autumn = harvest time!

the weather has calmed down a bit again, only light wind, the sun is peaking out here and there - and I took the chance and went into the garden with the camera. I had an autumnal feeling for quite some time now - no wonder after this summer - but it's here for sure now! the leaves are falling and there are apples and pears and other fruit all over the place - rich pickings! we have so many cider and crab apples this year that I wonder what to do with it all! apple juice and apple jelly - maybe we should invest in a proper press too? I like the look of shelves full with bottles of juice and jars of colourful jam, if only it wasn't so much work beforehand:)) this picture shows "Evereste" - a very fitting name as the tree is covered in whitish-pink flowers in spring - and in small orange-red apples during autumn. the yield is so heavy that the branches are all hanging down!

caution - stranded whale in the garden....

we (ok, mostly Michael:)) have also been working on another project - our polytunnel needed urgent repairs! the northern side had been covered with corrugated plastic since the start, but the plastic on the southern side was shredded, esp. where the folds have been moving in the wind! both sides are now covered with the corrugated plastic, more sturdy and also,the tunnel plastic is easier to fix tightly, as there is no area, where it has to be stretched around a bend (it'll be wound around slats of timber, which are screwed under the rim along the metal bows!)also, the shelving was rotting in parts and the table was only usable with a closed door. not very nice during hot summer days! it is on the other side now and I can stand in a nice draught, when sowing and propagating! we thought we'd still have enough plastic to reclad but it turned out to be too narrow to cover the tunnel..... all the other jobs have been done, but now we have to wait and order new plastic before I can do anything inside! there are interesting varieties available now, special plastic with bubbles in it, which is not only more sturdy than normal tunnel plastic, but also more insulating and with special "light filtering" features. of course, it's a bit more expensive too, but our last tunnel lasted for 11 years, so it would probably be a good idea to invest a few euros more.... I hope we'll have new plastic together with a reasonably good day - no fun in recladding a polytunnel with gale force winds and/or pouring rain! however, it's a good thing that it remains uncovered for a while, as it will wash out residues and salts that have accumulated in the ground over the last few years. just watering can never replace a good soaking with rain! might improve the harvest in the coming years again....