Thanks Dpack. Might try that as we do have chimney rods.
My courgette finally seems to be growing some courgettes, I managed quite a good haul of blackberries again, and got a few potatoes and lifted the onions. They have done well this year, so letting them dry off and then will take them in and knot them up. One of the raised beds isn't too good and think it needs a lot more biochar as it is too dry. Still fighting the caterpillars on the cabbages. The grapes in the greenhouse are doing well at the moment, so hope to get some this year. They often split, but we have had sporadic rain this summer, so hope it came at the right time for them. I have been thinning frequently too.
So far we have been eating most of the blackberries, but I am already freezing some. Will have to bottle up the bramble wine and make some more from the blackberries already in the freezer. Had a blackberry and apple crumble last night using some apple from the freezer and fresh blackberries. Having the rest cold tonight. Nice.
Courgette problems here (Mistress Rose, have you had similar ?) : my courgette plants started with the usual (few) male flowers, and then switched over completely to all female flowers, hence tinytiny courgettini with blossom end rot if left on the plants.
I suspect it was too hot for producing male flowers earlier and now it is too late. Any other ideas ?
not courgette, tomatoes, my big boys set fruit then had a month not setting fruit and have now started setting again
i have been fluffing them again as there is a scary reduction of hoverflies and an almost total lack of moths
the cucumbers are prolific at setting fruit with no fluffing, just a few bees and hoverflies have done well
temperatures might be involved, although the same type of courgettes have done well for me in cool and hot summers
it might be worth fluffing the courgettes if there is a male flower among the women
otherwise pull em and replant with something else for sooner or perhaps later
a couple of months of growing season is plenty for some things that are better that barren courgette plants