Things are dying. More specifically the courgettes are gone, as well as the recent frost has killed off the last of anything else outside, such as the one single Cape Gooseberry that self seeded in the Strawberry beds. The Courgettes are now just semi-dried strips of stems and leaves (and another plant, that of an escaped chard!)
Obviously it's now extremely easy to pull them out and clear them away. But the weeds that surround the existing compost bins are a little harder. The Borage plants still have a few flowers on them, and although the current weather doesn't really permit the bees to fly, it may get warm enough for them to grab the last few bits of nectar they need to see them through the winter so I am very loath to pull those at this stage.
But clearing everything else is just fine. Although not the Chard. It may have self seeded in the pathway, but I am all in favour of it just staying put. If it goes to seed and lets loose a whole load more little plants next year, then more power to it.
Oh, and as to our final courgette count this year...
... not bad for only 6 plants. Well OK, four then. Two of them didn't really get anywhere, and one of the plants was probably responsible for about half of the courgettes we ate, as well as two large marrows. Of course we're going to keep the seeds as this is now our tradition and they are a useful and abundant plant. I just wish there was a better way to preserve them other than pickling, which seems to be the best option. They go down a treat with a traditional fish'n'chips.
So clearing the plot is the goal for the rest of the year. Now I've cleared the final part of the big bed where there are two compost bins, I can move the old one which was resident in the old chard bed to start a new bin. The compost in that old bin has been there for a couple of years and will make a damn fine addition when raked out.
What to plant in there next year? No idea as yet. My plans for next year are still not fully formed. But I do still have a lot of clearing to do form this year.
