What's your garden like at this time of year?

[rebornfree]

I'm wondering what everyone's garden is like now we're well into autumn/fall in the northern hemisphere, and not far from summer in the southern.

The leaves have all turned colour in mine (except for the evergreens of course) and most have fallen.....but I could hardly believe my eyes today: my sycamore tree seems to have buds! My roses have finished except for one lonely bud, but I have had them still flowering in December before now. I have a few flowers on a couple of plants, and by Christmas I usually have berries on some others which I use in Christmas decorations.

What's your garden like now?

 

[servant of Merciful Love]

My garden is brown, lifeless, and barren, except for the one colorful, over ripe pumpkin I left out for the squirrels to dig into

Occasionally we are graced by a flock of wild turkeys; the deer are deep in the woods hiding from the hunters.

We have lost all our beautiful foliage, the trees are like skeletons, and the ground is now hard with frost by night, and slightly warmed by the lower daytime sun.

I do love the leafless trees which cast beautiful silhouettes against a sunrise/set, or cast shadows across the yard on a starry, moonlit night....and they now allow us to see across the lake.

 

[PetLuv]

Mine is still green and blooming. Had a new flower come out two days ago.

My mistake, didn't look at where this was..

 

[davedajobauk]

Looks as if it has been unattended 'for years'
The grass needs mowing _ but that can await the arrival of Spring
It is so wet and boggy out there, that the mower, would simply rip the grass from the soil

Everything, is now, either dormant, or died back
The leaves from Fall are still lying around... my excuse, is the the trapped carbon
and the fibrous material, that will be absorbed over winter

'sorry' is the 'state' it could be, called

Roll-on 2013 \o/



dave

 

[rebornfree]

Thanks for your replies guys!

Petluv - don't worry, it's nice to know things are green in AZ and that you enjoyed the discussion.

Gail, it sounds as if you live in a beautiful place: wild turkeys, deer, and a lake! Your garden seems to be in a similar condition to mine. I like leafless trees too; in fact I love all the seasons and changes in nature.

Dave, you certainly have had it wet. Although I'm not far away we don't seem to have had the same amount of rainfall. Is your soil clay-like? We're blessed with soil which drains easily here. I have leaves lying around too. I think we've reached the end of "multi-coloured leaves on the trees" time of year.

As we move further into winter I love to see the berries on the trees. Fortunately we have a number of evergreen plants, and I use their foilage, some of it variagated and others producing berries, to decorate the house at Christmas. I don't do it until 23/24th December, but I quite like it being done near "the day".

 

[redrose42]

my garden is concreate but for the edges i have alot fo bird feeders out there its nice to watch the birds come and go

 

[drjean]

sad.

I have 4 new bean plants that have just sprouted.
The green peppers and chili peppers never did, nor did the carrots.
The radishes will be ready this next week for eating...
No tomato plants yet.

The marigolds are all in bloom alas... but no garden to protect

 

[davedajobauk]

Dave, you certainly have had it wet.
Although I'm not far away we don't seem to have had the same amount of rainfall.
Is your soil clay-like?
We're blessed with soil which drains easily here.
I have leaves lying around too.
I think we've reached the end of "multi-coloured leaves on the trees" time of year.

Hi Sue, yes I am not surprised
that we have such a difference in precipitation between our two areas
despite, it being only 20 miles, or so

1. We have 'Manchester City' between us [I, am in a northwestern suburb]
and, large cities, do affect the local weather/ create their own unique environment

2. Where 'easterlies', [winds from the east] force cool air down off the pennines
and encourages warm moist air from the Irish Sea and the River Mersey
to precipitate more-readily

I have 'filled-out', our past clay-soils with compost [several tons of it]
since I arrived here in July 2007
and I am also composting leaf and grass clippings, to give the soils some 'body'

Yes, most trees and shrubs [here]
those that are not, evergreen, are very bare now

sad.

I have 4 new bean plants that have just sprouted.
The green peppers and chili peppers never did, nor did the carrots.
The radishes will be ready this next week for eating...
No tomato plants yet.

The marigolds are all in bloom alas...
but no garden to protect

Hi Jean

We find, that root vegetables, grow best in a soil that is rich in sand and growing compost
They 'depend' upon, regular watering and good drainage
Claggy soils encourages rot and 'drowns' the roots



dave

 

[drjean]

yeah... well I started all the seeds in small seed pot type soil etc. I'm thinking the seeds are old (will check dates again when I feel up to it..but pretty sure I do that when I purchased them).

I need ideas for radishes, as I can't just chomp them now I guess I could thin slice and put them on eggs instead of the tabasco

I just can't compost any more...can't turn it, can't shovel it... too heavy, too much work (really). Bummer. Getting older and more disabled is a big bummer, eh?

 

[davedajobauk]

Here, then is an idea that can aid your composting efforts

[? for what ? is "disabled" when you have a workaround ?]

To start out, envisage: 'a garden incinerator basket' [?]

It has ventilation freely available on all sides [?]

you need to layer 'the additions'
so that air can get between the layers
[a 40 gallon drum with holes punched in it, is ideal, if it has a tap [faucet] installed]

The liquor, if 'too strong', can be diluted [before application]

I use a 'trench method', and mix the 'gunge' with FRESH additions, to spread the useful enzymes
but then, I am still able to turn the compost with a spade

Hey ... Necessity, is the 'Mother' of invention [?]

"now, how can I get-around this 'hurdle' ?"
"what steps, do I need to take to reach the end I require ?"

When 'giving-up' is not an option... the 'deed' will be done
by enlisting-help, if, necessary



dave

 

[drjean]

I only have help 7 hours a week.... she doesn't even have time to help with meal planning, shopping nor preparation. (Not that I'm not grateful for the 7 hours...but it used to be 10...and md agrees it needs to be 20...)

 

[rebornfree]

Drjean, what about grating the radishes? I hope the beans and tomatoes produce good crops; it's a pity about the other plants.

Redrose I love to watch the birds too.

Dave, it seems you are coping well with the heavier soil. That, and the weather differences, explains why we have different garden conditions. I overlooked the effect of urbanisation.

 

[davedajobauk]

Dave, it seems you are coping well with the heavier soil. That, and the weather differences, explains why we have different garden conditions. I overlooked the effect of urbanisation.

Hi Sue,

Thankfully, and to their credit _Planners included 'lots of trees' around abouts
[amongst our homes] such, that there is at times
much less 'feel', of a city, around us
Within, a mile,or so, of our doorstep, we have a huge park
"Heaton Park" and it has a fairly large lake upon it
Closer still, we have "Mandley Park" and also Albert Park" they're smaller
but, they add to the general feeling, of being 'out of town' [?]

This house, was built @30 years ago and the clay and building spoil it had, for gardens
has been much-improved, with the addition of the fibrous material, I have dug-in

As I have in the past mentioned [and posted photos]
our rear garden, is basically, an uphill grassed area ...also, with compost incorporated
surrounded, by borders 2-3 foot deep, in which I have planted perrenials
to support /back-up, the roses
Rainwater, simply drains downhill and makes the lower area very sodden indeed

This past year, has seen me bridalled and blinkered_ re: the garden
Like Jean, I could not put in the 'effort' [required] to do, what it needed doing
I will, if the opportunity arises, use the strimmer [out at the back]
to prevent the grass getting too tall



dave

 

[rebornfree]

Hi Dave,

Parks make quite a difference don't they? I know from previous city living.

I didn't realise your garden was sloping, but I think you mentioned it being wet before. You've had some lovely flowers, judging from the pictures you've posted.

Too many plants in our garden have become diseased; they probably need fertilizer in the spring. But the evergreens are lovely at this time of year.

Sue

 

[davedajobauk]

Hi Dave,

Parks make quite a difference don't they? I know from previous city living.

I didn't realise your garden was sloping, but I think you mentioned it being wet before. You've had some lovely flowers, judging from the pictures you've posted.

Too many plants in our garden have become diseased; they probably need fertilizer in the spring. But the evergreens are lovely at this time of year.

Sue

Hi Sue,

I also have had problems with 'rust' and occasionally also 'mildew'

I was going to recommend STERILISING your soil with Jeyes Fluid
but I note that the formula has changed AND that it is now 'forbidden' by EU law to do so

ooops
http://artaddict.wordpress.com/2009/04/18/organic-gardening/

http://goorganicgardening.com/soil/how-to-sterilize-soil


Best 'plan', would be to determine 'from what, your soil suffers' ?
and employ an effective remedial treatment

A last resort ... would be, to use 'growing-bags' > laid in trenches and conceal bags, with wood /bark chips [?]
You could then FEED these with soluble feeds and reuse them 'in-situ' over several years
[not-forgetting, to puncture drainage holes on the underside to prevent drowning your plants]





dave

 

[rebornfree]

Thanks Dave. I'll have to have a good look through my gardening books, or check the internet, but it's a job for spring thought I think.

 

[davedajobauk]

"A stitch in time saves nine"

There may be something that you can 'take onboard' in readiness for better weather

A 'good-read' now, may forearm the gardener...
~A good-plan, is one, more-likely to provide success
and 'foreknowledge' can prevent unwelcome surprises [?]

so, why put off 'seeking-light' until tomorrow


dave

 

[rebornfree]

"A stitch in time saves nine"

There may be something that you can 'take onboard' in readiness for better weather

A 'good-read' now, may forearm the gardener...
~A good-plan, is one, more-likely to provide success
and 'foreknowledge' can prevent unwelcome surprises [?]

so, why put off 'seeking-light' until tomorrow


dave

Yes, I may have a look Dave, but I don't think I could apply anything until spring. I think it's best to leave the garden as it is while we have this cold weather.

 

[davedajobauk]

Yes very true of this area

If your soil is dry, [drier than our's] then disturbing the surface 'now'
will aid the frosts, to 'break up' your soil [?] ~just saying



dave

 

[leytonstones]

I am really pleased with the herb garden this year. some may think it is a mess but it is just how I want it. It is alive with hover flies and bees and we love to watch the little birds running in and around it.

The rest of the garden is ok, it is just getting a bit too much for us now