Autumn Bits and Bobs.

[Stravaig]

Collie dogs are da best. Excellent sheepdogs. Even as a child I could manage a big flock of sheep with a couple of collies. (They probably didn't need me anyway!)

Miserable weather here today. Colourless sky. Rain is sh!tting down. Calling it bleak would be a compliment.
The best thing to say about today is that we don't have to move house.

[robo]

Retropants , you probably know but put your green tomatoes in a brown cardboard box in a dark place check weekly then when they start ripening check daily

[Westi]

No real impact at home from the storm, but driving down the quay at low tide, (well it was low tide from the tide book); but the waves were still breaking over the quay! You could see the actual debris washed up from last nights tide way up near the caravan site having gone over the green & through the defences along the parking area. There was still standing water but it had gone down enough to have the access open. Fortunately most of the boats were taken out of the water which is the norm around this area this time of year. Surges did go up the river & the quay at Christchurch was also flooded & a few boats moored there for the winter were washed up. Of course the wind surfers were out & the RNLI guys were in evidence all along there, not looking happy!

The good old IOW protected us again, but they aren't faring well on the island as it has been incessant rain there for ages with some roads not even opened yet from the last deluge, but the Channel Isles really took the brunt as predicted. Looking OK tomorrow so will go down & check on the plot. By the local news weather it will be my only opportunity as more rain on it's way, but not showing on the phone weather yet.

[Westi]

Not to bad on the plot, some things to re-secure like the net tunnel - gonna need some more clothes props on all sides I think. Lost quite a lot of the dog proofing low plastic fencing but fortunately had some more in the shed, but the metal stakes went with it wherever it went, so had to cut up some canes. Lots of standing water & the Pak Choi stems have rotted, the ripe raspberries were blown off, baby broad beans trashed even though mesh was still secure, PSB, Kalettes & Kale also flooded & on a lean again so bashed in the stakes again but expect these will all bolt.

Could have been worse! Watch the price of winter veg go through the roof in the supermarkets; as we came back home through the lanes as water ditch was opened & a lot of the farmers fields are underwater. Mind a lot of veg are already imported anyway so shouldn't affect the big boy supermarkets, but they won't miss an opportunity to hike the prices!

[oldherbaceous]

Another wet start to the day, so no going on the allotments again, today!
I have some things to do in the glasshouse, so not all is lost…

[Primrose]

Heavy overnight rain here, still raining v and rain gauge nearly full again.
A very bedraggled squirrel has just turned up at a patio window begging for his breakfast. Expect his nest or drey is flooded!.

[Clive.]

Rain just commencing again here, but did have respite from it yesterday with sunshine too had the morning sorting out stone troughs, taking out the summer stuff and putting in the bulbs, Change of compost with an addition of beech nut husks as the drainage layer...I put plenty in.. Then had the Hayter mower out in the afternoon, up on height setting 4.

...not today though...it's a wet Saturday washday..

with lunch to contain elements of beetroot


Forecast does hint at a bit better next week..

C.

[oldherbaceous]

I started cutting back the large round border at the Big house yesterday, still some colour in it, but the jobs are mounting up now, with all the rain and still waiting for the leaves to fall….can see me still raking them up at Christmas, if they don’t start turning colour soon!
And I might have cheese and beetroot sandwiches for lunch….

[Clive.]

The Autumn leaf colour has changed very quick here now, we did have a couple of frosts a few weekends back. Lime leaves falling along the drive.
Reckon we sit at 142mm since, and including, Babet..good job we are on the drier side of the country....

It's sausage and mash with beetroot as the veg' here... a medley of Boldor, Boltardy and a couple of small Cylindra... of which Boldor seems the sweetest and best at the moment..

C.

[oldherbaceous]

Sounds better than a humble cheese and beetroot sandwich, Clive…

[tigerburnie]

Just plunged all the pots in the greenhouse borders to protect the roots and put some fleece on them, 2 degrees in there last night and it's forecast to get colder.

[oldherbaceous]

Me and number one Son, cleaned all the gutters, hoppers, lead valleys and drain gulleys today, at the Church, not a bad job in the sun…

[Primrose]

Well done OH!
It,s amazing the amount of moss and grit all the recent rains and winds have blown off our roof tiles. . There are clumps of stuff all over our patio waiting to be swept up.

[Westi]

Hmm? I posted but at the same time as Primrose it seems & the whole lot is gone without even a warning. You used to get a warning if someone had posted at the same time.

Anyway the debrief is: Even more beds flooded after the few short sharp showers we had yesterday, so plan B was to shut down this years pallet compost bay. The rain beat me to it & caused a huge slip of muddy weeds out onto the path. Took me all morning dragging out sodden weeds to find the current edging & then digging & securing higher sheets of poly carb to secure it, then getting the sodden weeds back in & then covering it with black plastic. I was absolutely sodden & covered in mud, but all done & it's going nowhere!

Fortunately I keep a change of clothes in the tunnel for these scenarios but I still wasn't totally clean, but fortunately was in the 'Mr' Taxi not the on the bus! I really enjoyed my shower I can assure you!

[oldherbaceous]

Sounds like hard work, Westi…..