Last week we continued digging over some beds on the Plot. We are quite pleased with what we have managed to achieve this autumn and hope that it will mean that come spring we are more ready to make a start on the new growing year than we were last year.
The rougher beds will remain uncovered over winter in the hope that the rain and frosts will break down the lumps of earth.
Other beds have been recovered with weed control fabric and wood chippings. Not only will this help cut down a bit of work come spring but should also help warm the soil.
Other beds have been recovered with weed control fabric and wood chippings. Not only will this help cut down a bit of work come spring but should also help warm the soil.
This week's efforts have concentrated on one side of the plot which, other than one neglected bed is looking quite neat and tidy. The remaining large square bed that is overgrown is earmarked for a makeover. We just need the weather to stay kind enough to allow us to complete this and the beds on the other side of the plot that are still in need of some preparation work.
We managed to get more dry debris burnt.
We had a very early frost last week. Usually we are frost free until about the second week in November. This year Jack Frost decided to pay us an early visit. The kiwi is usually one of the first plants to give away the fact that he had sneaked in during the night.
The dahlias also withered at the touch of his icy fingers and so it was time to lift the tubers to prepare them for winter storage. The soil was still quite dry which made this task easier.
It was time to give our carrot and parsnip bed some protection. These like the leeks are left in the ground overwinter. A straw overcoat means that should the ground freeze we will have a better chance of digging up some roots without needing a crowbar.
We are harvesting according to need at the moment but we couldn't wait any longer to find our whether the parsnips had produced any decent roots or whether all the effort spent watering had been a huge waste of time and effort.
| 29 October |
As you can see from the above photo the first root we lifted had indeed formed a usable root. I suppose technically it was the second root as a small plant right at the end of the row was tiny. We were hoping that this wasn't just a fluke. Fortunately a couple more parsnips were pulled later in the week so it's a case of so far so good.
| 2 November |
We also dug more carrots and cut one of our Kilaton autumn cabbages.
The cabbage was the size of a football and solid, so should keep us going for a while
