundance. It's been amazing weather here this week and it really felt like the last hurrah of summer. The rain has arrived today and the temperature has dropped at least 10 degrees. You can almost here the plants cheering. Could you give your fruit bushes a hard prune to keep them in check instead of removing them? Have a good weekend. Sam x
ReplyDeleteI am still cycling to work in a t-shirt (at 8 am), it is fabulous, loving the warmth. Your squash looks just too funny, I have never quite seen anything like it. Love rudbeckias. I got a clump of established yellow ones from a neighbour and it seems to have settled well. They are quite invasive I think (hope). Enjoy the summer while it lasts, xx
ReplyDeleteA good post and nice pictures. I'm glad to see that some of your cosmos are white after all. I've not done much plotting either lately and now I think it'll be much too soggy.
ReplyDeleteThanks, and you too. xx
We compostd some very large 'courgettes' yesterday too. To make your plot more manageable you could plant more fruit but through weed contriol fabric.
ReplyDeleteYour cosmos are delightful! I love the white ones, (which I haven't grown before for some reason). And I think I spy sedum amongst them(?). And that squash - my word!
ReplyDeleteYour Summers are so beautiful (from memory) - so lush and gentle compared to our long, parched Summers here in Australia.
Ha ha ha, that squash is deeply amusing somehow!
ReplyDeleteAh, your squash. I think you threw away a good veg. Slices across not too thick,and parboil in water and vinegar (keeps it crisp), drain, dry and saute in butter. Toss in pasta, use as a side dish with grated Parm.cheese on top, whip up some eggs and make a frittata with it, add to a meat/veg.sauce with pasta, All sorts of things. Your photo's are lovely. Lisa
ReplyDeleteLove your photos and your plants! Wishing you a wonderful weekend also ♥
ReplyDeletesummerdaisycottage.blogspot.com
Wow, those trombocino squashes are longer than my Pennsylvania Longneck squash. I am amazed that they are summer squash - ours are for storing for winter. I've been loving my cosmos too.
ReplyDeletemy heavens but that squash is a fabulous beast!
ReplyDeletemy veg patch has succumbed to the weeds. i plan to beat them all into submission before winter descends because, YES, it's so much easier and more wonderful to start the new season off without having to wade through the previous year's neglect. also planning on trying less.....one must be realistic in all things.
luvverly flowers. xoxo
Fantastic shaped squash! We compost excess veg here too, it all goes back into the plot the following year. Love all the flowers -very pretty. Getting things cleaned up for the winter season is a good feeling, I reckon xx
ReplyDeleteMy squares get all twisty and gnarled but I've never seen an elongated one. Here it would be a prize vegetables. Greeks love to boil the and them watery with oil and lemon juice.
ReplyDeleteAhhhh one mistake after another. Blame spell check for the 'squares' which should be 'squash'.
DeleteThat rudbeckia is stunning! We have lots of rudbeckia at our cottage, but it is all the bog standard yellow variety. Pretty, but not quite as nice as yours! We have just had the most glorious "farewell to summer" weather. It was a week of blue skies and perfect temperatures, but now the rain has moved in and is forecast to stay. As for getting your garden plot ready for winter you could do what I do when faced with a task I dread. Tell yourself you can get a skein of nice yarn once you finish. :-)
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering about cosmos. Last year I also had some rogue pink ones. But this year I used some of the left over seed and they're ALL pink. Every single one. I wonder if it is something to do with age and maybe when they're getting on a bit they turn out pink?
ReplyDeleteLove the tromboncino squash, might give them a try next year for a change - I always go for one green and one yellow courgette plant. I always used to put 'past best' produce on the compost heap, that way it didn't seem to be such a waste because it was being useful - now it goes to the chickens to pick over. Love the cherry brandy rudbeckia. Jxx
ReplyDeleteGood plans for the allotment my friend, I love your photos, Summer is looking beautiful where you are.
ReplyDeleteMeredith