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Garden Bliss & Blunder, Issue #042 November 07, 2024 |
November, again...There is no weather rhyme or reason... one day, frost, the next day short sleeves !
Yello Gingko leaves about to fall "Dreamwork""I Worried.... " "I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers flow in the right direction, will the earth turn as it was taught, and if not how shall I correct it? Was I right, was I wrong, will lI be forgiven, can I do better? Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows can do it and I am, well, hopeless. Is my eyesight fading or am I just imagining it, am I going to get rheumatism, lockjaw, dementia? Finally, I saw that worrying had come to nothing. And gave it up. and took my old body and went out into the morning, and sang." Mary Oliver
Autumn sunrise. Why Leaves change colour...
Sugar Maple Fall ends the growing season for most plants in the northern hemisphere and as the sugars begin their journey down stems and tree trunks to feed the roots over winter, the lack of nutrients dries up the moisture to the leaf stem; they dry out and tumble to earth. Before the leaves actually fall, they change colour. All summer we see the green of Chlorophyll even though the chemical Carotenoid (for yellows and reds) is hidden beneath. As the nutrients travel back down to the roots, Chlorophyll is the first to fade revealing reds and yellows. The Garden is going to Sleep...
Leave the leaves... except...
This is our gorgeous Black Walnut tree in our neighbour's garden.
... and these are the little BW leaves (millions of them)....There is a lot of varying information about the chemical Juglone in the leaves and tree roots... making the Black Walnut allelopathic... in other words, it doesn't like competition from other plants. Some say nothing will grow under the Walnut and except for roses and plants in the tomato family, we have gorgeous Ferns, Hosta, Grasses, Heuchera and Sedum... However I do find the soil is not as rich as in other parts of the garden so I make an attempt to rake up these small rascals. Last fall we put lots of compost on the back garden so this year, the front gets it. I hijacked my neighbours shredded leaves and spread those on this garden where it is drier - and the Trilliums and Jack-in-the-Pulpit live - all under a large Spruce and beside the French Drain..
Composting beds...
I also confess I rake up as many of the waxy Oak leaves as possible and send them to the city compost. They are tough and don't break down over the winter and my fall compost washes off by spring. Instead, I mix Biosol (sea compost), coffee grounds (saved all summer), coffee chaff (leftover from the coffee roaster which would otherwise go to the landfill Coffee grounds and chaff are Nitrogen rich but too much is just as bad as not enough... Needs to be mixed for a better soil balance.
The chaff left after roasting coffee beans....
The coffee chaff is light and will blow away if just put on top of the soil.. .. so I mix it all in... looks like this.... I remove the Oak leaves, leaving the Maple leaves and spread the mixture on the garden ... especially hilling up the roses
It is a lot of work, but oh so satisfying.... I get to see what is growing well, what is not and today.... I found another 4-leaf clover.... that makes 68 this year. woo hoo. Hallowe'en Fun...I'm not one for Hallowe'en anymore and it seems, neither is Lucy. A picture is worth a few thousand words in her opinion.
Then again, my beautiful daughter always loved her books and stories. .. a favourite by Robert Munsch... . "The Paperbag Princess" And most of her friends recognized her right away .... what fun...
My very own "Paperbag Princess" Northern Lights...
But lo and behold, our phone cameras began to pick up colour and streaks. The heavens opened up to us on the screen of a phone... What a thrill! Many others posted more glorious photos but this is what we saw and marvelled for a long time. .. how wonderful. Fall? or Summer?...
There is frost on the leaves underfoot
... not even the frost cannot dampen the rose's spirit of one last bloom, Don't Prune...
Japanese Maple Tree A Japanese Maple is still a Maple. Pruning one is like pruning a Sugar Maple- one we are more familiar with.... they have sugar in their 'veins" and that sap will bleed from wherever you cut. Especially in the fall, with temperatures rising and falling, this can drain strength from Maples. If your Japanese Maple has dead branches or stems, prune them carefully back to the branch collar (see link below) but leave any trimming until spring when you will just prune for shape or to cut back a wayward branch.
Life is in our Gardens...
Now what?...Wintering?From her new book called "Wintering" Katherine May says:
1. Embrace the Cycles of Life (rest and retreat) 2. Rest is important -and not a luxury but necessary 3. Connect with Nature - get outside 4. There is Joy in being still 5. Admit to being vulnerable 6. Connect with your community 7. Routine has power 8. Be patient and accept what happens 9. Embrace uncertainty 10. Spend time reflecting (keep a journal?) You can order her timely book at:
More Books? Oh YES....
"A Garden for Life: The Natural Approach to Designing, Planting, and Maintaining a North Temperate Garden" "Time Will Tell: Stories of the Rideau Valley" "To Speak for The Trees: My Life’s Journey from Ancient Celtic Wisdom to a Healing Vision of the Forest" A background in science, medical biochemistry, botany and much more... born in the UK and now living near Ottawa.... read everything she writes....
...and if you like notebooks, journals and diaries, this is fascinating.... there is so much in this book, it cannot be described here... but if you have ever used a Moleskin notebook or a Leuchytturm notebook, this book will fascinate you.
(and you can order these from Take Cover Books too)
"Some of the days in November carry the whole memory of summer as a fire opal carries the colour of moonrise" Gladys Taber (1899-1980)
This little Snapdragon still thinks it is summer. Until Next time...Clean your garden pots Spread compost on your garden Turn off the water Empty your rain barrel Clean your tools Sharpen your pruners Make notes in your garden journal .... sit outside whenever you can.... Then go inside, read and rest.....life is short...
Go See some Art....The folks at the Ashburnham Alehouse in Peterborough, have orchestrated a "wall-swap" where we all moved our art to another wall in the restaurant-pub. ... gives us a chance to hang new works, and rearrange the others .... it was fun to meet all the artists and see what incredible talent there is.... My artist-gardener-writer friend, Claire Sullivan and I share wallspace... Here is our latest display...
Inspired by some incredible photos, I created a Great Lakes Series... top = Lake Ontario 2nd = Lake Michigan 3rd = Lake Superior 4th = Lake Huron 5th = Lake Erie
Lucy says...When it is cold outside, travelling in a cozy snuggly works for me.
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