We cleared away all the carrots and managed to salvage a few that had not been infested with carrot root fly larvae. Our first year is being treated as a learning experience, and we have certainly learnt the hard way ! Next year we will protect the rows of carrot seedlings with mesh and will also grow something 'smelly' alongside to deter the little critters.
Most of the fennel has bolted. This is not that surprising considering the fluctuating temperatures we have been experiencing this summer, but we should have taken evasive action by picking the crop earlier... ah well, it's a learning experience !
I have started to dig in the red clover that we sowed as a green manure and this patch will be used in spring for planting our potatoes. Of which, we will pick the remaining Cara potatoes next week and use the patch for our autumn sown onions, shallots and garlic.
So what's left ? The cabbages (both red and savoy) are doing nicely, the black kale is 'leggy' but will be OK for the table. Parsnips, leeks and celeriac are looking good and should be ready for picking over the winter months. The swede hasn't fared so well (the roots look to have split) but they were only sown to break down the soil, so no big deal. There is still a lot of beetroot to harvest and the squashes have begun to fruit.
I have mixed feelings about the dahlias : We need to have some for cut flowers next year, but maybe some different, bolder colours. The small purple/red ones are too small for cutting, so will go into a bed in the garden next year. I will also have to be a bit more courageous when I am de-budding next year... so we can have nice blooms on long stems.
Overall though, it has been a good summer.
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