Kitchen Garden Forum

And someone's broken the weather... looks like we may have to start a new thread.

I suppose I'll have to take the geraniums out of the tubs now, they've been looking so good I hadn't got the heart to before.

Yes, the weather has been broken...the forecasters got it right. It's raining, cold and windy here...my staked 10' (supposed to be 4'6") sunflower is leaning rather badly. I hope I can rescue it!

My geraniums are still going strong and I've got cuttings from them, which are doing nicely in the greenhouse and hopefully, will survive until next year.

I picked 9lbs of green tomatoes yesterday, then spent most of the evening making green tomato chutney, all homegrown ingredients except the vinegar & sugar! I have my 2 largest pans full, it is only half cooked though, I'll pop it back on the stove this evening after work. the house smells interesting
We have 8 new cucmbers growing, almost ready, they are in the greenhouse, so they should be OK if it gets cold. that will probably be the last of them this year, I couldn't see any more flowers.

I went out with a bag and picked up all the walnuts once it stopped blowing a hooley. They were on the tree yesterday. Only 50 or so this year, last year we had 10 times that many. They set OK this year but we had a strong wind not long after and the ground looked like it was covered in little green marbles. Leaves are dropping off the gold stem willow, revealing a splash of bright colour. And the ancient pear tree has shed its little, hard and totally useless pears.

My cucumbers have finished but the tomatoes in the greenhouse are still ripening well...I don't think I will have many green ones. I've never had enough to make a chutney with yet, in the 10 years we've had our allotment.

Oh..and I rescued my tall sunflower that yesterdays wind blew around. Woo hoo!

Elaine, it is odd, the plum tomatoes weren't ripening, but all the others are!

Went to the Tower of London yesterday to see the Poppy Fields. Most moving. Suggest any reader near enough pay a visit. Ordered one of the Poppy;s, profits go to the Armed Forces charities.

The Metropolitan Police Air Unit, "Eye in the Sky" helicopter have posted many beautiful pictures of London taken from their unique vantage point.
They have posted regular update pictures as the field grew, but I consider this one from August 31st their best photo of it.

peter. Absolutely superb. shallotman