Fortunately it wasn't the weather that was freezing it was the job of getting our tomatoes, pears and apples sorted and frozen. The weather was dull and mild all day. The sun didn't manage to make an appearance.
After what seems to be a long dry spell we are expecting some rain over the next couple of days before the weather improves for the weekend. It will be most welcome especially down on the plot where I've put autumn digging on hold as the soil is very dry and doesn't break up when turned over but just remains in large clods which dry even harder finishing up like pieces of brick.
Hopefully we'll get a decent amount of rainfall and then I’ll be able to continue digging over the last few beds before any really bad winter weather sets in.
The first of our winter onions has germinated sending up a new green shoot. It’s a Sensyu Yellow and was only planted on 21 September. We now need a few of its friend to get the hint and make some roots ready for winter.
Our cyclamen on the plot are now forming large clumps and are producing some exceptionally pretty displays at the moment. They seem to readily spread in the flower beds on the plot where the ground isn't continually dug over. They also enjoy growing in the grass beneath the fruit trees and although they occasionally get an accidental strimming they soon come back ready for more.
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Lovely post Martin many thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteNice tease in the title Martyn. Hasn't it been warm lately.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with clay but now am completely spoiled with rich sedimentary loam (with a neutral pH to boot) . I feel your pain.
Have just planted my Shenshyu Yellow (and Radar red and a whole load of garlic) so I'm hoping I'm in luck again this winter.
Thanks to Sue I have now purchased suitably sized 100gsm weed suppressant for next year's brassica patch. With 18" spacings I reckon I can us it year after year. Not so sure about using strips of fabric with onions and carrots, but if the brassica experiment goes well I could well follow your example (and copy your technique) in these areas too.
On our visit to Somerset we visited a NT property Barrington Court. It had a large walled kitchen garden used to supply the on site restaurant. Much of the kitchen garden is covered with weed control fabric and the crops look really well. They do put a very thin covering of soil/mulch over the fabric to hide it. Unfortunately many of their brassicas look to suffer from bird damage as a result of not been netted. It's good to know the professional have the same problems as we do!
DeleteLooks like the mild spell is coming to an end. Forecast highs of 9°C by the end of the week with a strong northerly wind. Time to get a thicker jumper out I think.