Today I went and photographed some overgrown plots at the allotments. This was with a view to using the photos as evidence for a nagging the council session.
I found at least three that haven't been done at all this year. One was a real rubbish tip, with so much plastic things, like composters, tarpaulins etc. on it that it would take weeks to clear it. However....tempting though it is it is right next to a tall building and a large tree which cut off the sun til after lunch. I think it would be disheartening having that plot! So I will just phone in a gentle nag without being specific, as I wouldn't want to be only offered that one!

I still have plenty to do at home anyway. I spent this afternoon clearing some huge tired shrubs from where I want the last of my 8'x3'6" beds....making up the eight. I have a load of weeding and levelling to do before it is ready for the bed edges to be put in place. Then I have plenty of soil to fill it as the bed has rather risen up the fence and has begun to rot it so needs moving away from the base. It will take a while to get the roots out anyway.

I also weeded the square foot beds which still have some salads, chard, spinach, carrots, fennel, beetroot, leeks, etc in them. I staked the Brussels in the brassica bed. I chopped up a mountain of self sown nasturtiums which were still flowering but in my way, and then weeded out the beds they were in. The mustard green manure crop also came up and I have now prepared the bed for the shallots. These were intended for the plot but I'm not going to put them in now as I'm not sure what is going on up there.
I have a mountain of shredding to do tomorrow, but that is good because I use the shredded bark and twigs as pathway material between the deep beds.

I almost forgot to say that I decided it was time to dig up the sweet potatoes in the deep bed. I was surprised to find a goodish crop under the five slips I planted. The ones I planted in the pots were really disappointing, so I was worried as to what I'd find in the soil. I think I'll put the potted ones into the tunnel for the winter and see if they produce any tubers next year (I replanted the plants when I found them barren).

In the bed I cleared I also found some small courgettes...the last of the season.....not bad eh? Courgettes from outside on the 8th November. The plant still had good leaves on too. They would have succumbed later this week though as I believe we are due for a cold snap. I use the info on this site http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/HOBBIES/gardening.asp when planning my gardening. I like the way they predict likely soil temperatures. They even tailor the info to your own postcode.