autumn doings

I love autumn and winter gardening - and there is a lot of it this autumn as for most of the year I have been unable to garden. It began with lots of time away having those 2020 and 2021 holidaysm booked but in abeyance, then I was ill for a month with a months recovery, then we had this year's holiday and I have returned with COVID, which has been hanging around for nearly a fortnight.

But yesterday I decided enough was enough and managed to clear out the greenhouse and put it to bed for the winter. Today I cleared the pumpkin patch (3 butternut squash, and 5 Turks Head squash/pumpkins) and harvested the sweetcorn, 8 mingy cobs from 12 plants I weeded the path and pulled out lots of weeds.

Next, the front garden (tomorrow) and then more work on the veg patch. I am getting really excited about it all.

The squirrels in my garden hid lots of acorns last year so I have mini oak trees in my borders ☘

Our squirrels are digging in my pots to plant the walnuts they are picking from our tree. ?

No chance of me planting tulips or any other bulbs as the squirrels are in full dig up anything tasty mode. They have exterminated all my montbretia/crocosmia with the exception of the variety lucifer which they haven’t gone near. Planting new delicious bulbs would have them in seventh heaven.

I intend to buy some chicken wire to place on top of the bulbs due to be planted now and the tulips which I’ll plant at the end of the year.

We have relocated two squirrels to a woodland but the remaining squirrels in the neighbourhood seem to be smarter and have managed to remove the bait and set off the trap while remaining outside for the last 3 days.

This week I have done some really heavy work around the pond. I am rather achey and so glad we are off to Loch Lomond tomorrow.

good reminder maple leaf, my mini greenhouse also needs a scrub and the glass runners need candlewax. That is my next job, after re-filling the troughs

Also will be covering 3 small veggie beds ready for winter, stops the weeds

Haven`t we all left the dozens of mucky pots in the past, only to regret that by windy rainy november. At least I haven`t got a potting shed or large greenhouse to clean

The one thing we can’t avoid planting in the cold is tulips!

My cut off for the garden is the end of the third week in October. I get out daily after that if the weather’s fit, but I like all the important stuff done by then. I’ve still got a lot of roses and shrubs to plant in the ground from pots before then.

I did some weeding yesterday and then planted a variety of bulbs in a recently extended border, so will have those to look forward to in the spring. I’ve got the mini greenhouse to scrub down and some cuttings to take as back up for my pelargoniums and salvias. I’ve bought more spring bulbs today to go into pots.
There’s always a job, isn’t there, but if we can get a lot of the tidying jobs done before it gets too cold, that’s all to the good.

I too hate not getting things done before the bad weather. Today I’ve been pulling up hundreds of tiny valerian seedlings from the gravel drive. Quite therapeutic and satisfying but once again I’ve given the valerian a death sentence. This time there will be no reprieve.

Today, cleared out 24 troughs each containing 3 basket strawberry plants. I know full well that I could divide and grow in but want to renew the soil and plants. I am growing on plugs from ebay for this purpose

Boring job but I have finished, took 1 and a half days. Got rid of soil and roots and am composting the leaves, flowers immature berries and stalks. The plugs are grown and ready and all I have to do now is go buy very decent JI3. They will be staying put for a few years

I have washed all the troughs and tidied up. Very much acting like a zombie on a conveyor belt

As soon as possible, I need to go buy 10 bags of JI3 as I also have two large raised beds to top.

All in aid of having a relaxing spring/summer/autumn next year and for a few years after