The Allotted Month - October 2008

The plot is steadily being cleared of crops. In section A the slugs had done such a good job of eating the Crimson Clover that there was very little left. Now both section A and B have been hoed over to keep the weeds down. For the first time in years there will be no clover foliage for the compost heap and no natural nitrogenous fertiliser from the clover roots. I'll be interested to see what difference this makes to the brassicas next year.

Section C is giving a steady supply of leeks (Musselburgh) and parsnips (Countess). This should continue right through to March when the ground will be turned over for the next crop. The few remaining beetroot (Boltardy) will soon be finished. The cleared ground has been hoed over.

In section D, the sprouts (Maximus), as in past years, are doing well and will continue to crop for a few months. The other sprouts (Revenge) are still not ready for harvesting, the buttons are too small. Next year I'll grow only Maximus. The Minicole summer cabbage is finished and now the winter cabbage (Celtic) have taken over. It stands well through the winter. One swede (Angela) remains and that will soon go. Angela has done well in the past but this year, perhaps because of the wet weather, a lot of the roots have split and let in some rot. We'll miss the winter turnips.

Now is the time to make up the seed order. After many years I've now settled to very much the same mix of varieties each time. They are the ones that have proved reliable in the plot in the past. With the darker evenings my visits to the plot are shorter but there is still enough time for weed control and general repairs to the shed and greenhouse.

B. A. Plotter.