Gorge now or store for later – harvest is here
It will be a relief this month when I can finally begin picking fruit from my little James Grieve apple tree in the front garden, which is groaning under the weight of an extremely heavy crop. Despite my attempts to thin out the fruit there are still many more apples than we can eat, and with a big haul of Bramley apples and pears on the way too, it’s time to get the stores in order.
The shed works well enough in a mild winter, but somewhere cool and frost-free would be even better. Good ventilation is important, so slatted trays or shelves are ideal, but just arranging fruits so that they aren’t touching helps prevent any rot spreading.
Some apple varieties don’t keep well, while pears and many later apples only ripen properly during storage, which makes a bit of research into the varieties you have worthwhile. Unfortunately James Grieve apples quickly go floury, but picked slightly under-ripe they’ll survive for about a month, which is definitely better than nothing.
Be sure to make the most of the rest of the September harvest too. It’s best to dig up any potatoes still in the soil to prevent slugs burrowing into them. Hopefully there are still plenty of tomatoes to ripen in the greenhouse, in which case, carry on feeding and watering the plants and progressively remove the lower leaves to allow in more light to ripen the fruit. Freeze, pickle or make chutney from any produce that can’t be eaten, but above all, gorge on fresh salads, tomatoes, raspberries, peas and beans while they’re still at their best.
With the year fading into autumn,
September’s mild, damp days suit planting and renewal perfectly
the growing season is drawing to a close. The grass should need cutting less often, bedding plants and many late perennials will benefit from deadheading to keep the colour going, and this is the last chance to get evergreen hedges clipped and neat for winter.
But September’s mild, damp days suit planting and renewal perfectly too. The warm, moist soil welcomes new hardy bedding plants, perennials and shrubs, allowing them time to establish before the demands of spring growth. All kinds of springflowering bulbs (except tulips) can also be planted now, and getting them positioned before perennial foliage fades can help visualise how they will fit in with surrounding planting.
These are also the ideal conditions for patching up a worn lawn or laying an entirely new one, using either grass seed or turf. Take the time to prepare the area properly by thoroughly weeding, improving, levelling and firming the soil to enjoy a trouble-free lawn next year. n