What jobs are we doing in the garden today, autumn 2016

Good evening

Today I've been learning about mulching

http://www.growandlearn.org.uk/mulching.htm

 

Hi Linz,

Now is the perfect time to transplant shrubs and perennials.
So carry on with the good work

 

If that's the case, I'll be out pottering again tomorrow!

 

Well there is nothing for it I am going to have to lift my NON frosted Dahlias today. Despite the gloom/panic merchants commonly known as weather forecasters saying we were going to get frost on at least five occasions since the middle of September AND we were meant to get loadsa snow a couple of days ago,got none of either.
I am going on a short trip next week so better lift them now in case it should turn really cold next week.
I for 1 am getting increasingly fed up with weather forecasters predicting the end of the world is almost nigh. I don't think they have ever really recovered from when Seven Oaks became 4? Oaks!
I was taught (maybe old wives tale?) it was best to let Dahlias get their top growth frosted before lifting them.However needs must. i have about 30 big corms to deal with so better get going.

 

Got nothing done yesterday as it rained all day, so made the most of a bright day today and got a couple of jobs done.

Sowed the 'Aquadulce Claudia' broad beans in the veg patch. It's a little annual ritual which I always enjoy. I look upon it as an act of optimism; winter may be just around the corner, but by the turn of the year they will be poking through the soil, bringing the promise of spring and those bulging pods in a few months' time.

Did some more leaf clearing and added them all to the leaf mould bin.

 

Plant some garlic, plant out some pansy, hope they can survive from slugs

 

Tidying and forking over my borders before the wet season starts here

 

Doesn't look like there's much gardening being done at the moment. Where is everybody?

Yes, I know. It's November and it's cold/wet/windy etc. It's not easy to get yourself motivated and get out there at this time of year, but it was a bright sunny morning here and I had the day off, so I made the effort and got a few little jobs done.

Staked and tied some of the autumn calabrese plants which had been knocked about a bit by the recent winds.

Re-potted a few herbaceous plants which I'd propagated when dividing some clumps back in the spring. Got some nice little Osteospermum and Tiarella 'Iron Butterfly' plants now. I'll overwinter them in the cold greenhouse and decide what to do with them in the spring (plants for Shineyland maybe?)

Also sorted out one of my favourite winter colour plants, a Yucca 'Golden Sword' growing in a large pot. It needed to be taken out, split up and re-potted as it had completely filled the pot with its fleshy roots and top growth and it was getting impossible to weed around it apart from anything else. It put up a good fight, but I did eventually manage to extract it (carefully) from the pot, divide it up and re-pot one good strong shoot. I also potted up a couple of smaller side shoots just as an insurance, in case the main plant doesn't take. Didn't even get 'poked' while I was doing it either.

Did a little leaf sweeping here and there too.

 

Although it's quiet on here, unfortunately Christmas is just round the corner @Trunky and a good few people are probably busying themselves with that.

It looks like you've been busy today though and I'm green with envy. Since relocating I'm currently and temporarily without a garden and boy do I miss it! Just getting out there and pottering around alone with my thoughts in fresh air. I hate being cooped up inside.

 

They were one of the first things I sowed in the copse end of my previous garden. Totally understand your sentiments. Sow now, forget and then have a wonderful surprise in the Spring. Must try and locate some and pop them in a pot; thank you for the reminder

 

Made the most of a fine, sunny Saturday as the forecast for tomorrow is pretty grim.

Did some more leaf raking and sweeping, all added to the leaf mould bin.

Had a right good sort out of all the pots and containers. Those that don't like being outside in the winter were moved into the greenhouse, the rest were all cleaned up and shuffled around (several times) until I had them all arranged to my satisfaction.

I try to have plenty of plants and pots which provide good winter colour and position them close to the house, to brighten up the view from the windows on those dull winter days.

 

Planted about 250 of the 425 bulbs I bought. Me and my best mate, CL1.1 did it. We'd prepared a suitable patch for them last weekend so it was quite a quick job with a stick each to make holes then just drop the bulbs in, then we just walked all over the patch to close up the holes.

It seems 425 bulbs covers a larger area than I'd estimated. We planted quite densely but still had loads left. I guess we'll be digging another patch tomorrow.

 

It was cold and we had had our first heavy frost when I turned out this morning.
The plan was to complete the following tasks:

• Plant out 20 Large Allium bulbs & Bark over
• Complete autumn clean-up of above bed
• Move approx 750 reclaimed bricks which are preventing the planting of a 6ft section of thorn hedging
• Prep & plant the thorn plants

The day improved from the cold start and the sun shined for most of the day.

The task list proved a bit ambitious; I only managed to comple the planting & move the bricks so prep etc. will now be tomorrow . .

davyp1