Autumn Planting, Sowing and Growing.

Good morning.

This is just a little update on what is going on in the garden right now; I am so loving this bright, and at times chilly, Autumnal weather. Even though it all looks a little thin on the ground I still love wandering around looking at things, normally reminding myself of jobs that need doing!

This was taken yesterday.

I've been busy planting out the garlic, onions and shallots this last week.

I have prepped one end of the main bed for the onions, used the raised bed at the back of the poly house for the shallots and one of the six tyres for the garlic.

The garlic is variety Provence White.

I've potted on the strawberry runners so have eight plants now I think sitting under the bench in the greenhouse. All looking quite healthy and I also put a couple to sell out front.

Over the last couple of days I took a look at my second compost bin. I haven't had anything out of this in possibly a year or so? It looked in such great condition and I've used this underneath the polythene covering as part of garden prep on the main patch until Spring. 

This was taken earlier this morning and today is just gorgeous, another chilly, bright day.

As well as the newly planted onion sets I still have some carrots in the small patch and spinach beet, dwarf green beans, leeks and swede in the main patch. I'll cover over the remainder of the space as and when it becomes empty but I'm getting there.

In the greenhouse I still have one sweet potato plant and the beetroot; not sure when the latter will be big enough to harvest but plan on pickling it and will not grow any next year.

I've also sown a little kale in the poly house raised bed just for me. It isn't taking up any necessary space and will hopefully grow well. Does anybody else grow kale undercover over the Winter?

I've been thinking of sowing a small wild flower area, perhaps near The Snug, but need to look at whether its best to sow seeds direct or to over Winter some and plant out in the Spring. Anyone have any experience of this? I think it would be better to have a dedicated bed to avoid my lovely husband mowing over them!!

In other news the boys break up for a week on both Thursday and Friday due to the youngest's school having an inset day. They're going to spend a few days with The Gramps from the Saturday so hope my back is feeling better by then as I hope to do some jobs outside. Struggling with a bit of a twinge I don't feel like aggravating just now, but sooo missing not being outside. Jon and I hope to go our for a meal one night, too; we don't often eat out alone so it is nice to do so some times.

We have been really busy on weekends with the Airbnb room recently even though we are into the later months. Jon needs to do a little maintenance here and there so hopefully we can get that done in the next week or so before our next booking at the beginning of November.

Right, I think that is me for now. Not too much going on but hope you are still enjoying my ramblings.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Phew. It's Been A While!

Hello, my last post was on my birthday, just over two weeks ago but seems ages.

Since then Autumn really seems to be coming in with a vengence and I love it; gradual changing in the leaf colours and the weather, too, with it being chilly at night time more frequently. However, yesterday, and today, have so far been glorious and the bedding is blowing beautifully on the line.

I thought I'd do a little round up about things since my last post. We've had 10 Airbnb bookings, including people booking the new room which is  great, plus others already booked including a repeat guest for New Year's Eve!

The garden is changing but I still love my little patch of paradise.

In the poly house bed I've sown the Nantes 2 carrots I ordered recently, hoping for an early crop in January, I took up the last cucumber plant and prepared the soil for not sure what yet and the Dwarf Meteor peas are showing already so very pleased with that. 

The Christmas spuds have been moved into there now as we had a slight frost on the night of October 6 and didn't want to risk it. However with the weather improving -  the temperature in there being 78 degrees yesterday, I was maybe being a bit panicky...!

My main crop spuds I'm very sorry to say have been an epic fail. I think my problem was planting the tubers far too close together coupled with the VERY warm weather plus not watering the tyres enough. Hay ho, lesson learnt and won't be doing that again next year.

In the greenhouse I have hardy Sweet Pea Spiced Mix just showing their faces which is great. The beetroot is doing really well and I took up the last tomato plant and sowed turnips in its place. The sweet spuds are dying back now but going to leave them a bit longer. 

The Spring cabbages are now covered with netting as taking no chances with those.

A few onions have bloomed a little late in with the cabbages so seeing how they do...

Jon has built all three raised beds now, including one a funky triangular shape, which needs painting.

The biggest couple of jobs I did this week were some of the beds. I took out the few weeds there were in the far end of the main patch then covered with with chicken poo, homemade compost and polythene for over Winter. 

I was outside until 7pm last night and the bed at the back of the poly house has now been prepared with lots of lovely homemade compost as I plan on putting either the garlic or shallots in there; sets will be arriving soon.

I just need to finish the other end of the main patch, now the climbing peas have been taken up as that will be used for the onions. I love getting things like this ready.

In the kitchen I've processed all the cooking apples gifted to me by Jon's dad, apart from a few I have stored in the cellar. The second freezer is packed with bags of them and I have bottled five jars of them in sugar syrup. 

But a little mad with myself as I didn't pack them down enough so there's a bit of a gap and excess syrup but it will make the puddings I make with them lovely and sweet!

Well I'd better get on as the next lot of washing will need to be out soon.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx