September Update

September is with us, the growing season has slowed with the fewer hours of light and the associated gradient toward  chilly mornings and evenings. Good for fruit colour to complement the beginings of fruit flavour initiated by a sunny summer  for once!

The main focus of activity now is apples. Discovery at last became edible and are now sweet, juicy and addictive. Baker’s Delicious and Laxtons’s Fortune will be following along soon now ,and then Worcester Pearmain and St Edmund’s Russet, for the rest of this month. 

We await the picking date for our Ribston Pippin – usually around the 14th September, obviously much later to be expected this season. From this point the Cox and later varieties follow in a reliable sequence. Keeping varieties  which are picked too early will shrivel.

Outside the Tomatoes continue well within the Dutch Light Structure which will be part planted to Spring Cabbage shortly. More cabbages to be planted outside this coming week.

We are involved with various Apple Events stemming from the Apple Day promotion by Common Ground from the early 1990’s.

The first will be held at Fordham School, almost opposite Fordham Church 15th September, where Andrew will be identifying apples and imparting advice to those with questions to answer.

An event at Copped Hall Epping will take place on the 13th October. Copped Hall is an ongoing Restoration Project. There is a large walled garden there also. Apples from here will be for sale and, once again, Andrew will be identifying apples from 11am – 4pm.

The next talk about apple production will be to South Essex Organic Gardeners on 16th September. (Please check their website for details).