There are still a lot of jobs to do in the garden in November, particularly in this mild weather; there are seeds to sow, crops to harvest & there is the general tidying up of the vegetable garden.
Sow in November:
broad-bean-rows-seedlings
Plant in November:
November Harvest:
fresh-celery
big-sprouts-below
Other gardening jobs to be done in November:
dig
- digging, if it is not too wet, otherwise leave till the new year
- applying well rotted farm yard manure or compost to ground where next year’s crop will be peas, beans, onions, leeks, celery or spinach
- clear fallen leaves and put them on the compost heap
- collect, clean and store bean supports
- check stored crops & remove any which are starting to decay
- keep an eye out for pigeons & slugs which may be a problem in November
http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2283&awinaffid=86595&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thompson-morgan.com%2Fseeds1%2Fproduct%2F138%2F2.html
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Work in a Blossoming Industry by visiting author, Emma Walker
There are many reasons why being a vegetable enthusiast is a great hobby, not only do you get to spend your days outdoors but you also get to eat your produce. There are hundreds of garden enthusiasts out there who produce some of the most spectacular veg in the country, but many of them have never considered turning their hobby into a full-time job. There are hundreds of garden jobs out there, with roles ranging from working in agriculture to setting up kitchen gardens, the possibilities are endless. Whether you are set on working with veg or looking to diversify and work with fruit the world is your oyster.
With vineyards in this country increasing in number there are many opportunities to work within this blossoming industry. Whether you help to grow the grapes or assist in the picking, being involved in the production of wine can be an exciting activity.
There are also many stimulating possibilities abroad and if you are willing to give your time you can be involved with projects in Africa and other countries across the world. Living in harsh environments many African communities rely on the food they eat to survive, so charities like FARM provide the expertise needed to empower communities to control their own destinies. Producing food is one of the most important things that a person can do and being self-sufficient is a remarkable feat. So bringing the expertise learned from pootling around the garden can give you the knowledge needed to bridge the gap between a hobby and a job.
In the end people should do what they enjoy, whether you enjoy growing herbs or tomatoes there is a job in the industry for you. You could even sell some of your own produce to a local shop or market stall owner. Remember growing veg is not just a hobby; it can be a job opportunity.
Emma Walker
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Aluminium is an ideal material for planters as it does not rust and needs no painting or treatments. Aluminium is a very light metal so is the perfect metal for window boxes which are fixed to the wall.
mounted aluminium planter
The boat shaped planter in the photos is made by Matthew of Aluminium Art.
flowers in aluminium planter
The planters would make an ideal herb trough, similar to the one below which is growing mint, chives, thyme, oregano and borage.
herb-trough
The planters come with ready made drainage holes, so just need filling with compost before planting out.
There is great potential for growing fruit and veg, too. Strawberries grow well in containers, and tumbling tomatoes look spectacular. Click this link for more ideas for which veg to grow in containers.
Matthew builds each aluminium planter himself from scratch so is able to alter the size to suit. Free-standing aluminium planters look stunning and make an excellent present for a gardener. Traditional 10th wedding anniversary gifts have a theme of aluminium, so the planter would be most appropriate.
For more information click Aluminium Art; the aluminium planters make a welcome present which needs no aftercare!
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Who are these people who ban blackberry picking? More men in grey suits who deserve a fight!
How can they deprive us of a traditional, healthy pass-time which encompasses so much that is English:
- happy, carefree days spent in the English countryside
- becoming entangled in brambles
- appreciating how long it takes to pick enough blackberries to make a pie or a pound of jam
- scratching bare arms
- dying hands purple
- enjoying the spoils of the forage at home with stewed blackberries swirled in hot custard
- preserving the fruit for the winter as jam
ripe-blackberries
What do these officials want for our children? A countryside they can only see from a car window – which is roped off and preserved in aspic?
How can the council be allowed to get away with this? We must have access to the countryside and fresh air. We must fight this ban on blackberry picking.
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This week shops in the UK are introducing a new variety of broccoli, Beneforte, which reduces the risk of prostrate cancer in men.
broccoli
It has long been known that glucoraphanin in broccoli lowers the rates of cancer. In 1983 a wild Italian broccoli variety was found to contain higher levels of glucoraphanin. The John Innes Centre in Norwich have bred this new variety, Beneforte, which contains two to three times the level of glucoraphanin than standard broccoli.
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital have worked with the Institute of Food Research to show that men who ate a broccoli-rich diet experienced changes in the activity of genes associated with tumour survival and growth.
Broccoli also lowers rates of heart disease and some other forms of cancer. It also boosts the body’s antioxidant enzyme levels.
Men who eat broccoli-rich diets have a reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer – the most common non-skin cancer for males in western countries.
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Jobs for October include:
Plant: garlic
Sow directly into the ground:
- swiss chard
- perpetual spinach
- mixed winter salad leaves
- broad beans – variety Aquadulce
Sow under cloches:
cabbage-seedlings
Plant out:
- spring cabbage
- perpetual spinach
- chicory
- radicchio
Harvest before the frosts:
- french beans
- runner beans
runner-bean
- broad beans
- lettuce
- courgettes
courgette
- marrows
- carrots
- sweetcorn
- cabbages
- peas
- main crop potatoes
- autumn raspberries
- apples and pears
Other October Jobs:
- draw soil around leeks and celariac
- cut off this summer’s fruiting blackberry & raspberry canes at ground level & tie in new canes
raspberry-knot
- order new fruit bushes for winter planting
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