Autumn Bits and Bobs.

[Westi]

They are also mostly transferrable to use for any recipe that uses sweet potatoes. I think I will be making an awful lot of things as have about 8 squash/pumpkin & the sweet potatoes are still in with their leaves just starting to yellow. I did one test dig & they were huge so I won't be able to use them up very quickly & 5 vines left to dig. I do really like both of them but think a share out with the neighbours is on the cards. Fortunately I should have enough to grow my own slips again as there will always be small ones left in the veg rack as well, that will start to sprout in spring.

[Malk]

Stravaig,
No earthquakes here. Expected snowstorm and closing the border to Russia is all the excitement we have here at the moment. I'm good. I've been here too long, but it's all the kids know, so moving back to Scotland won't happen soon.

I've carved a neep. Never again, it's like iron. I'm American so love carving pumpkins and eating pumpkin pie or quick bread. It screams autumn to me.

OH, the forum wouldn't be the same with you.

[oldherbaceous]

Well we are shivering in the South, while Burnie is soaking up the warmth in Scotland….

[Westi]

Asparagus beds finished, topped up with compost & snug for the winter. All standing water gone & drying nicely but a bit too wet yet to try sorting the problem. Crane remains gone, but now have what looks like HQ set up behind with containers all over the place but just vans & cars, not machinery.

Just watched the local news & big temp drops over the weekend so joining you OH with the shivering. It remains rain free though & no freezing, so I can continue with the plan even though more difficult to move around in the lumber jack jacket!

[retropants]

I'll be outside all day on Saturday in Chesham with my stall at the local produce market. The forecast is sunny (yay!) but between 3-5 degrees. Brrrr!

[oldherbaceous]

Sounds like you will need your woolen under-garments on, Retropants….

[robo]

We are soaked through every day the rain is none stop has been for weeks on the bright side I still have 9 tomatoes in the pollytunnel they are all alive but the tomatoes are slow growing and no flowers on any I’m hoping to keep them going until next month

[Westi]

Only one more garden bin pickup from the council until February, so change of plan to finish the front garden at home, rather than go to the plot. I've half done it but filled the bin last time & still 1/2 the tree out front to cut back & need to split the 'Burial Lilly's as Mr calls them & get some more bulbs in. At least since I mowed the lawn there has been little growth, so should just be a morning's worth of work. The little ditty daffodils (I'm sure they have a proper name) are in flower so definitively winter on it's way.

Unfortunately my afternoon will not be relaxing as British Gas has updated it's site & despite all the bells & whistles, new account numbers etc., I can't log on as all you get is tiny writing squished into the top corner of the screen that will allow you to put your e-mail in but none of the options below this one is active. Live chat is a computer, the phone recording numbers only worked for me to submit my gas reading, not to pay. And what irks me the most it is their smart meter is not 'smart enough' to record the gas only the electricity. It certainly peeves me reading the meter when it is raining down as the meter box is outside. I will try to be nice but only if I get to speak to a human who can fix it, I might break into a rant with any computerised system. I did note their 'send your feedback' page was closed today, but was pretty full & interesting issues when I accidentally found it yesterday - some people are just so eloquent in their ranting, quite a good read!

[oldherbaceous]

That’s so frustrating, Westi….

The wind has a real bite to it this morning but, at least it is drying the surface of the soil out a little!

[Geoff]

Premier Seeds Direct looks like the best of this weekend's seed deals.
Black Friday sale!
Enjoy a 10% discount on all our vegetable seeds, with over 700 varieties to choose from. This offer is running until the end of the month.
Don't miss out on the chance to stock up on high-quality seeds for your garden at an unbeatable price!
Code: VEG10

[oldherbaceous]

Thank you, Geoff.

[Westi]

I must be psychic, sorting the Gas payment was a total pain, but not a human to try to chat to. 3 attempts as their computer doesn't automatically create gaps between numbers. Never mind, got a whole month before I have to go through this again, but I noted the box has a broken hinge on the door so needs a replacement so will report this, (real engineers answer this I think); & then badger the poor person that comes to do it to link it to the smart meter so automatic payment!

Santa has just bought me a wee plastic Keter shed & some racking. (Black Friday discount is very good)! Just got to speak nicely to my neighbour that I might need assistance, but I now have a proper battery screwdriver set, that is not pink & girlie so I will attempt it, but their customer feedback says the holes line up. What could go wrong? Minus 1 tonight so doubt likely to be able to do much with the drying flooded beds but compost is covered so might just do trips with the barrow & put the top up on to dig later as it is only predicted for one night.

[Cider Boys]

Sharp frost this morning whilst I was out checking my sheep with my collie and then I saw my first Fieldfare this autumn busily eating hawthorn berries whilst chasing off the blackbirds. There appears to be a plentiful supply of hawthorn berries this year so they should help keep the birds happy. I do like seeing the various birds that appear this time of year, we are lucky to get so many varieties visit us in Winter.

Barney

[oldherbaceous]

Morning Barney, I haven’t seen any fieldfares here yet, but I bet they won’t be long.

Been taking down the last of the runner bean canes and chrysanthemum stakes, this morning, while the ground was still frozen….just going to have a cup of tea!

[Clive.]

That's better, a fresh sunny dry day..
..although there's another dose of rain showing for us for Monday.!

I've just come in from cutting out and tying in my blackberry Loch Ness.

Whilst elsewhere this morning I sprinkled a few seeds, collected directly from a herbaceous border, into some seed pans.

I've been working on a section of border this week that hasn't been dug and split for a number of years...good to get the soil up and draining... and yesterday afternoon with it blowing and dry I took the roller rotary mower out for a run, set up on setting 5, topping over some lawns that otherwise were heading towards Winter just a bit too long with the recent mild/wet.

Washing machine is spinning up...should get a line out drying in a few mins..

C.