One important winter task, which was carried out last week, was to give our fruit trees a winter wash. One summer, a year or two after we first planted our plum trees, all the leaves suddenly turned dry and brown and shriveled. We thought that the trees were dying but at the end of summer the tree grew new healthy, green leaves. Although the tree recovered the fruit was deformed and useless. The year after the same thing happened and so some research was called for. We found out that an aphid attack was causing the problem. A specific aphid with the impossibly long name of Brachycaudus Helichrysi or more simply plum leaf curling aphid was the culprit.
Advice was to spray the trees each winter with a winter wash. This at one time would have been a tar wash but nowadays is based on vegetable oils. Trees should be sprayed twice during the dormant season, before any buds break, but we generally only manage one spray and that seems to do the trick.
We also spray the other fruit trees as the wash controls other over wintering pests too.
The second job was to add new posts to the 'fence' that supports the kiwi. Before I cut the kiwi back it produced a thicket that supported the fence rather than the fence supporting it.
Now that the fence is secured, I need to tie in the stems of kiwi that have been retained. Hiding under the kiwi were two gooseberries that had become feral and I have made a start at trying to tame them.
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| Before on the left and after on the right |
We have still more tasks planned for over winter but the weather will decide whether or not we manage to complete them.
We harvested a few vegetables to replenish our stocks at home.
At present our harvests have fallen into a pattern, leeks, carrots, parsnips and the occasional cabbage. Last week the cabbage was a Savoy.
During our dry summer, when I was watering our parsnips I did worry that this would cause them to be shallow rooted. I needn't have worried as they have produced some of the deepest roots that we have ever had. In fact harvesting the parsnips has come with a hidden cost. Whilst digging this week's parsnips, Martyn broke his forty plus year old spade. It's seen some battles in the past but this was one battle that it just couldn't win. Goodbye old friend, you have served us well.
During our dry summer, when I was watering our parsnips I did worry that this would cause them to be shallow rooted. I needn't have worried as they have produced some of the deepest roots that we have ever had. In fact harvesting the parsnips has come with a hidden cost. Whilst digging this week's parsnips, Martyn broke his forty plus year old spade. It's seen some battles in the past but this was one battle that it just couldn't win. Goodbye old friend, you have served us well.
This week I am linking to Harvest Monday which this month is being hosted on
Michelles's blog From Seed to Table
Copyright: Original post from Our Plot at Green Lane Allotments http://glallotments.blogspot.co.uk/ author S Garrett
Posts
Is there no end to your energy?! I haven't done anything much in my garden for ages (mushroom-hunting has distracted me a bit...)
ReplyDeleteIt gets us some exercise, Mark
DeleteOh, boy! Soup's on!
ReplyDeleteWe have at least three veggie meals each week, Jane so we go through lots of vegetables.
DeleteI am the lazy garden I can see by your list of chores being done lately. I don't have fruit trees because I don't want to have to spray them. I have broken a spade before. It made me sad because I had had the spade for a long time. Isn't it funny how we get attached to certain tools.
ReplyDeletePlenty still to do, Lisa but it is so easy to stay indoors with a good book.
DeleteIt only needs a new shaft
ReplyDeleteI said that, Ann but it proved more difficult than we thought.
DeleteThose parsnips must have been sending their root DEEP to find moisture. Spade breakers! Some of those carrots are impressive too.
ReplyDeleteI did water them very well, Michelle they got about 6 full cans most days so I hoped the moisture would soak down. The carrots got about the same.
DeleteHi sue, very impressive to see you've been so busy! That's a shame about the spade, but at least the old handle could now become a dibber (I use an old fork handle).
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally we already have a dibber that was originally a shaft from a different tool, Lou
ReplyDeleteI have about three parsnips which I need to dig up. I'm hoping they will be big enough to make a spicy parsnip soup.
ReplyDeleteI hope that your parsnips don’t disappoint. Margaret
DeleteYou are right, Sue, washing the trees is important, I was convinced that when my thuja got sick, a special aphid covered it all.
ReplyDeleteSorry to see a broken spade, I understand Martin, we often get used to our favorite tools.
It certainly is important for our trees, Nadezda. There are just so many pests lurking over winter.
DeleteI've known my share of broken spades - shame that it's obviously a favourite and nearing heirloom status. I don't suppose you could take it somewhere to get the rivet removed and simply replace the handle?
ReplyDeleteI don’t really know of anywhere that would repair it, Margaret. It would probably end up more expensive than a new one in the end.
DeleteSome great jobs completed! Wow re those parsnips.....oh, what a shame about your beloved fork, don't you just hate it when that happens...xxx
ReplyDeleteBest parsnips ever, Dina I think I’ll water them more in future years,
DeleteI hate losing an old tool like that. Sounds like it gave a lot of good service though! Your harvests might be in a pattern but it sounds like a very useful one.
ReplyDeleteTypical winter vegetables, Dave. Just right for warming stews and casseroles.
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