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I didn’t manage to produce an article for November as regrettably I am still economically challenged, but October turned out to be a bit of a washout. So if like me, you have not completed the October tidy up then November was the month to do it. However, at the time of writing, November is proving to be a washout as well. The good thing about winter is everything slows downs to an almost stop so you can always start again in the Spring, which is looking like Plan C.
The fire is going now and the garden is sodden, so very little appeal to venture out. The runner bean trench will still need to be dug to accommodate the leaves that still need to be raked up. But other than gathering potatoes, leeks and parsnips I think that’s it for me, the house is just too cosy with the log fire burning.
It’s been quite a good year in the garden, with a fair summer but nothing like the hot drought of last year. The lawn is still recovering and will need a decent Spring to fully return to normal. The vegetable patch has produced well, especially sweetcorn which I tried for the first time this year. Only got one decent cob from each plant but what a beauty it was. I grew a supersweet variety called Swift, which was outstanding. The first two cobs picked went straight into simmering water and the remainder went in the freezer. Sweetcorn goes mealy very quickly and loses flavour so it must be cooked or frozen straight away to lock in the flavour… the jolly green giant will tell you that!
Rhubarb was also another great success this year after being transplanted to a wetter part of the garden the previous November. The last pick was in mid-August so forget the old adage pick by the end of June, it all depends on the weather. Everything else has been as expected, although the beans got a bit dry during September so went off for a while before giving a bumper crop in early October… really must water them more. The only failure was marrows which are normally dependable, but the courgettes did well. Horticulturally a courgette is a marrow, but what I call marrows will store until Easter whereas courgettes have turned to dust by then. These days courgettes are more popular than marrows as the small ones fry up nicely and big ones can be cubed and added to curries and chillies. But stuffed marrow is such an old classic and I always enjoy the last one at Easter.
The borders gave a good show of flowers this year and the dahlias and roses are still going but the first hard frost will put an end to that. The charm chrysanthemum is flowering its heart out and the nerines are producing a flush of shocking pink which is cheerful as the Autumn really sets in.
December is a good time to make plans for next year and order up the seeds. I think I will do the same again only try to keep the garden tidier and well-watered. Although, some friends in the Horticultural Society are looking at seed varieties for exhibition showing. This gets more serious and takes more time… so I will contemplate the wonders of a giant leek with a chilled beer by the fire, which of course needs to be drunk before it gets warm… MERRY CHRISTMAS.
We are always looking for new members and try to encourage a fun attitude towards friendly competition. So if you want to grow your own fruit, vegetables and flowers or even enter any of the 3 shows we hold each year, then please get in touch, we would be happy to hear from you.
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
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