Some harvest, some seed sowing

There is a definite touch of autumn now. The mornings are colder, and the citrus harvest is in full swing. I am giving limes and lemons away now. The pink grapefruit is providing a large fruit per day, which we juice and have for breakfast -they weigh at least 400g each. I have had one pumpkin, but there is a huge one at the back that I hope to get to ripen nicely -looks like it would weigh several kilos at least. The mandarins have had some fruit fly, but we are still getting a feed and I am keeping up the baiting regime.

I am enjoying the cooler days -it makes for a lovely time in the garden each day. I am working hard to get seeds raised for the autumn and winter and spring  -our best growing seasons. Summer is way too hot and dry and mostly what we do is try to get the garden through it, but these seasons are the best. I have planted more garlic than last year -and proudly it is garlic I grew and saved from last year! I also gave my daughter in law some cloves to plant in her garden too. We are eating broccoli leaves from a plant which lasted over the summer from last year -I cut it down to a stump without pulling the roots out -as I didn't want to disturb the soil, and I am getting a nice crop of leaves for stir fries and soups.

The picture above is broccoli seedlings, strawberry runners, dill and coriander just coming up. I have beetroot and rocket, bok choy and mizuna too, in various places around the garden. My hanging baskets have been repotted with strawberries and the prettiest pelargoniums. I have given more plants to my daughter in law's garden and am gradually whittling down the potted plant numbers. I have to do this each year.

I downloaded the delightful novel "Mr. Wigg" by Inga Simpson, published by Hachette, following a list in an article I read about "tree change manuals". I was intrigued because I had read four of the five books listed, and own two of them. Mr Wigg was quite delightful. The link to the article is below.

          

The poinsettia are colouring up, a sure sign that solstice is coming. We are in the habit of having a Winter Feast each year on Solstice -but this year I was feeling sad that we wouldn't be able to do so. Our local state government has this week, however, relaxed the rules about our social isolation so that we can have up to 10 people in our homes for dinner. Not quite as many as I usually have, but perhaps we can have our whole little family -we haven't had a meal together for ages, due to the Covid19 restrictions. Our state has very low numbers of infections, and this relaxing of the numbers is a small concession to the regime. If we can keep these numbers low, we will be doing well indeed. Schools are opening for voluntary attendance this week, and this may change the numbers. I hope not! 

Some links to share 

The Doctor's kitchen interview on the idea of a Universal Basic Income is a thought provoker

What do you think of this column?
Waleed Aly: "Sacrifice a basic level of equality for economic growth and you risk social and political fracture".  Find it here 

Is your city quiet during the lockdown? Mine is-see here 

And some suggestions of wonderful books to read