SAVING SEED, SOWING AND STORAGE

Stephanie Hafferty runs a no-dig homestead in Wales and this month she has lots to do, including saving seed, more sowings and storing harvests

- Stephanie Hafferty

In September, I look at the weather forecast with more eagerness than at any other time of year, hoping for gorgeous golden autumn days. Sunshine will help the squash to fully ripen, and the storage beans pods to dry crisp and brown. Harvesting, storing and preserving is in full swing: jars of preserves stored everywhere (even under beds!), bunches of herbs drying from hooks and sacks of spuds under the stairs. We have enough jam and chutney to feed the whole village for a year.

SAVING SEEDS

As harvests are gathered in, it's an excellent time to save some seeds to grow some of next year's crops for free. Beans and peas are easy to save. If they haven't dried fully on the plant, open the pods and spread across the drying baskets. Leave in a dry airy place, until dry. To test whether they are dry, wiggle your fingers through the beans or peas. If they feel hard and make a rattling sound, they are dry.

STEPH'S RECYCLING TIP

Now is an excellent time to stock up on those plastic mushroom trays that many grocers discard, saving them from landfill. Designed to be stackable, they are excellent for storing and drying produce. Line with clean tea towels or kitchen paper to make instant free drying baskets for veg, flowers and herbs.