Home and Garden

Home and Garden love your garden

by Greenfingers

Our countryside walks continue and the trees are looking fabulous in their autumn foliage and the colours all around are just glorious. There is a special smell in the air in autumn, a sort of mixture of damp leaves, moss, grass and farm animals. We pass several fields of cattle on our journeys and we have seen the new-borns in the fields and watched the feeding behaviour when the hay bales are delivered … such patient animals! The cyclamen in the woods are stunning yet again, every inch of ground beneath the trees in the forested areas are absolutely covered with the pale, dainty blooms……..even mine in the garden have put on a good show. We have to make the most of them because their season is short and they are soon gone. What is really noticeable is the birdsong; everywhere we go, we are greeted by different ‘melodies’, sometimes a solitary bird sings a prolonged ‘aria’ and other times the whole chorus joins in…tremendous sounds that just make us stop and listen. The seasonal hedgerow fruits…..... blackberries and sloes mainly, are there for the picking, but are much smaller than usual due our very dry spring and summer. Following the recent rain (thank goodness that arrived at last!) fungi are sprouting from very damp tree stumps and sometimes appear as if from nowhere in the middle of a path. We saw such a clump today on our walk and managed to leave them unscathed as we passed. Such an ancient species, right at the beginning of plant taxonomy (a posh word for lists or groups of similar or related things) but so interesting. The shapes, colours and textures, we’ve even seen the red spotted ones that used to adorn pictures in our stories books when we were very young. We were lucky enough as children, to have many of the small, hardback Ladybird books on ‘nature’, with their detailed drawings and descriptions, kindling an interest which became more of a passion later on. There was so much detail about natural life in those books and I can still hear my fathers’ voice reading them to us. Isn’t it funny, that once you can read for yourself, you can’t remember a time when you couldn’t! The pear tree in the garden has now been pruned, such a good cropper and a lovely flavour to the fruits. The peach tree produced more peaches than ever, but nearly all of them were diseased so not much eating of those! I have a medlar tree in a pot, waiting to be transferred to the garden … I’m trying to decide where to put it at the moment. The name ‘medlar’ isn’t heard very often now and to some extent it seems to be a bit of a forgotten fruit tree, one that was mentioned in older story books from time to time. It has a lovely Latin name, Mespilus germanica and is a member of the rose family. The blossom was lovely, large, flat open flowers in a pinkish-white shade. The fruit is very bitter and hard and was traditionally made into a jellies and jam when the fruits were decaying. Our fruits were very small and didn’t swell enough, well hardly at all,…….lack of water mostly to blame, but I was sharing what water I had with so many other plants in the garden. Hopefully next year we’ll have the rain we need and the results will be more positive. This summer really has shown the effects of climate change, with no rain at all for many weeks and the recuperateurs emptying quickly even though I was rationing as much as possible. So sad to see nurtured and valuable plants dying. I’m going to invest in more water storage ‘vessels’ in the garden for

next year and treat every one as precious. As far as I’m aware our hosepipe ban is still in effect. The commune ‘cutters’ have been out cutting the hedgerows, or should I say, ripping them! The branches are all torn and very rough, but at least they are cut and the hedging species can tolerate the treatment. When I think that in the UK many of those ‘environmental’ budgets have been cut completely, I’m pleased to see the continued care of our own countryside here. Its’ spring bulb planting time again and I’ve take advantage of the special offers on bags of compost, so I’m prepared! I have already bought some packs of bulbs and have some more coming by post after ordering online…delicious looking at all the new varieties in the catalogues and trying to decide which to buy for a change from the usual. After attending various plant fairs, I’ve accumulated some plants that need to be transferred to the flower beds or re-potted into bigger containers. I’ve also sorted out my garden workshop, sounds good doesn’t it, but it’s really an old dependence that I’ve commandeered. I have electricity installed, a mini kettle and mugs and most importantly the radio/tape/cassette player that goes everywhere I go in the garden, rain or shine. I’m so lucky to have that space and use it all the time……my husband is thinking of putting a bed out there! Whatever you do in your garden, enjoy it to the full. Don’t forget to spend time just looking at your efforts, with a good cuppa or glass of something in hand, appreciating the results you’ve achieved and dreaming up new ideas for the future.

Now is the time to :

The end of the year is coming ever closer, but there is still plenty to do outside! • Plant tulip bulbs early in the month, when all the other spring bulbs have been planted. Apparently, from what I’ve read, there is a better chance of avoiding the fungal infection ‘tulip fire’ that can damage the bulbs if you plant in this ‘order’. Make sure the bulbs are planted in a sunny position in welldrained soil. if your soil is a bit on the ‘heavy’ side, add some grit into the planting holes and sit the bulb on top of it. This helps to protect the base plate of the bulb from sitting in water that may collect in the hole after heavy rain.. Plant in informal groups in flower beds in the sunniest part of the garden, or select some attractive pots and mix a couple of different coloured varieties to give a lovely burst of spring colour. Wallflowers and forgetme-nots accompany tulips very well and the scent from the wallflowers is an added bonus. • Lilies can be planted from now right through until April. The bulbs should be placed on their sides about 15cms below the soil surface. If the soil is heavy, use sharp sand and lay the bulbs on their sides on top of this and it will aid drainage in the soil and can prevent the bulbs from getting too wet and rotting. Tulipa tarda is one of the earliest to flower and will add a lively yellow ‘spot’ in the garden. If November/December prove to be very wet months, then the soil may well be waterlogged. If this is the case, plant the lilies into pots instead, using some broken terracotta crocks or a good layer of grit as a lining at the bottom of the pot. If the bulbs are rather small, plant at least five bulbs together, if they are much larger, only plant three in each pot. Backfill the pots to the brim with compost and place them where you can see them in the garden. The alternative is to bury the planted pot up to its’ brim in a flower bed. The Asiatique lillies are very reliable bloomers and they come in

some stunning colours and Lilium regale has beautiful white flowers and lovely perfume. As soon as the foliage begins to show above the soil, look every day for signs of red lily beetle. They lay their eggs on the stems or leaves in a thick, black mucous and as they hatch, the grubs will eat all the foliage very quickly. There are pest killers available in the garden centres, but it is more ecologically friendly to put a pair of gloves on and wipe the ‘goo’ plus its larva off the leaves/stems. • Prune deciduous trees once all the leaves have fallen, and use this time to shape the tree as you would like to see it, or reduce its’ size slightly if its’ too tall, and trim branches back that are casting too much shade. Look out for any branches that are crossing or damaged and remove them…….branches that rub together can remove a layer of bark and this provides an entrance for fungal disease or pests to enter. Always cut back to a joint. Don’t forget, pruning stimulates new growth, so don’t go too mad with the secateurs. • Check around the garden for tall branched shrubs or trees and trim them back to prevent damage during any very windy

Continued .....

days or nights. If these plants start ’rocking’ due to the wind, eventually a gap will be worn in the soil around the roots, which will allow water in and the roots may become damaged by rot setting in. A heavy frost may also allow any ‘standing’ water ‘to freeze and this will definitely damage the plant. • If honeysuckle plants, vines, ivy, or rambling roses have become ‘leggy’ and the stems long and straggly, cut these back by half or securely tie them in to a suitable support. • Black spot on roses can overwinter on stems and leaves, and on any fallen leaves beneath the plant. Remove any affected leaves on or near the plant and burn them. Hopefully this will help reduce the risk of the disease occurring again next year. • If the winter proves to be severe (not too likely, but we never know!) hungry rabbits may come into the garden looking for food and they can gnaw through tree bark and damage trees, even kill them. It’s a good idea to protect tree trunks, particularly those of newly planted specimens, by surrounding them with chicken wire to deter the rabbits.

• Trees with shiny bark, be it white or red, can be brightened up by giving the bark a wipe over with a damp cloth to reveal the beauty that ‘lies beneath’. • Root cuttings can now be taken from plants such as phlox, oriental poppies and acanthus. Use roots pieces of a similar size to a pencil (5-10 cms in length. One cut end of the cutting should be flat and the other should be cut at an angle. Prepare pots or containers to hold the cuttings. Push the cuttings into pots of seed or cuttings compost after dipping the cut ends into rooting hormone powder. Top the pots off with fine grit. • Check stakes around trees making sure that the ties haven’t become too tight as a result of increased girth size during the summer. Ensure that any rotten support posts are replaced. • Carry on mowing the grass as it will continue to grow whilst temperatures remain warm. Raise the mower blades on a higher setting as the grass tends to be lush and thick with the new growth.. • If you do not usually lift canna lily bulbs, cover the flower bed with a thick mulch of wood chip or straw, as some of these bulbs are not completely hardy and the mulching will help to protect them. • Japanese maples can be pruned now if necessary. Cut back to a side branch….cut cleanly without leaving a ‘nubby’ bit as this can cause the branch to die back. • Hardwood cuttings can now be taken from shrubs, climbers and deciduous trees. The cuttings should come from this years’ growth, and be up to 30 cms long. Push the cuttings around the edge of pots filled with cuttings compost. • When penstemons have finished flowering, cut back the tops back by a third…another cut back can be made next spring. Use the cut off material for cuttings. • New turf can still be laid as long as the ground is not waterlogged or frozen. • It’s advisable to bring citrus plants inside if they are of a size that are easy to move. Otherwise, leave them outdoors and cover with a good thick layer of fleece. If the pots stand in saucers or dishes, empty them out after rain so that the roots don’t become waterlogged. I have hardened my two lemon trees off now, by gradually exposing them to mild cold, but I did have one year when both trees were shocked by the cold and they shed all their leaves. I reduced the size of each plant by a small amount and they have both recovered; however, if severe frost or snow is forecast I would definitely cover them in the fleece straight away. It is possible now to buy fleece in a ready- made ‘bag’ shape with a drawstring tie. These are very useful, not just for citrus plants, but for any other tender shrubs that may need protecting. • If you are going to have a go at growing nuts, e.g hazel, acorns, horse chestnuts etc. sow them in pots outside as they need to be cold for two to three months in order to germinate. • My ivy is coming into flower now and I won’t cut it back until after the winter as the berries produced are a good food source for the wildlife.

• If you have used barley straw to keep algae from growing in the pond, remove it now and leave it on the side for a few days for any remaining wildlife to escape and find shelter. • Examine any stored fruit regularly for signs of rot and discard it immediately before it spreads. • Leeks can be harvested as you need them and those left in the ground will continue growing. • If trees have been felled for whatever reason, make a good log stack that will provide shelter for small mammals and other creatures during the coldest months. • Garlic needs a period of cold before active growth begins, so it can be planted now. If the soil is very wet, plant the cloves into seed trays and leave in the greenhouse or cold frame and plant out in spring. • Clean out bird boxes and this will encourage birds to use them during the winter and then hopefully they will stay long enough to use them as real ‘nesting’ sites for egg- laying in the spring. With the avian flu’ that has been a problem locally

this year, cleansing the boxes will reduce the likelihood of it developing in your garden. • If you are going to have a garden bonfire, and have made a heap of material to burn, check it over before lighting in case any wildlife has made a home in it. • Give the greenhouse a good clean, removing any dead leaves and general debris after seed sowing and cutting taking. Keep an eye on newly planted cuttings or seedlings for signs of mould and get rid of any that develop this disease. Ventilate the greenhouse regularly on cool, but not frosty days as a good flow of cold air keeps the spread of fungal and mould infections to a minimum. • Make sure that the pond is clear of fallen leaves and thin out any over exuberant oxygenating plants. Service any pumps that are in use. • Blueberries have become a very popular fruit now, mainly for all the health benefits it offers, but also because it’s a nice shrub and not too difficult to grow. These shrubs….Latin name Vaccinium, prefer a slighty acidic soil that is well drained but can retain moisture. They can be grown successfully in pots of ericaceous compost. When planting into garden soil, add composted material to the planting hole……….don’t use mushroom compost or manure as these are too alkaline for successful growth of the shrub. Blueberries can be planted in autumn or spring in the ground or in pots and it’s best to grow two different cultivars to ensure cross pollination and good cropping levels. Mulch well at the end of the winter months and feed with a fertiliser, such as ammonium sulphate……don’t over- do the fertiliser as myrtles are sensitive to the level of it and they won’t grow well when over fed. Water well during dry spells and protect with netting when the fruit is forming otherwise the birds will take the lot! • Plant up pots of Paperwhite narcissus so that they will flower in time for Christmas. Grow in a cool, light place. • Read through garden supply catalogues and order new seeds and plants for the spring. Just looking through them makes my mouth water and when an order is placed the anticipation is fantastic!!

Greenfingers

From: A fine crop of peas being spoiled by a storm. When Morrice views his prostrate peas, by raging whirlwinds spread, He wrings his hands, and in amaze he sadly shakes his head. ‘Is this the fruit of my fond toil, my joy, my pride, my cheer’! Shall one tempestuous hour thus spoil the labours of a year? Oh, what avails, that day to day I nursed the thriving crop, And settled with my foot the clay, and reared the social prop! Ambition’s pride has spurred me on, all gard’ners to excel. I often called them one by one, and boastingly would tell, How I prepared the furrowed ground and how the grain did sow, Then, challenged all the country round, for such an early blow. How did their bloom my wishes raise! What hopes did they afford, To earn my honoured master’s praise, and crown his cheerful board! Poor Morrice, wrapt in sad surprise, demands in sober mood, ‘Should storms molest a man so wise, a man so just and good? ‘Ah! Maurice, cease thy fruitless moan, nor at misfortunes spurn, Misfortune’s not thy lot alone, each neighbour hath his turn! Henry Jones, 1721-1770

DONNA IN HER POTAGER

November 2022

Autumn is most definitely here and in full swing! It has been dangerous to walk under a tree without a hard hat as there is the risk of a walnut or apple falling – especially when the wind has been strong and it’s been a good year for both. Most of the walnuts from one tree have been gathered and the walnuts from the other tree are being donated to friends who arrived last night … but they are doing the gathering! Any left now are for nature to take care of. Cider making is well under way and some more is going to be made as fermentation vessels are becoming freed up as some has already been bottled. Not long until tasting! Cider vinegar is also underway now – why buy, when one can make? The friends who arrived yesterday are of the same mindset and always arrive bearing homemade gifts, from preserves to a felted puffin! Compost. We’ve always had a compost bin and haphazardly added to it without really thinking about it but now, as I need a lot of compost, I’ve been dwelling on it and if you remember, I wrote about it a couple of months ago. Well, the news is that the compost bin at home has been moved to be near the potager and the contents distributed on my big bed and the pile by the potager gate has also been moved and spread so the bin has been put there. While I was putting the

by Donna Palframan

compost bin together, I was thinking about the best (okay, easiest and quickest) way to turn it. Everyone knows the importance of turning compost. Anyway, trawling Pinterest, I found a tool for turning compost and the directions how to make it! I already have tomato tuteurs and just needed a broom handle or thick doweling. Someone is watching over me as that day we went to the déchèterie and there, poking out of a benne were two broom handles which were quickly removed and taken home. Why two, you might ask. I’ve been meaning to buy a new handle for my rake for weeks and there were two, being thrown out. To add to the ranks of compost manufacturing facilities, a big tumbling composter has been found at a very good price, so I’m busily collecting leaves with my vintage leaf sweeper to provide more varied brown materials. Can a person ever make too much compost? It might have been a bit early, but all the tomatoes have been harvested and the plants removed for composting. I wanted to leave them for as long as possible but as soon as they showed a hint of ripening, something was eating

them. I know that wood lice were eating them as I picked one and loads fell out of the hole and snails, but I also think this little chap was helping himself! The excess straw in the centre of the polytunnel, which is just starting to decompose has been taken out and used to mulch the artichokes and the bales down the side are part of an experiment with the chilli plants to try to keep them warm for as long as possible before the temperatures become too low for them to overwinter in the polytunnel. The potimarron have been harvested and are curing in the polytunnel until the frosts arrive, along with two of the butternuts. I’ve left the others on the vine as they were hiding under rhubarb leaves so hopefully now they are in the open, they will ripen a bit more before they have to be harvested. I think we’ll have enough squashes this winter!

We will also have plenty of greens! The Brussel sprouts are forming nicely and since I removed the nasturtiums from the brassica bed, the kales are recovering after being smothered. While I was working by the compost bins, I glanced at a patch of nettles and noticed that there was a patch of self seeded Red Russian Kale. Result! It never ceases to amaze me that one can sow seeds then tend and nurture the seedlings, only for them all to disappear overnight but chuck something you’ve pulled up on a heap and they’ll germinate and grow and do battle with nettles. I have transplanted quite a few into the potager and I’m pulling the rest as we need them as that area will be mown, or maybe I’ll just pull the nettles and let the kale take over. Decisions, decisions! The collards have grown well too…and I must cook some more soon! I used some when the plants were quite small then didn’t want to touch them again until they were bigger but overnight they seemed to, well, explode into huge plants.

While I have plenty of greens and a good variety, I have a distinct lack of roots, with only one row of carrots and a few beetroot left. This is partly due to my lack of organisation and other things taking over but also the very hot summer and the watering restrictions which made it difficult to provide the water needed for germinating seeds. I did get a good sowing of radis noir in and these didn’t seem to suffer from the drought too much, so I shall look into different ways of using it. The leeks also survived the drought and are flourishing in the cooler, damper weather. Bit like me, really. I’m still harvesting courgettes, although they are slowing down a bit. I wanted to make a scarpaccia and had to wait until enough courgettes had been produced. Scarpaccia is an Italian courgette tart, although mine tends to be modified. The last one had young kale instead of spinach and nasturtium leaves instead of basil – recipes like that are for guidance and ideas, in my opinion. I had to be patient as I do tend to cut them when they are quite small so tried not to look at them too often!

Autumn, for me, is the best season. A time to reflect and a time to start preparing for next year.

As well as the potager, Donna operates Gîtes St Vigor & St Martin in Basse Normandie http://www.gite-stvigor.com/

Telling The Bees

It’s been a sad end to the summer for many across the world with the news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen was extremely interested in bees and beekeepers, and had hives at Balmoral, Sandringham, Clarence House and Buckingham Palace. It therefore fell to John Chapple, the royal beekeeper at Buckingham Palace, to perform the traditional ceremony of ‘telling the bees’. Folklore has it that, should the bees fail to be told of a death in the family, ‘serious calamity’ would follow, not only for the family in question, but for the new owners. The bees effectively have to be ‘put into mourning’, otherwise the colony may die or abscond. ‘Telling the bees’ means that hives are draped in black cloth or have black ribbons tied around them, and are then gently tapped three times with a large metal key before the news is imparted. Chapple informed the royal bees of the Queen’s passing and the ascension of King Charles III, telling reporters “You knock on each hive and say ‘Your mistress is dead, but don’t you go. Your master will be a good master to you’”.

Beekeeping lost another great ambassador and supporter when Bill Turnbull passed away in August. Well-known and much-loved as a journalist, author, and presenter, he was also a beekeeper and a trustee of Bees for Development. He was instrumental in promoting campaigns for increased bee health research funding, and was happy to help out and support any initiative that raised awareness of the plight of bees. He kept bees for over 30 years after he’d witnessed

by Amanda Baughen

a beekeeper calmly collecting a swarm from his garden; fascinated, he determined to become a beekeeper himself. When we climb into our protective suits before we set off to inspect our hives, we don’t normally give a second thought to how they came about, and few of us would imagine that they evolved from the world of bras and corsets. Brian Sherriff, whose name adorns the protective clothing worn by many beekeepers around the world, also died recently at the age of 94. His revolutionary beesuit was created in 1968 and truly changed beekeeping in that the hood with its twin-zip neck system can be unzipped so that it rests on both shoulders until needed. This hood was created from the materials used for making bras – boning, net and polycotton – and was designed by Brian’s wife who worked in the family business in Cornwall, where over half a million bras a week were made. You can guess that she was familiar with the materials! There is a happier note to the tradition of telling the bees: bees can be invited to weddings too. Fondant from the wedding cake is left close to the hives, and scarlet cloth can be draped over the hives to allow the bees to take part in the rejoicing. Here at 13 Bees we don’t stick to the strict rules of telling the bees, but we do chat to them in quiet voices, telling them about the major news stories. Sometimes it’s even possible to believe in the Celtic myth that they act as messengers between our world and the spirit realm… If you would like to find out more about beekeeping and perhaps talk to our bees, please visit our website for details of our 2023 courses www.13bees.co.uk or call us on 05 45 71 22 90. Donations in memory of Bill Turnbull can be made to Bees for Development on their website at:

www.beesfordevelopment.org