In his weekly Jamie’s Little Allotment column, our gardener reveals ‘one of his little pleasures’…
There are a few sayings that come to mind when I think about the weather this year. One of them is that Mother Nature always catches up. She really has been doing her best to make up for the lack of rain we have had.
It was a practical drought through spring and summer and it even dragged on into autumn. But this past week she has been trying her hardest to top up the shortfall.
Seed catalogue inspiration for gardener Jamie
The week started with the first frost of the season. It was not a really hard frost but it was enough to nip off most of the tender plants. I noticed the chilli plants I had outside were completely on the deck and the dahlias had gone black and wilted.
Now is the moment to put into action what I wrote about a few weeks ago when I talked about lifting and storing your dahlias.
There is still plenty to do outside but it is hard work when it has been raining non-stop and everything is absolutely sodden. So what can we do while it is so wet? One idea is to start planning your garden and veggie plot for next spring.
Jamie loves looking through seed catalogues at this time of year
It is the perfect time to get your spring bulbs ordered. Tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, even snowdrops and crocus. Instead of going to the garden centre and picking up two or three of one type and a handful of another, have a look at the varieties and see when they flower and how long they stay in bloom.
If you choose carefully you can stagger the flowering times and have colour for a much longer stretch rather than everything popping up early and finishing by March. Bulbs can be expensive so it makes sense to spread the colour and get the most from them.
Another tip I have, and this might not suit everyone, is if you have a budget for around 30 bulbs do not go for a pick and mix of everything on the stand. Maybe choose three different varieties and get ten of each so you get a proper show when they come up.
But, like I said, you might love that multi-coloured look. Gardening is all about personal taste and there is no right or wrong way to do it.
I have mentioned going to the garden centre a few times but one thing I really enjoy at this time of year is sitting down in the warm with a stack of seed catalogues. You cannot beat thumbing through the pages and seeing what catches your eye. It is one of those little winter pleasures.
A cup of tea, the rain tapping on the windows and the whole gardening year ahead of you on the kitchen table. I know we can see every catalogue possible on the internet these days but there is nothing quite like the real thing. Flicking through proper pages feels slower and more thoughtful and it always gets my mind ticking about what I want to grow next year.
And while we are talking about seed catalogues, this really is the perfect time of year to plan the veggie patch as well. The garden might be too wet to work in but the table indoors is dry and warm and you can spread everything out and start sketching ideas for your beds.
It is amazing how much better the year goes when you have a bit of a plan in place before the rush of spring arrives.
There is still plenty to do in the garden but there is no rush. Winter has only just begun and the garden will wait for you. I will soon be out there clearing beds and mulching with lovely compost but for now I am quite happy taking things a bit slower and enjoying these quieter weeks. It is all part of the rhythm of the year.
If you fancy telling me what you have been doing in the garden, email me on jamieslittleallotment@gmail.com
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