With Joyce Russell
THE very first frost of the year may arrive in the latter half of October. It might wait until November, but there is no doubt that chillier weather condition will be with us prior to too long. A hard frost will eliminate any unprotected tender plants and you will most likely wave bye-bye to outside courgettes, fennel, tomatoes, peppers and so on.Plants growing in a greenhouse or polytunnel will be safeguarded for a couple of weeks longer and you may get them for longer once again if you view the forecast and are prepared to add a few extra coverings until a cold spell is gone. But whatever way you look at it, the season of summertime crops is coming towards an end. There is a steady transition to the glory of sprouts, kales, cabbages, cauliflower, spinach, leeks, chard and broccoli as the greens of a winter season garden take pride of place. Include these to all your stored garden produce and you are taking a look at some great eating through the months ahead. Plenty to do The huge fall clear up needs to be well under
method. – Beds can be cleared
when crops end up producing. Eliminate weeds, taking care toremove any
with deep roots. Dig in some manure or compost, if you have it, and cover the lot with a water resistant covering. The bed will be ready to plant when you get rid of the cover in spring. – Get rid of netting from fruit beds and remove twigs and so on prior to packing it away.
Repair any holes now if you have the time– it’s so great not to have to consider this when bushes require netting once again next year. Utilize a strong rot-proof thread so the job is well done. – Examine that all supports remain in location for high brassica plants. Late fall and winter season winds can do a lot of damage and you do not desire Brussels sprouts rooted out and flat on the ground. – Inspect any tree ties and supports in the ornamental garden too. It isn’t just edible plants that can be blown down. – Neat paths and wash pots before putting them away in the shed. There’s lots to do
to make all neat and neat so you can unwind through the months ahead. Turn the load! A compost pile can be the heart of a garden
and most can suffer from long spells of neglect.This is the
time to take control and offer a boost back, so the heart of the garden can beat strongly again. Ifyou have a two bin system,
turn the contents of a complete bin into an empty one. The least rotted stuff at the top of the old stack will end up at the base of the new one and the more decomposed things will wind up at the top. You will integrate lots of air at the same time and if you can include layers of nitrogen abundant product into the heap as you turn it, you
will begin everything working again. Ensure the contents perspire and cover the top to keep excess rainfall out. You need to have a lot of good garden compost that’s ready to use when next spring happens. Plant peas and beans Choose hardy varieties that will stand through a cold winter. Aquadulce Claudia is my favourite autumn planting broad bean and Oregon Sugar Pod is a respected and scrumptious mange-tout pea. Meteor is an excellent podding pea variety, although if you grow under cover in a moderate winter, you can
have success with lots of summer
alternatives too. I have actually had plentiful harvests from Hurst Greenshaft sown in a polytunnel in October. You can plant in pots or trays to plant out later on or directly beneath a cloche if growing outdoors. Sowings are more effective with some covering through winter. Do look out for rodents digging up the seeds to consume. I sow extra in a tub to replace any spaces in the rows. Sow broad beans in 8cm pots in the greenhouse.
These can be planted out undercover in December to provide some additional early beans next year. Keep pots watered and constantly plant out prior to roots wind around the within the pot. A little bit of colour There are lots of small winter-flowering plants available from garden centres, supermarkets and market stalls.
As I have actually stated before, mini cyclamen are some of my favourites and they do extremely well in a protected window box. Examine any plants carefully prior to you purchase. Is the garden compost moist and are leaves healthy? Wilting or discoloured leaves can be an indication of tension. Are there plenty of brand-new
flower shoots or buds? Is the plant rootbound oris it at an ideal indicate grow on? And be prepared to plant into a larger container or the garden border within a day or two of getting home. Look for brand-new flower buds. Plant broad beans for early pickings next year.