Monday, November 14

Going underground

We only managed one visit to the plot which was on Sunday so we only just managed a harvest to report. 
Root crops are the main feature of the latest harvest. We leave the roots in the ground until we need them as we have found that they store better this way.
When the chance of an extended cold snap approaches we will cover the roots with a mulch to offer some protection but most winters the crops manage to survive.

On our plot the root crops come in irregular shapes. They are the epitome of wonkiness but this does not diminish their taste.

The parsnips are the first of the season to be harvested and we will be happy if the rest are as large as these. Germination of the first sowing was very patchy and so more seeds were sown in the gaps so maybe we can expect some variability in size.

The cauliflower head wasn't the same pristine white as the ones harvested previously. I don't expect it enjoyed the flurry of snow that we were treated to on Wednesday. November is far too early for snow, what are the weather elves thinking? The cauliflower is destined for a vegetable curry so the head wouldn't have stayed white for long anyway.

Just as we were heading home I decided to check on the alpine strawberries and was rewarded with a few berries to add to our fruit salad.
Even the large strawberries are making a valiant effort to produce fruit.
Some are even trying to ripen. As soon as they spot a slight tinge of redness the creatures make a move on the fruit. I don't imagine any fruit that managed to avoid being nibbled would be of a standard worth picking but you have to admire the plant's determination.

The annual flowers have been battered into submission but I still managed to pick some flowers for the house.
This time of year wouldn't be the same without chrysanthemums. Once the tomatoes had finished flowering in the plot greenhouse, I dug up the chrysanthemums that had been planted out on the plot over summer. These were replanted in crates and replaced the tomatoes.
The plants were originally bought as potmums but once they had finished flowering they were planted into larger pots where they soon revert to more substantial plants. Last year's potmums were popped into the garden greenhouse. The ones in this greenhouse actually produced most of the flowers for the above vase. I'll be on the lookout for more colours when we visit the supermarket or garden centre.

Today I am linking to Harvest Monday over at Dave's blog  Our Happy Acres

Friday, November 11

Controlling weeds part one - fruit

Anyone who visits my blog cannot fail to be aware of the fact that we use a lot of weed control fabric.

It all started when we wanted to tidy up our redcurrants. As the bushes were inherited since liberating them from the head high weeds etc we found them difficult to keep tidy and picking the fruit was fraught with all sorts of hazards - not least when I stepped on the entrance hole to an active wasps nest. Back in 2009, we decided to use w.c.f. under the bushes and mulch with wood chippings.
This has worked well and any seedlings that manage to find a foothold in the chippings are easily removed once the leaves fall from the bushes. This year though the bed needs a bit more work done on it as some perennial weeds have managed to push through the gaps around the bushes.

We then gave the blackcurrants bed the same treatment. This time the mulch was well rotted manure.
We also covered several other fruit beds including under our apple hedge. We figured that mulching under the apple hedge could also cut down on any pests that may find winter shelter in the grass that was at that time growing underneath.
It was a much easier job this year when it came to planting up new strawberry beds as the fabric could be laid before the strawberries were planted.
The beds were mulched with wood chippings.
 The honeyberry bushes were also planted through the fabric.

As the fabric in these beds is permanent it is still necessary to pull out any annual weeds that germinate in the mulch but this is a reasonably easy task. Sometimes it is enough just to disturb the mulch by rubbing a hand through it.

We haven't done away with weeding fruit beds completely as some are uncovered as they were too densely planted.
This does have some benefits as annual seedlings that I want to encourage can grow.
Foxgloves also pop up in some of the beds and are allowed to stay if they are in an appropriate spot.

Also I wouldn't wish to deny myself a bit of therapeutic weeding from time to time


Wednesday, November 9

Thorp Perrow Arboretum