Autumn arrives

So autumn has arrived, the  Lee is hidden by mist, and the allotment is cold and damp. Work has to go on, just clearing up now.
Its a time to think about what has done well and what did not. On the negative side the spinach was a complete failure. I normally plant perpetual spinach, but J prefers the proper stuff, which either did not germinate or bolted before it was pickable.
Courgettes were good this year, I tried Sevda, which tasted wonderful covered in olive oil and grilled. The apples were, of course, a bumper crop, like most other peoples. I have three step over trees, James Grieve, Cox and an other (unforgiveable to have not kept a record). Cobra beans performed well and boltardy beetroot. I start both of these in pots and plant them out on the allottment when they are big enough to fend for themselves.
The big job today was cutting down the asparagus. I have had this bed about 15 years, and it produces wonderfully each year. Every winter I just put a thick layer of compost on it, dig up the perennial weeds, and it looks after itself otherwise.
Dahlias also do well on my plot. They look after themselves pretty well. I do not dig them up in winter, just cover them with extra compost. I do lose some occasionally, but these get replaced. This year I planted four sets of tubers of 'Akita', which produces enormous bright yellow and red blooms. I need to support them more next year.
I do not need to go up to the allotment so much now, digging will start after Christmas. I find that if I dig too early, the rain and the wind flattens it all down. I have tried the no dig method, but it doesnt really work for my plot. There develops a very hard layer of soil even if I am really careful not to tread on it. And also you get no satisfaction from a well dug plot!


The last dahlia flower of the year