Now that the clocks have gone back the days will get shorter - something I don't like but only because it shortens my time in the garden. So, what have I been up to lately? Now is a good time to start tidying the polytunnel and greenhouse (not my favourite type of gardening), cutting back some perennials and planting bulbs.
I haven't done much in the vegetable garden. Most things are now either sown for winter or harvested. In the coming weeks I'll be planting garlic bulbs and adding some raspberries to the vegetable patch. So, I've been preparing the garden for spring colour and saving rain water. There are now two new water butts in addition to the five I already have. This time I purchased two slim water butts, with a capacity of 100 ltrs each, to go on my patio. That way I can water the containers on the patio without having to use tap water all the time, or walk down to the bottom of the garden to the other butts to fill my watering cans.
Staying on the patio, I tended to my ornamental pots, removing dying annuals and cutting back perennials. Where there was space, I added some ornamental bulbs, including a mix of different daffodils and some fritillaries including Fritillaria meleagris and Fritillaria uva vulpis as I love the colours of their flowers. I also used the time to collect some seeds. There were a few nigellas in one pot and the seed heads were full, so I took advantage of collecting those to grow even more next year. As a child I was fascinated by nigella, or Love in a Mist, in my mother's garden. I find it a pretty addition to any garden with its delicate foliage and its equally beautiful seed heads. They attract insects too, so this little flower is a winner in my opinion.
Propagation continues with checking on my rose cuttings that I took about four weeks ago. These I placed in a pot, using Rootgrow to aid the production of roots and get these cutting firmly established. The rose in particular is a yellow variety called Absolutely Fabulous and I wanted to propagate this one because its a very fragrant rose. Members of my family always stop to smell the flowers so I thought it would be nice to add a few more in the garden and give a couple to my mother. Anyway, the cuttings look like they are rooting and are now producing new leaves so I think I've done ok there. I've never really been very good at reproducing plants from cuttings in the past, having only been successful with Weigila and one other rose. I'm also going to try propagating cuttings of the Chilean guava that I have. Currently I have three plants in pots and I'd like to double that number as the children really love eating the little berries. Fingers crossed I can manage that one too!
One of my rose cuttings
As for the veg patch, I'll be picking the last cabbage next week and making some sorrel soup. The Christmas crop of potatoes are growing quite nicely, along with the beetroots and onions that I put in back in early September. The polytunnel now only has physallis, or Inca berry, but these have been slow in producing fruit so I don't see much promise from them. The raised beds are all empty apart from one section, which contains a few parsnips for Christmas. Over the next few weeks I'll be cleaning the polytunnel to try and prevent any pests from overwintering in there and I'll be adding electricity again to fire up the heated propagators and my new lighting to start some seeds off in November and December.
The last marrow that I picked - roasted for Sunday lunch.
Finally, I've been making sure that wildlife doesn't miss out. The birds now have even more feeders and I've seen a few new visitors - including a greater spotted woodpecker and a ring necked parakeet. The birds that visit the most at the moment are the smaller species such as blue tits, great tits, dunnocks, house sparrows, starlings and a robin. Once (and only once for now), I saw a different bird, which I think could have been a wood warbler as it was the right colour but sadly I couldn't get my camera in time to take a photo! The smaller birds will start prospecting for nesting places in January so I've been cleaning and fixing the old nest boxes to get those ready in time. Any that are up now are useful sleeping places for adult birds, keeping out of any adverse weather. Feeders and water stations are cleaned weekly as always to prevent any diseases from spreading, in particular canker in birds, which is very painful and birds will die from this.
The ring necked parakeet that I haven't seen since but I'm sure is around.
I'm also excited to tell you that I am now writing about gardening for a local free magazine, Harpendia! It'll feature gardening advice, suggestions and jobs in the garden. On top of this I'll be starting up my own small business to sell bulbs, plants and gardening sundries. There'll be lots of planning and hard work involved but it won't take my time away from the garden.
Till next time x
