Runner bean mountain

What a year for beans!

We have never been so successful. They kept us fed for several months and we have had very few that were too stringy to eat. Thankfully the badgers stayed away from them and our brief flirtation with deer never got too far, unlike someone I know who sadly had all the bases of their beans eaten by deer. Even the squirrels weren’t interested in our beans.

We’ve finally pulled them up, but why were they so successful?

We used two different varieties and planted then early – (slightly too early as they got burned by the frost). But most importantly, they got plenty of sun and we picked them regularly. It just goes to show that whatever you do to prepare, the weather really is the deciding factor in vegetable gardening, and this year has been pretty special.

Winter planting

I have never planted vegetables to grow through the winter. I have always dug up the last of the vegetables in Autumn and then let the plots sit through the winter free of anything growing, (except the weeds). The damp and cold air in the winter lingers in our valley and the sun struggles to burn through it.

This year I decided to try my hand at winter planting to get full value from the plots. I love my winter vegetables and the thought of watching them grow even in the darkest months is quite uplifting.

We now have an array of things popping up, from garlic and cabbages through to potatoes and broad beans. This will extend our eating season by having some vegetables ready earlier in spring. I should also have potatoes at Xmas if I am lucky.

I will report progress over the coming months. Right now we have a number of healthy plants settled in and growing well.

JCBs move in

I am sure we are not alone in having a challenge with badgers. Each night in summer they come into the garden seeking food and eat most of the bird seed that has fallen on the floor. This is completely harmless and it is nice to see them.

However, at this time of year they suddenly turn into crazed earth diggers. Badgers are known as the JCBs of the animal kingdom and I can see why. This week they have begun digging in all areas of the garden. It took me an hour or two to tread down the earth where they have dug out worms and insects. It is mostly in the same places as last year and makes a real mockery of any sense of tidy lawn.

This year they seem to have been joined more wilfully than usual by the squirrels, which also have a penchant for digging holes in the lawn. They are probably getting their own back for the mess the cats have made of them. There is no real defence. You can put down chicken wire on the lawn and let the grass grow through it, but we have a sizeable lawn and cannot put chicken wire over all of it. My previous attempts at frightening them away using the art of surprise have not worked, so sadly we have to grin and bear it and hope they stop soon. 

Foreign visitors in the news

As well as the whole debate about Brexit dates and immigrants, there was another foreign visitor that made the news this week. The Asian hornet.

Two have been spotted in the UK and both were not that far from us. These creatures are the curse of our bee population. They get into nests and kill the bees. Bearing in mind how our bees are struggling anyway this is really not good news.

You can identify them in the following ways:

• Vespa velutina queens are up to 3cm (1.2in) in length; workers up to 2.5cm (1in)
• Entirely dark brown or black velvety body, bordered with a fine yellow band
• Only one band on the abdomen: fourth abdominal segment almost entirely yellow/orange
• Legs brown with yellow ends
• Head black with an orange-yellow face

Keep your eyes peeled, they could appear anywhere and we really need to get rid of them. Sadly, I am not sure that they won’t keep coming and eventually, like the grey squirrel, inhabit the UK permanently. But we can try our best.

What did you say - I’m sorry I can’t hear you!

Another interesting thing in the news this week was the story that scientists are trawling the seas around the UK measuring the noise levels.

Apparently, the noise levels in our seas have risen to the point that fish struggle to communicate with each other. This has led to mixed populations of fish and more hybrid species. The call to the shoal to “move out” invariably falls on deaf ears and some get left behind. So now they have not only got to avoid the mountains of plastic building up in the sea but they have to wear ear defenders to do it!

How long before we see fish using mobile phones and texting just like the younger generations of our own species. Fish can’t text - I hear you say. Well nor could we until only a few years ago, and now most of us spend most of each day looking at a mobile device of one sort or another.  Apple has just made its latest iPhone waterproof so maybe they have seen this gap in the market early.

On which fairly strange note I wish you a good weekend!

Picture Round

I have a different theme for the pictures this week. This won't suit everybody but the pictures are nice.

We visited a garden that is really fantastic at the moment. I have a few pictures from the garden and four to help you guess where it is. I can highly recommend a visit to a national garden this weekend. There is plenty of colour and most are still really beautiful. Most gardens close later in October so there are few opportunities left this year. (I sound like an advert for the National Trust).

I will publish the location on Saturday.

Enjoy.

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