How does your garden grow? Lee’s gardening advice – gardening’s cool

Welcome to Lee’s gardening recommendation for October written by native resident and eager gardener, Lee Stevenson (aka An English Gardener in Çalış).

Now that the ‘cooler’ nights are right here lots of people assume that the backyard winds down after the final days of summer season. This couldn’t be farther from the reality. The duties change because the temperature drops, however there are extra issues to do then ever in your flower or vegetable backyard.

There’s a lot to be accomplished, listed here are only a few of those jobs.

Harvesting the final of the summer season greens, storing any squash greens reminiscent of pumpkin, butternut, marrow’s and so on in a cool place out of direct daylight. Offering there isn’t a harm to the pores and skin most squash can survive as much as three months.

Sowing a number of the final seeds of the 12 months and put together the backyard and your crops for the colder season forward.

Put together to get soiled

Dig over any laborious soil that has been baked through the summer season months and, if required, take away any weeds/crops not required. Add compost or feed to enhance the soil high quality.

Spring into motion

Plant spring flowering bulbs reminiscent of tulips, daffodils, crocus, anemones and hyacinths within the floor or make ornamental pots that may introduced inside when flowering for a dwelling bouquet.

In case you are in an space that suffers from frost, think about lifting tender bulbs reminiscent of dahlias, tuberous begonias, calla lilies or canna lilies.

Plant onion units proper as much as early spring for a head begin on subsequent years onion harvest – I intend to develop onions from seed as I’ve heard that these produce bigger onions and I’m going to attempt to develop a ‘huge un’ only for enjoyable in a pot. Should you do determine to develop from units (small bulbs) select the smaller ones as the larger the onion the much less it should develop and is extra more likely to go to seed.

Plant garlic cloves as soon as the hotter days are a bit cooler, simple to do from garlic purchased on the market.

Sow fast rising fall crops reminiscent of lettuce, radish and spinach underneath cowl to increase the harvest into subsequent 12 months.

Sow candy peas in early autumn they usually’ll over winter and provide you with earlier flowers on stronger crops subsequent summer season.

Broadly talking

Broad beans may be sown proper as much as the center of November right here, both in small pots to over winter underneath cowl or direct within the backyard (the strategy I exploit) because the winters are gentle right here. Once more this produces stronger crops earlier subsequent 12 months which can be much less affected by greenfly.

If in case you have a garden one of the best time to sow grass seed is early to mid-autumn when weeds are much less aggressive and rainfall is extra dependable.

Divide and conquer

Divide perennial crops reminiscent of daylilies, peonies and iris to create extra crops in your backyard.

Feeling fruity

Should you’re considering of planting timber, the autumn is a good time particularly for fruit timber. Should you want evergreen timber, wait till the spring.

Pot up any strawberry runners you might have as they need to have there personal little roots now and may be lower from the mother or father plant. I’ve seen out right here some sorts of strawberry additionally fruit in December.

Lifeless head any flowers nonetheless flowering and also you may get a late burst of color into the cooler months.

Scorching Stuff 

If any of you went to the second Çalış Chilli consuming competitors you’ll know that for the second 12 months operating it was received by a Turkish entrant so effectively accomplished to Ismail Otçu. 

I made a decision to not enter this 12 months as there have been sufficient (seven) rivals to make it enjoyable – I additionally knew how ‘scorching’ it will get as I equipped the chillies and sauce.

A giant thanks to all who entered and got here alongside to observe/help the contestants. Additionally to Charcoal Palace and all of the eating places in Bedesten sq. that supported and helped make it an gratifying enjoyable evening.

What do you need to find out about gardening?

If in case you have any questions or ideas about gardening and there’s something specifically you wold like me to cowl in future articles, please let me know through an English Gardener in Çalış or Fethiye Times.

As I’ve stated earlier than, I’m in no way knowledgeable gardener and do it only for enjoyable so I’ll go away you with this thought…

As the nice Monty Don has stated: “The purpose of gardening? Its to seek out solace, to be completely satisfied, to make magnificence, have enjoyable and muck about. The way you do it doesn’t matter.”

Till subsequent time continue to grow!