Gardening Blog
Allotment Diary
October 7, 2008: red robin is back
Terry Walton retreats to the balmy Mediterranean temperatures of his greenhouse to harvest his peppers and tomatoes, while outside, robin red breast returns to watch over the plot
Oh, give me back those sunny days of September! With October barely a week old the weather has reverted to its 2008 format of heavy rain, high winds and that distinctive autumn chill in the air.
The brief interlude of the past weeks almost brought the autumn work up-to-date and the ground is prepared for the ravages of whatever winter has to throw at it. Nevertheless there is always something to do out on the plot and when those heavy rains start to fall you can always retreat to the dry of the greenhouse.
The ‘mood’ in there this month is 'Hot! Hot! Hot!' and that is not the temperature but the abundance of the colour red. Those late peppers are hanging there aplenty and their brilliant scarlet fruits are ready to harvest. The chillies are hanging like long pipes and are glowing bright red showing they are their peak and waiting to release those tongue-tingling flavours in your curries and hot winter dishes. Beware though, there are some little orange ones hidden there and a bite of one of these will send you scuttling to the nearest water barrel to douse that heat! So even if it’s cold outside you're are greeted by a little bit of the Mediterranean in there.
The last remnants of the cherry tomatoes are still waiting to be used up and the Gardener’s Delight variety seems to produce unlimited supplies of these succulent little fruits.
Make the most of these last remaining harvests before they too are banished to the compost heap and the clean up of the greenhouse must begin.
Although my greenhouse has not shown any signs of the dreaded pests you can bet your bottom dollar they are lurking hidden somewhere.
As soon as all that foliage is removed it is time for a thorough autumn (not spring) clean. All the woodwork (aluminium), glass and staging needs to be scrubbed with a mild disinfectant in a bucket of hot soapy water. Brush well into the nooks and crannies and drive out all those 'nasties' from their winter hideouts.
In gardening it is true that cleanliness is next to godliness.
Soon it will be time to bring in the chrysanthemums from the cold. They have flowered away steadfastly during the last few weeks and have set the plot ablaze with their vibrant colours and provided my wife with splendid bouquets to grace our home.
Having completed their flowering task they can be cut down to ground level, lifted from the soil, then potted into new compost and brought indoors in the sparkling clean greenhouse. A few weeks of rest and dormancy and up through the compost will appear those tender green shoots of life to produce the next generation of flowering beauties. All for free and some spare to give to your friends.
The days must be getting colder, for my absent friend the red breasted robin is back on the scene. He was partially dependent on my goodwill and an ample supply of grubs in late spring when he was rearing his brood, but after they fledged there was no sign of this cheeky little chap.
But he is back! Sitting in the top of the tree warbling his little chorus to show me he is there. Then he swoops down to exhort me to uncover some livestock for him.
Who is the master here? Yes, you are right - the robin.
Belly full, a twist of the wing, and he is off back on his perch on high to preside over the work I am doing.
This is the true association of man or woman and nature in harmony and dependant on each other and what a lovely, warm glow that engenders inside.
Yes, even life on those harsh, dark days has its moments of delight and pleasure.
More from Terry Walton
My Life On A Hillside Allotment
Terry Walton is a regular contributor to The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2 and has written a book called, My Life on a Hillside Allotment, published by Bantam Press. The book is available from Amazon
