Talk about windy! Here in the Lake District we’ve had plenty of rain and wind in the last few weeks. It’s been a blustery introduction to the coming winter. The leaves have been spectacular this Autumn, but they have to come off sometime and sure enough after the recent winds they are now all over the lawn. They look well past their red and yellow glory days and are now brown and ragged, ready to rake.
Gardening in November means three things to many of us; tidy up, plant tulip-bulbs and mulch. So far, I’ve stared out of the window at the rain and done none of them. But today, with a break in the rain and a warmer wind, the first job has been finished!
It’s very satisfying to get the leaves raked and, in a pile, then they go into our compost heap. A couple of ginger biscuits and a cuppa later, I’m ready to mulch the fruit trees with Lakeland Gold. It’s the turn of the apples first. Before applying the mulch, it’s important to clear any weeds from around the base of each tree, so that the weeds don’t get all the benefit rather than the tree. Once this is done, generously spread a couple of inches around the base. The size of the tree will dictate amounts, but for young espaliers a bag of Lakeland Gold can be shared between two or three fruit trees.
Once you’ve mulched, remember to take a break having completed a key November task, have a stretch, listen to the birds and enjoy the light as the early nights draw in.
JF.