The polytunnel in September is still a lush, if a much cooler place.
The sunny days give everything a much needed boost of warmth, and the crops in there are protected enough from the cold nights for them not to be checked in any way. As you can see I have had to resort to some sticky fly traps. As much as I hate using these (what a horrible way for anything to die) I was absolutely overrun with tiny black flies that simply refused to leave, although opening all the doors meant the flying ants departed within minutes!!
There are newly transplanted Lettuces in the first bed as you step in the doors, interspersed with a late crop of Radishes. The large leaves at the top of the picture are a couple of very late tomato plants, hopefully I have time to get a good crop of green tomatoes, enough for a couple of jars of green tomato chutney, one of my favourites. (Recipe in the 'Recipes I Use Regularly' page at the top of the blog.)
There are a few plants on the workbench and the breadbin of carrots is still feeding me while I work, you've got to have something to nibble on after an hour of weeding :-)
Under the bench at this end are my Kale and Spinach plants, still giving me a harvest two or three times a week, but gradually slowing their pace a little.
The main cucumber plants, well two of them anyway, are still going strong, with a couple of fruits each left to harvest. I might give Bread and Butter Pickle a go next week, I've never made it before.
In front of the large French Marigolds is the one Spinach plant I have in this bed.
Under the bench further along there are the most recently planted Radishes, in amongst the slowest growing Leeks in the world!!
At the far end of the middle bed is my Fennel plant and a good crop of carrots, with a couple of Courgette plants beyond them, oh and a row of Spring Onions.
In the old Radish bed there are now some Cabbages, ready to overwinter in this slightly protected atmosphere.
Across the way I have my rogue Turnip, one Turnip seed was in amongst the Beetroots, how it got there I don't know ... for a while I thought I had an albino Beetroot ;-)
Hidden behind it's foliage is the pot containing the Sweet Potatoes, it's a bottomless pot to give the potatoes lots of room to spread their roots in the soil of the raised bed. It will be interesting to dig this up at the end of the month and see if there are actually any potatoes there!!
Looking back along that side there are the tomato plants and in front of them the Basil and the Peppers. It's too cold now for any peppers to develop but I'm leaving the healthy looking plants in situ for a while to see their progress.
To the left there are more Tomato plants and a flush of French Marigolds.
This is the back of the Cucumber plants and growing through their support is a small run of Borage plants. I got these in late to try and get some seeds for next year, so I can transplant some Borage to the outdoor beds in Spring. Bees love Borage, reason enough apart from the gorgeous blue flowers to grow it.
This bed has yet more carrots, half a bed of Kohl Rabi and a late flush of tomato plants near the door.
And that's it ...... a September guided tour of the polytunnel. Did I hear a thud as my brother Graham fell off his chair in boredom ..... yep, I think I did ;-)
Sue xx
