It Ain't Half Hot Mum!!

Nine days since my last blog post and with a few exceptions the Autumn weather here has been warm with many beautifully sunny afternoons, which I have spent, preparing my plots for next season, as well as tidying and cleaning the usual gardening paraphernalia away for the onset of Winter. Although rain has been plentiful enough to re-fill most of my water butts and tanks recently, it has been raining either early on a morning or later in the day after I had left the plots for home. So much for the predicted wet weather forecasts again. (Bring back Selwin Frogget and his pine cones)??

Butternut Squashes Ripening Up

Marigolds N1 Plot

  Both N1 & N2 Plots are almost fully prepared for next years sowing and planting. Now that the heavy digging is complete the other tasks preparing the beds have been leisurely and enjoyable for a change. The 4 main beds of N1 Plot have been turned using a garden fork. The soil being easy to manage with just enough rain lately leaving it in easily workable condition. 2 of the beds have had compost added to them and all 4 will be rotavated in the coming weeks. The main bed and bed 2 on N2 Plot are currently well dug and ready for rotavating soon. 3 out of the 4 smaller N2 beds are now weed free and also ready for rotavating. The French bean, Sweetcorn, Chard and Squash plants have finished producing and have been removed to the compost heap. The Sweetcorn plants have been placed into my last raised bed to be built, due to the fact that they will take quite some time to fully rot down. When the last of the waste vegetation has been cleared away, it too will be added to the same raised bed before top soil from the drainage ditch bank is placed on top of it. My Runner beans are still producing some good beans and have been left in situ, at the lower end of what will be next years Brassicas bed. Some time ago I decided to remove my Summer Raspberry plants from N1 Plot, keeping the Autumn fruiting plants only, on N2 Plot. Early this year the Summer fruiting plants suffered from phytophthora (root rot). Although some of the younger shoots survived many of the larger specimens were well rotted away. On the up side, when I started to clear the bed this afternoon the main plants and roots were relatively easy to dig out, due to their decaying condition. This bed has been left mainly untended this year and it hasn't taken nature long to re-plant the area. I have so far removed the following self seeded plants this afternoon. 5 small Currant bushes, 2 Hawthorn trees, several Deadly nightshades, Shepherds purse, Dandelions, Grass, Thistle (2 varieties), 1 small Mares tail, Toadstools, Scarlet pimpernel, Chickweed, Creeping buttercups, White clover, Groundsel, Bramble.

Summer Raspberries Being Removed From N1 Plot

Fungi Growing From Rotting Raspberry Root

 During a brief rain shower on Thursday it was time to get next seasons year planner out and make space for it my shed. A "notice board" was duly constructed on the underside of my potting table onto which the planner was pinned. The planner itself was a much appreciated freebie which arrived with my seed suppliers catalogue from Moles seeds.

Next Seasons Year Planner in Shed

At the moment the plots are looking tidy again after some neglect this year, although the grass is still growing due to the warm temperatures, the paths and verges have recently been strimmed and/or mowed. Several tasks are still to be done such as tree and fruit bush pruning, shed painting, some manuring, cloche making and rotavating. That being said, it feels like everything is in place and running smoothly, ready for some organized gardening next year. The only problem I can see at the moment is how to outwit next years weather conditions.   

N2 Plot Main Bed & Small Beds Prepped for Next Year

 

N2 Plot Bed 2 Ready for Rotavating

N1 Plot Brassicas Still in Situ Runner Beans to Be Removed for Next Years Brassica Bed

N1 Plot This Years Roots Bed Composted for Next Year (Bottom of Picture) Leeks Still in Situ With Overwintering Onions

Currant Bushes Salvaged from Raspberry Bed (Right of Picture)

 

Grapes Still Producing Well

Garlic from Underneath the Raspberry Plants

Lots of Spiders About Lately

Strawberry Runners Planted Into Barrels Until Next Spring

There's Always Tomorrow!!