Autumn Tints, Jam and a Painting

Late September. A bit of a nip in the air and a slight scent of Autumn. The fruit trees have yielded their delicious treasure and are now preparing to rest. The garden is winding down and so am I.

Not everything goes to plan when you’re a gardener. In August I always sow my Spring cabbage seeds in the greenhouse, then I plant them a little later in the polytunnel. Never been a problem before but this year butterflies have entered the greenhouse and laid eggs on the tiny leaves. Caterpillars developed and despite my best efforts they have almost destroyed the little plants. I’ve sown a few more seeds directly into the tunnel bed in the hope that they might grow. Fingers crossed.

The squashes looked about ready and temperatures were falling so they’ve been harvested and tucked away for Winter eating. A bit of stem left on and curing the skins in a warm spot before putting away helps them to store well.

I haven’t grown these varieties before so I hope they will taste good. My usual “Buttercup” failed to germinate but I will try them again next year because they have a wonderful flavour.

I grew celery this year instead of celeriac but I think I will return to celeriac next time. The celery has a great flavour but it’s very stringy and tough. I think it may have needed a richer soil and copious amounts of water. Smells and tastes so good though.

The vegetables are still supplying most of our needs. I have carrots but I made the classic mistake on one bed of sowing the seed too thickly. Much too crowded and jostling for space. Some are only pencil thickness by the time I’ve prepared them for cooking. Should know better by now!

The beans are coming to an end so I’m mostly cooking the seed beans from inside the pods. Still very enjoyable. I’ll allow some pods to swell and dry so I can save the seed for next year’s crop. I haven’t needed to buy runner bean seeds for many years. They’re one of the easiest crops to save seed from.

Leaves are changing colour in the most pleasing way. The Euonymus, known as spindle tree, has delightful shades of pink and orange and the seed pods are fascinating.

I have only one potted dahlia but it has been very generous with its flowers. White with a blush of lavender at the tips of the petals, it’s a lovely sight.

Cyclamen don’t spread in our dry sandy soil but I have a few under the fruit trees which are very welcome. The fuchsias have put on a show since the weather cooled and are looking very pretty. My favourite Asters are beginning to flower. I love the shades of purple.

This is a very natural garden with Ivy and Hawthorn which may be a nuisance at times but are lovely to look at and good for the wildlife. Ivy flowers attract bees and the berries are eaten by birds. The haws are dropping and littering the paving but they’re always lovely to see.

Colchicums are delightful autumn flowers. They come up separately from the leaves and they have very fragile stems which cause them to topple over. The colour is wonderful and even lying on the ground they’re lovely to look at.

Indoors. I’ve been making the most of the plums and apples. The raw plums are sweet and delicious once they’re ripe. When they’re cooked they have a sharp acidity even with a lot of sugar but they do make delicious jam, especially when apples are added. I made seven jars.

Apples are rich in pectin which makes jam set so I often add them to other fruit. I use roughly equal quantities of fruit and granulated sugar. Tips for jam making are in my Earthy Homemaker’s Cookbook. Here’s my link

https://geni.us/eANQu

Jam isn’t a nutritious food but it’s such a treat on hot buttered toast or in a cake. I ladle it while it’s hot into heated jars and screw on the lids immediately. That way it seals the jar and it will keep for years. Not that I need to. Too delicious to leave lingering in a cupboard.

You might remember that I was working on a painting. Inspired by the harvest this year I painted a picture of some apples on the tree. I’ve finished it and I’m reasonably pleased with the outcome after a doubtful start. Painted from my photograph onto a canvas board with acrylic paints.

I hope you’re enjoying the sights and scents of early Autumn. With you again in a couple of weeks. Bye for now.