Weekend 4 November
On the plot
You could be forgiven for thinking that giant moles had been invading the site for the past couple of weeks. What appear to be giant molehills are appearing on many plots followed by lots of scurrying around with wheelbarrows as plotters distribute the heaps across their plots. A local farmer has been kept busy delivering loads of well rotted (apparently it has been rotting for two years) cow manure onto the site. The farmer has been doing a roaring trade as it seems that every time he visits us someone else asks for a load. Fortunately it is past the smelly stage or we would all need gas masks. However, on returning home Pat on the neighbouring plot has made her husband Joe change his clothes in the garden shed. He has about as much manure on himself as on his plot.
- Other than moving manure much of this weekend has been spent clearing beds and also digging up some of our grass paths to create larger planting areas.
- We harvested the remaining beetroot as a severe frost (that incidentally never seemed to materialise) was forecast. We could have done with it too, to try and cut down on the hoards of whitefly that are invading all our remaining crops. There has been a bit of a frost though as the dahlia leaves have browned – no flowers this week!
- Just as last year, having picked some alpine strawberries this weekend, we have managed to have fresh berries through to bonfire night.
- Also harvested some cabbages and carrots
In the garden
- Our composting wheelie bin is due to be collected this week and so we have done some clearing up in the garden too.
- A tub of scented geraniums have been removed to the greenhouse to hopefully over winter.
- The garrya that I have trained into a small tree is now loaded with catkins - promises that it will look good in late winter/early spring
In the green house
Just a case of making sure that plants don’t dry out really. With the sunny days that we are still having it can become quite warm inside.
Out and About
I thought the trees were looking good last month but this week they have become even more spectacular. In the grounds at work we have some really large trees and the trees were looking so good that I just had to take a few photographs. They look even better first thing in the morning and later in the evening when they really stand out against the dark sky. Have you ever noticed that the leaves on one side of a tree change colour faster than the other. Also trees lose the leaves on one side before the other - look at some of the photos below to see what I mean. The hall, as we refer to it, also looks spectacular as the front and side is covered with Virginia Creeper which has been a really bright red for a couple of months now. Autumn is a beautiful time of year – just a shame that it heralds the approach of winter. I just don't like the short days of winter - it seems that it is just get up, go to work and then go to bed again - not much chance to get out in the garden or on the plot.
Weekend 11 November
On the plot,
Still more manure heaps are appearing. Gradually the manure is being shifted from pile to beds.
- The farmer who delivers the manure has levelled our communal plot but has left us with a large pile of rough soil
- We only had one afternoon on the plot this weekend and it was absolutely freezing cold! We cut back all our dahlias which had been bitten slightly by frost. We covered them with straw and black polythene as we have done successfully for several years now. We are in Yorkshire on a heavy clay soil and yet it works for us - click here - I think one factor that contributes to success is that the soil is very dry under the plants.
- There were a few sleepy toads and frogs hiding under the dahlias and so these were gently placed under the straw so they could keep cosy over winter.
- We also cut down the carrots and covered those with straw too as this was a successful way of storing them last year - click here-. Will it work again I wonder.
- I missed it – typical - but was told that a stoat ran across the roadway and hid in our compost heap – just hope that he wasn’t hunting for toads or frogs as there will be plenty in there holed up for winter.
- Took the tops of the banana plants that were cut down in the garden to the compost heap on site but Joe (much to Pat’s disgust) retrieved one as he reckons that if he pots it up it will root and grow – knowing Joe it probably will and turn into a thistle or something!
- Actually picked a few alpine strawberries so we have managed to harvest for one week longer this year. Don’t think that there will be any more although unlike last year the flowers haven’t frosted yet. The centres are still bright yellow. So who knows?
- Harvested, broccoli, carrots, parsnips and red cabbage. The red cabbage are a very pointy variety – Kalibos- and look rather strange on the plot as they have lost their lower leaves. They taste good though and that is all that really matters isn’t it?
In the garden,
The banana plants – well it’s developed into more of a plantation really - have been cut back for winter and covered in a straw overcoat. They made it through winter last year like this and even had a robin nest in the straw before we uncovered them. Previously they were dug up and taken into the greenhouse but have grown too big for this now. One more tender variety is overwintering as a pot plant in the house and is still growing – wonder how big it will get sitting in the warmth.
In the greenhouse,
We decided to add some everbearing strawberries to our collection. We ordered 12 Flamenco plants which arrived this week and so were potted up to grow on alongside the rooted runners taken earlier on.
Out and About,
The strong winds this week have put paid to the lovely colourful autumn display. Many trees are now completely bare. In some sheltered spots are a few colourful survivors. I just managed to take my autumn photos before it was too late. What with that and the freezing cold temperatures this weekend it now feels like winter!
Weekend 18 November
On the plot,
- Activities on the plot are now confined to weekends - as far as we are concerned anyway - and this weekend the weather hasn’t been particularly pleasant so things are slowing down somewhat. It’s fortunate that there isn’t as much need to keep everything under control. It is a time for taking stock really and deciding what we will do different next year.
- Saturday was very cold but by wrapping up in several layers we managed to put in a few hours on the plot. At this time of year I look as though I have piled on the pounds but honestly it is all clothing.
- The manure heap is very gradually decreasing in size – well it should be after all the work going into shifting it – I am providing the encouragement rather than the muscle power. It’s strange though it still looks to be an enormous pile. It should do the plot some good as according to the farmer it has been rotting down for two years.
- We had one or two blackcurrant and gooseberry bushes that never really produce fruit these days and so this weekend they have been cut out completely to make room for some new plants. Some brambles shooting from the nearby blackberry had also rooted themselves in among them so I was glad that I was well covered. Not sure what they will be replaced by just yet as there are so many different fruits to choose from these days. I reckon that the browsing of catalogues is going to lead to quite an expense!
- Gathered some berries off the asparagus. We don't like eating asparagus but it provides us with some nice fern for mixing in with the cut flowers. The berries grow very well and hopefully will provide us with some new plants.
- Harvested some cabbages - red and green- and it looks as though we will have some sprouts soon.
- Sunday was wet and miserable so we didn’t visit the plot.
- Overnight Saturday/Sunday we had very unwelcome visitors. Why doesn’t bad weather deter the mindless vandals I wonder, who seem to gain immense pleasure in destroying the fruits of someone else’s hard labour?
In the garden,
Not in the garden really but we did bring one of our tender banana plants into the house for winter. It is an attractive pot plant but at the rate that it is growing, by spring we will have needed to cut a hole in the ceiling. Wonder if we will get any bananas as it is a variety – Musa “Ice Cream” that is supposed to produce edible fruit.
In the greenhouse
Nothing to report here - it's just a matter of keeping an eye on things over winter.
Out and About,
- It was cold but bright and dry most of the week – pity it didn’t last into the weekend.
- Leaves are piling up high in the corners that the wind has blown them in to.
- Just a few leaves are clinging on to the protected branches of the trees.
Weekend 25 November
On the plot,
Poor weather again meant that we spent just one day of the weekend on the plot. It was really more of the same; moving manure, clearing plots, digging and harvesting for next week’s dinners.
Harvested, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, broccoli and leeks. The broccoli is beginning to sprout well.
Managed to gather a small bunch of very small chrysanthemums. Next year we are going to try and really look after them and have some good flowers for cutting.
A large skein of geese flew over the site probably heading to one of the lakes in the area such as Pugneys or Newmillerdam where they will spend the winter. I wonder where they had journeyed from. No doubt to them the weather was positively balmy.
In the garden,
The birds are visiting the feeders and bird bath in earnest now and take some keeping up to. We counted eight collared doves at one point – a record number at one go. They were jostling one another and clinging on to the bird feeders, whilst the great tits dodged between them to grab a peanut or sunflower seed and whisk off to eat it in a nearby bush or tree. I’ll have to start making bird cake again. It always makes me shiver watching the birds splashing in the bird bath on cold winter’s days but it’s even more important that they keep their feathers in trim during winter.
In the greenhouse,
Everything seems to be OK in the greenhouse – not that we spend much time in there at this time of year.
Out and About,
It’s amazing really that the dull weather transforms the lovely country roads of spring, summer and early autumn into drabness but that is what happened on some days this week. Fortunately snatches of sunshine spurred on the memory of what it had looked like earlier in the year.
A few trees are managing to keep hold of leaves but many are now looking skeletal.
