November colour isn't just from fireworks!

We haven't really had any frost yet this year and so the flowers in the garden are hanging on. Much of the colour is in the bed at the front of our house where the choice of plants was based on the length of time they would keep flowering - it seems I made some fairly good choices.

And it's up!

I've just looked back to see when I planted the garlic in the tubs and pots in the greenhouse and it was 14 October. So why the sudden urge to check?

Well - I don't go into the greenhouse every day now so the last time that I checked on the garlic was 30 October and some cloves had just begun to sprout and were looking like this.

But today there are lots of shoots and some are quite tall.

I don't expect the garlic growing on the plot is so far advanced but I do hope this isn't sending up shoots too soon!

So what's been happening on the plot?

It's that time of year when the main purpose of visiting the plot - other than to harvest some fresh vegetables - is to clear, tidy and dig.

The approaching winter plot takes on a whole new look with many beds empty - they don't stay empty for long as now that we have had some rain the weed seeds that have been waiting for the chance to germinate are doing just that. This means we can't just sit back and relax once the beds are cleared, there is still weeding to be kept up with and grass to be kept tidy.

It's not all clearing though as we still have crops providing a harvest. It's now that the winter brassicas, leeks and parsnip move to centre stage. We've even been picking fresh strawberries and raspberries at the end of October!


Despite a disappointing year on the carrot front we have harvested some decent sized carrots but this year they'll be more of a treat than a staple food.

Our winter onions are beginning to shoot but soon all growth will be frozen - probably literally - until next spring.


In the garden greenhouse the garlic in pots and tubs is also beginning to shoot

This year - after a hopeless pea harvest - we decided to sow some pea seeds now. If this works, and the mice don't feast on the seeds, we may be able to achieve an early crop. We have covered the sowing area with chicken wire 'cloches' to try and stop any passing creature from digging them up but I don't suppose chicken wire is any protection against a determined rodent. If it doesn't work - well we have only wasted the cost of a packet of seeds!


If you are interested in a bit more detail then:

My complete October diary is here

Our full list of planting and sowing is here

Our full list of October harvesting is here