Nov 9, 2011, Garden no 16, closing down for winter

 

Garden 2011 no 16

Closing down for winter

I was lucky last weekend; I had a completely free weekend, no arrangements, no commitments, no interruptions and mild dry weather. We are into November and the time has come to close the garden winter.

All of the fallen leaves are swept and composted and all of the garden waste that wouldn’t fit into the composter is happily rotting in a corner. The garden shed is tidy, the fruit canes are cut back and the last of the buddleia is dead headed and trimmed. While cleaning out some of the debris from the pond I came across two frogs which is wonderful, I was afraid the pond would never recover after the pollution in the summer and now, just a few months later, I have frogs back again.
I started my vegetable garden too late in the year to expect a high yield of any thing during this first year. I have had quite a few radishes, lots of lettuce, and one crop of carrots. The radishes finished a while ago but there were lettuce scattered around and my one and only carrot crop were still in the ground. I knew every thing had to come out. It’s November and even though the weather is  mild, I know I could wake up literally any day to a ground frost and the start of real winter weather.
I lifted enough lettuce to last me and my daughters for the coming week and then its back to shop bought ones. The carrots are small but sweet and tasty, I decided to lift them, prepare them, freeze them and save them for our family Christmas dinner. I thought that would be a nice way to use my first carrot crop.
I’ve also lifted all the geraniums. When I lived in the south I never lifted my geraniums and always at least some would survive. But I have learnt, geraniums never survive the winter here, they have to be lifted, so now I have a kitchen full of geranium plants.
I have dig over and enlarged the vegetable garden ready for next year; I’m even considering putting in some broad beans and garlic before the winter sets in.

So that’s more or less it for the year, oh except for the bird food, I forgot to buy any but its that time of year and I can’t forget to feed the birds.

Tags: garden, plants, garden2011

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delete reply catherinearmant wrote on Nov 13, '11 Perfect.

delete reply bennett1 wrote on Nov 11, '11 Our gardens here in Michigan shut down about a month before yours. I think it is the Gulf Stream that keeps you a bit warmer although you are farther north. My herbs are still going strong - the frost-hardy ones, anyway. If I cover them with leaves, they will last through until Christmas. Good on your frogs.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Nov 10, '11 veroniquemariquita said Your carrots did much better than mine. I can't seem to do well with root crops. Must be the soil or nutrients. My carrots were a nice size but extremely short. I guess i need to till deeper and get some food down there for them. once I started to clean and chop the carrots I realised some of them had been attacked by some sort of insect or grub. They must taste good, the insects enjoyed munching holes in them. I think I am going to have to look at complimentary planting

delete reply brendainmad wrote on Nov 10, '11 Looking forward to next year's garden

delete reply nemo4sun wrote on Nov 10, '11 another busy bee cool to hear about the frogs i like the little fresh carrots better then the big ones :)

delete reply veroniquemariquita wrote on Nov 10, '11 Your carrots did much better than mine. I can't seem to do well with root crops. Must be the soil or nutrients. My carrots were a nice size but extremely short. I guess i need to till deeper and get some food down there for them.

delete reply veroniquemariquita wrote on Nov 10, '11 It is a bit sad, but kinda rewarding to whack down all the straggly frost-bitten plants and wipe the slate clean, knowing that before we realize it, we will be planting and sowing again.

delete reply djdx wrote on Nov 10, '11 Well done. I didn't do too well with my salad greens this year but the store-bought--well, sometimes I look at them and can only see how dead they are.

delete reply mitchylr wrote on Nov 10, '11 I'm amazed that there's still colour in the garden here. There are late roses and fuschia still flowering, along wth some ground-heathers and a small purple flower I don't know the name of. At the weekend I even saw some bees and a wasp still flitting around. In November!! Nice crop you got there, the carrots look really tasty. Glad to hear the pond is recovering and that you found some wildlife in there. I must remember to get some bird food, too.

delete reply veryfrank wrote on Nov 9, '11 Good job there. Now all I can think about is glazed carrots.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Nov 9, '11, edited on Nov 9, '11 thank you ladies, this time of year is always a bit sad in the garden, but its also a bit exciting, I'm already thinking about next year..............and yes I really must remember the birds.

delete reply artprevails wrote on Nov 9, '11 mmm wish I could taste those carrots!

delete reply kathyinozarks wrote on Nov 9, '11 I agree with Deb-and I love to feed the birds, we are going thru a cold snap and the little birds were looking in the feeders for food this morning-gotta remember to fill them tomorrow

delete reply greenwytch wrote on Nov 9, '11 well done, Loretta! ; )