Early Autumn Bits and Bobs - 2017

[Geoff]

Not packed any furniture away but did take the opportunity in some nice sun yesterday to put the brolly up for a few hours then pack it away.
When I planted the onions and garlic last week I saved some onions to put in the tunnel as they did well this year. Yesterday I counted them and today I prepared the space for them, went to get them from the inside garage and a third had disappeared, why should mice take onion sets? Anyway if they have stored them somewhere they can try collecting some cheese to go with them. I wonder if they want bread as well?

[retropants]

found fresh rat poop in the garage yesterday, so had to buy kitkats for the traps. last time they got in, we didn't notice until it was quite bad, I think we caught five. I do not like to kill things, but is just awful if they invade inside anywhere, they pee on everything, chew and nest in valuable stuff, so they must go. No mercy.

[PLUMPUDDING]

Hi Pawty, how do you decide when the grapes are ripe enough? Do you test the sugar content? My Madeline Angevine are still quite small but I'd like to pick them before the wasps get them this year as they've quite a good crop.

[Monika]

Geoff, I think your little grey long-tailed guests have jumped onto the Google website today and are enjoying a cuppa with your onions, cheese and bread!

[Westi]

Well I have blight at home on the outside tomatoes, so far the ones in the greenhouse look OK, but it will only be a matter of time I expect, but near enough the end of the season.

The thug pumpkin has managed to break 2 panes of glass at the bottom of the greenhouse and one roof pane. It is finally slowing up on vine growth but the pumpkins are still filling out. In total I have one mega huge, one medium & one small one. Fingers crossed they have orange flesh, if not they will be given to the neighbours children for Halloween carving.
This is the medium one - & the broken roof pane.

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This is the mega huge, that is a large trug behind it to give an idea of size.

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[Geoff]

Well the first night of slightly dry Wensleydale bait they ignored one trap, set off and stripped two traps without getting caught and had the cheese off the fourth without it going off. Reset the three traps for the second night with sticky Brie (the only good use I can think of for it) and one was ignored but the other two got two adults. Perhaps will find out tonight if only two had moved in.

[tigerburnie]

Well the first night of slightly dry Wensleydale bait they ignored one trap, set off and stripped two traps without getting caught and had the cheese off the fourth without it going off. Reset the three traps for the second night with sticky Brie (the only good use I can think of for it) and one was ignored but the other two got two adults. Perhaps will find out tonight if only two had moved in.

Bread is much better on a trap, or even chocolate, cheese is a bit of a myth

[retropants]

Our kit Kat traps have not been touched in 3 days. Maybe they just popped in to poop, then left?

[Primrose]

I put the heavy duty green reinforced cover on my mini plastic greenhouse today. It will let less light in but hopefully protect the geranium cuttings I've taken to try and over winter. Many of them die on me - I think I keep the compost too moist and they tend to rot. It is firmly strapped to the house wall so hopefully will survive any winter gales. The garden is starting to look less cluttered now but tidying things up as they die back means there won't be so much to do later in the season. I have days when energy reserves feel rather low.

[Pa Snip]

I have days when energy reserves feel rather low.

Snap, days called Monday to Sunday

[robo]

I'm the same of late I just can't be bothered every thing is to much trouble ,yesterday I went the plot fed and cleaned the chickens then had to go home to wash and change to visit my mother who is in intensive care in Warrington hospital what a week this has been

[Primrose]

I have rarely previously found it difficult to get my gardening gear on and get outdoors to tackle stuff but just recently I seem to lack my previous enthusiasm. I remember my dad complaining about this in his latter years. The potential chores all seem easy enough when you view the garden from indoors. It's when you to pick up the spade and start digging or attempt other tasks which need that extra burst of energy that your body suddenly seems to go into rebellion !

[Primrose]

Robo, . You' really seem to be having things tough at the moment. One does wonder sometimes where one will find the strength to face the next day. You seem to be battling on all fronts at the moment. Hoping you will manage to find a few quiet moments of tranquility when you need them to get you through one day at a time.

[robo]

Thanks primrose we will get there in the end , I would not care but I spent £ 10 on the lotto this week I don't know why must have been a moment of madness

[Monika]

We used the dry autumn weather this week to have a good tidy up on the allotment and I wheelbarrowed ten loads of manure to the plot, six to spread on next year's brassica bed and four are now piled up under black plastic to use on the celeriac and courgettes next year. I could certainly feel my muscles after THAT exercise. The big manure pile is well above our plot, so it means pushing the empty wheelbarrow up a steep grassy path with a sharp dog-leg, then of course manoeuvring it down again, fully loaded, including easing it round the dog-leg ..... Great fun.