Late Winter Garden Jobs

Beautiful, early late winter morning here, light frost, a pale blue cloudless sky and the sun shining so brightly.

Worked in the fruit and vegetable garden yesterday afternoon from 1 till sunset around 4.30, light was beginning to fade with the most memorable gorgeous orange-crimson sky, resting in the west. When I woke at 6 this morning, I thanked the body for remembering my work in the garden yesterday!

Managed to tackle 2  much needed, long overdue jobs. The recent rains have drenched the soil so I worked mainly from the woodchip paths in and around the garden.

Firstly, preparation  - how to fill a wheelbarrow in 5 minutes! What's needed? Bucket of peat-free compost, bucket of home-made organic compost, watering can, spade & fork, secateurs, hand trowel  & hand-fork, drinking water, protective gloves & last but not least,carefully bagged bare-root fruit bushes. The bushes, Blackcurrant and Raspberry, have been growing in a 'nursery bed' in front of the studio at the bottom of the back garden for about three years. Originally, cuttings taken from existing stock, a learning exercise linked to a module in a horticulture course I was studying at a nearby college. A few years ago I decided to return to college, one afternoon per week, to extend my gardening knowledge. Why not, learning is a life long process! So I took one course, then another...and another...I was hooked! A few years later, thanks to a knowledgeable tutor, (with a well developed sense of humour - he needed it!), along with friendly & supportive fellow students), I actually managed to gained a diploma in horticulture!

1st job  transplanting the bare root fruit bushes. Winter's the best time for transplanting fruit bushes as growth has more or less come to a standstill. This is what's known as their 'dormancy period' so moving them, (carefully!), during this time & getting them transplanted, before spring gives them a chance to settle into their new place, to establish root systems and to be ready for the start of the growing season. Method used. Use protective gloves. Decide where fruit bushes are to be transplanted, remove from protective garden bag & lay each bush carefully on the soil in where it's to be planted. Move the bush to one side and dig a circular hole about 10 inches deep, using a hand trowel or garden spade whichever feels right. Add a handful or two of fresh compost creating a layer at the base of the hole then carefully mix this into the soil base creating a loose growing medium. Carefully position the fruit bush into the hole and fill in with a compost-soil mix. If the site is exposed, a suitable support stick can be carefully placed next to the newly transplanted bush then tied. This can be removed at a later date, once rooting is well underway. Around the bush, create a saucer shape in the soil / compost and give it a good water. the saucer will hold the water for a few minutes & then descend towards the roots. I usually add a few inches of compost around the base as a physical barrier to winds and as an early source of nutrients for when the bush begins growing. Water when needed. At this time of year, it shouldn't be too frequent.

2nd task removing the still-meshed Brussels Sprouts stems from the patch at centre of the garden. The local wood-pigeons are quite partial to snacking on brassica leaves, hence the mesh! Tried the Brussels Sprouts purple variety last year but not too impressed with the results as the yield was much less than expected. Anyway, pulled away the remaining sprouts from the stems, gave them a good wash when I got home and will keep them cool until Sunday, when they'll be cooked lightly, just over-al dente! and added to a tasty lunch. Down at the garden, the used sprout stems were chopped up & added to the compost heap. This chopping, accelerates the decay process is done by cutting up any thick material such as brassica stems before they're added. In doing this we increase the surface area of the plant material which then allows microorganisms to do their job! During winter, the composting process slows down due to the very cold temperatures so its good to use some sort of insulation, I use large, fairly thick cardboard sheets inside of the pallet structure. These eventually rot down and become part of the compost material. A couple of old rubber backed mats are laid over the compost to rain-proof the top. If compost and composting is of interest, please do visit my 'Compost Happens' blog page. 

Spent the last part of a wonderful cold & sunny afternoon tidying up different parts of the garden. Still lots to do before spring! Sat for a few precious moments with my flask before walking home, to enjoy a visual feast....little clumps of tiny vigorous white snowdrops shooting up in every corner of the fruit and vegetable garden. How beautiful. Do we always remember to sit, breathe and just be still in our gardens?