The end of the Courgettes

I go away for two weeks and everything goes to rack and ruin.

The courgettes are now well and truly over. The leaves seem to have a mould growing on them and they look very worn and eaten. What courgettes that were left have grown into some pretty decent marrows a lot more seem to have rotted on the plant, yet there are still a few newish courgettes which appear to have survived. But on the whole it's time for the plants to be cut back and cleared.

The chilli plants in the greenhouse have also survived with a decent crop which will now be dried and used in dishes over the winter. Did expect a few more, but then again these were planted from seeds in the spring and it's their first year. Hopefully the plants will grow bigger and better yet year and provide a bumper harvest.

The apple tree has suddenly made a whole load of delicious red fruit (unfortunately many with maggot/worm holes) but they will all be picked and checked and stored away. Some will be made into apple sauce and frozen.

And after that the only growing things left on the plot will be the rhubarb (just a few leaves left now), the grapes (don't think they are going to ripen) and the mint, in it's pot. Time to dig out the fork and shovel and get the plot laid out how I want it for next year.

And on Sunday there was a very strange delivery at the allotment shop. Two Guinea Pigs were dumped (for want of a better word) at the shop. Complete with cage and food. They seem to have been well looked after. But who simply dumps animals at an allotment?

They have now been found a home so don't worry.