Thanksgiving weekend hosts several tasks that need to be completed before the onslaught of winter.
The first is that the garlic need to be planted for next year. Actually as long as it's in the ground anywhere from mid September to end of November, it's probably okay, but I just always pick the long weekend as my deadline, that way it does get in before the ground firms up. I used to plant several hundred cloves when we operated a market garden. People loved our fresh Russian Red garlic in July. Now I just grow enough for ourselves.
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| Seed cloves split apart and ready to plant |
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| I dug a trench along the back of the iris bed - well drained soil and fairly good stuff. |
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| Planting the cloves, 5 inches apart, 5 inches deep |
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| The stuff that makes them grow - filled the trench in with it. |
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| Backfilled with soil - nothing more until harvest next summer |
The other ritual for Thanksgiving weekend is putting the pool to bed for the winter. The hot weather has evaporated it down further than usual, so I could not adequately vacuum it. I had to go in, in my swimming trunks and capture the leaves with a butterfly net - bbbrrrrrrr (62 F). Then we put the cover on and disconnected the pump. The pump is now reposing in the basement until May. It's officially the end of pool season, although no one has ventured in, in the past six weeks.
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| The pool tucked in for winter. |
It was kind of a bittersweet day. It was absolutely gorgeous weather and I accomplished everything I had hoped. We even got all the flower baskets taken down and put in the greenhouse for winter. But then Eldest headed back to university on the train, mid-afternoon - it will be Christmas before we see her again. We were kind of a somber little trio last night.
And that is about all I have to say for today.
Musings and meanderings from the Musical Gardener.
Putting to bed the remnants of the summer is always bittersweet. This year it hurts somewhat to throw away many blooming plants, but I know that cool wind of fall is coming and it is much easier to take on this big task now. Besides, I am ready for a fall garden with all its colors.
ReplyDeleteBTW, hope you had a nice thanksgiving.
I have been slowly doing the same thing. I'm taking my time dumping the potted plants since they are still providing color in the yard. Though the weather is warm the stink bugs have taken over the screen porch so that is not usable so I put things away there last week and took care of the houseplants that live there in the summer.
ReplyDeleteYou don't want to know how many times I've been out planting garlic in a November snowfall...
ReplyDeleteAnd Christmas will be here before you know it!
It's amazing how quiet it seems when your kids leave after a long week end. My daughter was a real chatterer. When she left the house it was eerily quiet. You'll love the quiet again.
ReplyDeleteBe sure to post some Ontario fall color!
ReplyDelete