The Veg Patch this Autumn

Things haven't been that great on the veg patch this year.  The weather has been so rainy that I've not been out there with the children all that much, and of course veggies like a certain amount of warmth.  Here's what's going on just now:

I have a greenhouse full of unripe tomatoes.  I think I need to start them off a bit earlier next year.  Time is now running out, so I'll be resorting to storing them with a ripe banana (it gives off chemicals which encourage ripening) or I'll be making jars and jars of green tomato chutney!

 The lettuce patch has been pretty productive, and doesn't seem to have suffered too badly with slugs this year.  Things are now beginning to be past their best, but I'm still eating plenty from the garden.

 I've never yet managed a good crop of runner beans, and this year the pattern continues.  Maybe they just don't like my garden (though I got a good batch the other day from the plant in C's little bit of garden).  I've got a few still growing on the pyramid and a basket full in the house.  I wanted to grow them more than anything because I think they look so amazing in flower, but as Hubby isn't that fond of them anyway, I might try one more time next year and then if they don't do much again I'll give them a miss.

The courgette plants were also started off too late, so I haven't had any decent courgettes from them, and now the frosts are killing off the plants.

The carrots last year were amazing, but this year have looked very sorry for themselves.  None have looked ready for harvesting yet.  I may just get in there in the next couple of weeks and get them out, we'll have some baby carrots at least, which will be beautiful roasted whole.

I've now tidied up the fruit bed ready for winter.  I was amazed to see that my new strawberry plants (put in early in the Spring) are still trying to fruit!  I've pruned back the currant bushes, most of which have grown from cuttings I took from my more established bushes last autumn, and have taken the leaves off the rhubarbs and cut down the fruited raspberry canes.

Last year I made the mistake of giving up on my brassicas too early and pulling them out.  This year the cauliflowers had definitely bolted and failed so I've taken them out, but the brussels sprouts are looking okay.  They've had a bit of a cabbage white caterpillar infestation, but I think I managed to pick most of them out, and there are definitely sprouts forming, so hopefully that'll be another new success to bring to the table.

I love producing things from the garden.  I don't take the trouble to read up much, test the soil, thin out or do things "properly", I just tend to throw seeds in and hope for the best.  Advice is always welcome, so if you can see any ways for me to increase my productivity, please do leave a comment!