It is the end of rollercoaster August in The Fortnight Garden. It also looks like the end of the summer because the temperature has plummeted and the skies are grey. And the garden looks slightly weary, or perhaps that is just me.
1.Do you remember all those plums from last week? Well, they are either in the freezer, inside a jam jar, or in the fridge. The tree is empty and will be ready for pruning in September/October. This year I am going to tackle it early, and I think I should also spray again before the winter.
2.The pears from last week are still clinging on tightly and I am not sure what I should do. One has come off but I think it is still too early to pick more.
3.Crab Apples! The tree is still full of crab apples even though I have frozen and made jelly. I have a dozen pots of Crab Apple Jelly in the cupboard and bearing in mind that I still have quinces to come I think I have enough. I have flavoured the jelly with cloves and cardamoms, and some lemon juice, and now have to make something suitable to eat with the jelly. Oddly enough very few other people seem to be making jelly – do people not eat it anymore?
4.Miscanthus is flowering and looking good.
5. and 6. are one kaleidoscope!
And that is where I am at the end of rollercoaster August in The Fortnight Garden. The summer is ending and the garden is starting to look as though it needs a break. There is only one real disaster which is the William Shakespeare roses. They look ill and I think will have to go, which is sad. I am not ready to think about any other ‘things which must be done’ just yet and feel somewhat daunted by The Propagator’s store of bulbs – there are other issues to address first.
I never thought about jelly vs jams or preserves. Maybe the whole fruit is considered “healthier” and is more popular right now? I daughter likes jelly. I’ve only ever made jam, so maybe it’s harder to make jelly?
Well, jelly is just as easy as jam, and just as ‘unhealthy’ – 1lb sugar to 1lb fruit or fruit juice…. But perhaps people no longer eat sweet jelly with meat? I serve it with pork, lamb, duck.