...so, Autumn Equinox week meant a big sort out of the polytunnel here. Usually we have had our first frosts at least a couple of weeks before now, but not this year. The amazing sunny summer here (plus my advancing permaculture design techniques I hope!!) has meant that this year we have had a great harvest of frost tender fruits from the 'tunnel...tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, peppers, chillies, runner and French beans...
.....I then removed most of these plants to clear 2 of the 4 raised beds and topped up the beds with well rotted cow/hen manure/straw (3 years old) in preparation for the winter veg seedlings which had been growing on nicely in modules on the 'tunnel shelving ....it's hard to 'cull' plants that are still healthy and producing well, but needs must if the winter plants are going to get established before the cold weather arrives .......
....some plants in the tunnel will stay for now though ...these runner beans have shared this bed really well with the (2 year old) Tuscan Kale ...and I'm going to let them keep producing as long as possible ..the Kale will provide lots of yummy greens right through the winter ...before being replaced by new (3 different varieties) kale plants (sown from seed last month) in the spring