The Garden at the begining of Autumn

 

I’ve failed miserably at keeping my blog updated, millions of reasons but I’ve basically I’ve found it hard to be motivated. Recently I was recalled back to work full time, the new normal way of working is suiting me and I’m managing fine, and ultimately I’m delighted to still have a job.

These points combined, I’ve started to get my mojo back, even though being in my garden, keeping busy has been a blessing for me in these difficult times, I’ve felt a bit a limbo. its hard to explain.

Iceberg Lettuce

Earlier in lock down I’d sown every veg seed I could find in the house, getting seed online took an age, so I relied on existing seeds I had. This resulted in me growing veg that I was not really keen on, how many Dwarf French Beans does one really need….. I had loads of lettuce, all needing harvesting at the same time.

 

I decided as outdoor crops finished I would not replace with  new veg plants, I found the endless slug and bird attacks tiring, then a late frost wiped out many bean plants.  I decided to successional sow with flower seeds not more salad crops as I would have normally done.

Cornflowers

As a result I ended up with a very pleasing thick display of cornflowers which are still visited by many different types of Bees. As this has made me feel quite smug, I’ve decided to lean away from edible crops for a while and concentrate on flowers. So much less hassle.

However I did my usual sowing of tomatoes and cucumbers, and had very good harvests despite endless Blight warnings for my region.

Cucumber Cucumber Silor F1 and Sweetcorn Lark F1

Tomatoes

I’ve made about 10 jars of tomato pasta sauce, eaten tomatoes in endless salads, and filled every gap in the freezer with sweetcorn cobs. I’ve finished with the plants now, and cleared the remnants away so I can clean out my greenhouse and outdoor growing space in preparation for the impending cooler weather. I’m trying to get a head on jobs this autumn, unlike last year when it started to rain and didn’t stop until March.

Tomato Matina finishing off.

A new plant for me this year is Amaranthus cruentus ‘Hot Biscuits’, I’ve had the seed for a couple of years and not got round to sowing them, this year gave me the opportunity to try them out, and I’m pleased I did, they’ve made lovely plants.

Amaranthus cruentus ‘Hot Biscuits

Amaranthus cruentus ‘Hot Biscuits

I’m going to investigate some different colours for next year and grow them in my veg bed, hopefully with other flowers for cutting.

 

Some of my other pleasing parts of the garden have been my late summer flowering plants.

Helenium

Rudbeckias

These will keep flowering until the first frost, which according to forecasters, wont be too far away now.

Island bed with mixed results

My island bed had mixed results this year, earlier in the spring it looked splendid with the Alliums, but summer has not been kind, I planted many Zinnias and Cosmos hoping for a bright display, however, the slugs had other ideas and took every Cosmos over a few nights and gave the Zinnias a really had time, that and the hot, dry weather put an end to any chance of a decent display.

This autumn I will mulch the bed well, I’ve got a compost heap full just waiting for the right moment. All that time on Furlough, now back at work I don’t have a moment spare. Strange times indeed.

 

Until next time, Stay safe.