Gardening

Note from a Small Garden

Firstly, I must thank everyone who came to visit Sherida and John’s plant stall and our two gardens in aid of the fabric of the church on 6th September. We had the most marvellous afternoon on a sunny September Sunday and made over £1000. Sherida had been preparing the plants for some months and what with donations from several good gardeners in the village, the stalls looked thoroughly professional with all the plants properly potted and with clear labels. The stall raised nearly £300 and together with very generous donations of entrance fees, and monies raised from the sale of jam, fruit and cakes from the produce stall, and crafts and cookery books from the craft stall, they all added up to magnificent total above. The PCC and Church Wardens are extremely grateful for the gift and it will go towards repairing the drainage of the church which, unfortunately, is in a poor state of repair. But perhaps what was most important was how much people were enjoying the afternoon and how supportive they were. So a very big thank you again. The Veg Club Plus met recently, suitably distancing in one of our gardens. We compared notes on what has been a queer summer, weather-wise, which has shown up in the unusual growth of various plants and vegetables. Some people have had a rotten year in terms of runner and French beans but others had had good crops. The same has applied to tomatoes. Why were my tomatoes planted in the garden so much more prolific compared with those in the greenhouse? I recently found a lost garden diary, first stated in 2013, in which I had recorded in May that I was trying borlotti beans for the first time (most successful this year) and that I had succumbed to Sarah Raven’s catalogue, particularly for tomato seeds. This year her Noire de Cremee, and a lovely heart shaped green and red striped tomato called Shimmer have been prolific and deliciously sweet. I thoroughly recommend them.

But as to the answer to why our crops should so differ from gardener to gardener, I really have no idea. We have had some lovely spells of

fine weather but also some very dry periods. I need to research gardens and climate change more. More next time.

Jobs for October

 Bring tender plants inside

Once the cold weather comes and the dahlias are “caught”, dig the tubers up, clean and dry them, wrap them in newspaper, label them and keep them away from mice!

Plant out winter tubs and hanging baskets

Start clearing the borders and plan what needs moving/dividing/ discarding. Good gardening from the Veg Club, Jim and me.

Julie Draper juliedraper@dumbflea.co.uk