End of October Garden and Greenhouse update

 

                                                Hi everyone ! I'm still here . 

Still not feeling very well with the ear thing going on still . I really haven't done much at all in the garden or greenhouse .

 Aware that the weather is changing , there are jobs that have to be done now to prepare for the winter months ahead . Please bear in mind that we are on the Lizard Peninsular , Cornwall . It tends to be milder here .

However the weather people are saying that it is going to be a drier and colder winter this year , which could mean snow . I just like to be prepared , just in case !

It's not that we don't ever get snow , but it is unusual for us to get frost or snow .

I made a start by putting the cloches over my two medium sized Agave americana the variegated ones .

I haven't pushed the cloche all the way down , so there is good ventilation . Later on when it gets really cold ,I will peg the bottom of these cloches down to the ground .  The wigwam will stop the cloche blowing away .

These Agaves get more hardy to the cold as they get bigger ..but they really don't like being wet .

Here's the other one ,almost too big for the cloche and as I pushed in the hazel rods I noticed some pups (off sets ) here and there around it .

This one is too big for these cloches and it should be o.k It's a tough one . However I am thinking of what I might do if we get a freeze warning .I have some chicken wire to encircle it with and maybe throw a tarpaulin over it all  , just for the odd over night freak arctic blast .

O.k so this applies to everyone up and down the country.....the outside tap/faucet cover . Get it wrapped up so it doesn't freeze and burst !  

Next - the greenhouse ..... I thought we had escaped lightly from the wrath of Storm Babet  , but wandering up to the greenhouse I found some of the windows slipping and this one was hanging on one hinge ! So husband climbed up and screwed it down and checked the others for me . 

I can still open two side windows if need be .

I know a lot of you out there fix up bubblewrap around your greenhouses  . I have found these foil car windscreen shields to be very useful and easy for me to fix up . 

I slide it up between the widow and this old plastic trellis (that I found washed up on the beach after a storm ..and very pleased with myself  I was carrying that home for my greenhouse ! )

 So the trellis holds it in place .

Next I unroll this insulation foil bubbly stuff along the rafters  .

 And pull out that turquoise candle lantern . Which stands on a breezeblock away from anything . I have 8 hour candles waiting in the wings . I didn't use it at all last winter .

                                              Ledebourier socialis 

I am in the process of bringing in tender plants which have been having a summer holiday outside .

                                                  More Agaves !

I brought into the shed the long kitchen window basket . It is stuffed with succulents and Pelargoniums which should be fine and I will just put it out again next Spring .

                                      More Agaves ! And more Epie cuttings !

                                                  A tray of Acer seeds I've sown .

And fixed up the foil survival sheet to reflect the light .

And that's all for now !  

I am still waiting to see the audiologist , to see what they can do for me . 🌿🌿🌿

Garden update - October

 

                                   Monkey Puzzle dedicated to Jane Goodall 

Sorry everybody , I am not too well at the moment . I haven't been doing very much in the garden and not felt like being on the computer very much either .

I thought I'd give give you a little garden update .

I guess the most important thing I've been doing this year is planting trees and doing this especially with Jane Goodall in mind . She is encouraging us all to get planting more trees .

Read all about it here -

 https://janegoodall.org/make-a-difference/janes-green-hope/

I dedicate this Monkey Puzzle Tree to her . I grew it from seed along with 5 gingko bilobas .

 

                                  They look a  little lost planted in there at the moment .

                                               The leeks are still looking good .

     

I took down the bean poles and harvested lots of Butternuts .

I dug up the two Musa Red Ensete bananas , put into their large tubs with lots of fresh compost to get their roots into . The roof in the shed is clear corrugated plastic , so they get lots of light . I gave them a drink .but that will probably be the last drink they have until Spring , however I will check on them from tome to time over winter . I don't cut their leaves off . They are standing on pallets and surrounded with polystyrene around the tubs . I have done this for years now , they'll be fine and I can enjoy seeing them whenever I go in there .

The Agaves .....hmmm.. I need to start thinking about protecting them too .This one is quite a tough guy and should be fine .

This one however needs protection and I will clear back all the plants around it and put a cloche over it ,they take a bit of cold , but don't like too much rain .

That's all for now  . Thankyou for all your kind messages after my last post .

                                                     Love Debbie xxx