Garden update October 2007

Autumn Leaves On Garden Bench

Evenings are a great time to unwind and listen to what is happening in the garden.
On the wildlife side, the squirrel has moved out near to the hazelnut trees and is kept busy there I guess. The toads have retreated to the edge of the cliff where it is moist and leaves gather. We can tell that the garden prepares for colder weather as leaves from trees at the top of the cliff, gently float down to settle on the floor. In a few weeks time we will be sweeping the leaves up and creating leaf mould for next year, a vital nutrient that gets added to our compost bins.
The polytunnel is looking rather sad: the last of the tomatoes are trying to ripen and soon I will be picking the remainder and bringing them in on a basket to ripen in the window facing sunny south. The beds will get cleared and then left to the next occupier. No dates yet for moving but we are waiting patiently. It does however stop me from putting lettuce plants in the polytunnel for winter salads.
Lots of flower plants grown from seed will be planted in the garden, in particular lupins and foxgloves which I grew from seed collected from the plants last spring.Any summer flowers in the patio pots are being brought in or added to the compost bins. This extra soil makes it more fun for the wormies....

The water butts have filled up again and I continue to add the bokashi liquid to them which not only deals with any odour that might have been created but also then acts as a fertiliser when we water the plants with it.

Part of me is saying goodbye to the garden and I am feeling like I am tucking things in for winter so they get preserved and keep warm and cosy. The chickens are in progress of changing their feathers and when that happens they look a bit sad but at the same time they are enjoying the overgrown greens that they get fed.

Harvesting time for borlotti beans and peppers which together make a lovely warm salad to fill inside tortillas. The cabbages are looking better, less caterpillar damage, guess its too cold for them.

We are in a period of transition, neither summer not winter, which is also reflected in our life, are we going to move or staying here. The best we can do is enjoy what we see every day and tuck ourselves inside the house, woolly socks, warm sweaters, cup of tea, quilt and a snug feeling inside that we have improved this garden and brought back some of its glory and shared it with its other residents. As nothing is ever certain.......I plan for the next season.


Apples continue to be picked and preserved. Today I am making apple cake and an apple tart, not to be preserved but to be tucked into tonight after a lot of garden tyding up.