the preparation begins....

Some see autumn as the end of the growing season but I prefer to think of it as the new season's  beginning. For me it's a time of preparation, of clearing, sorting and organizing. There's a lot to be done before I can even consider setting away new crops next spring and I've been making a start this week.

I've collected sackfulls of leaves for the leaf mould cages which are now both full. The stuff at the bottom of cage one was collected last autumn and will be eighteen months old when I start using it next spring. It's a valuable addition to potting mixes and so easy to make. I always keep a couple of bin bags in the car and gather leaves whenever I see them when I'm out and about. Quite often nature lends a hand and the wind piles up great mounds of leaves along the base of walls or in sheltered corners.

Being a great believer in seaweed as a fertilizer and soil conditioner I've also gathered a couple of sacks of the dead stuff pushed up by recent high tides. Some goes in the compost heap and some I soak to make a liquid feed. Both will be used next year in preference to chemicals.

While I was tidying up I discovered a little toadstool village. I think they might be some species of mycena but I'm not big on fungi.

I also found a self-seeded holly bush which I've potted on. Don't know what I'll do with it but I hate throwing plants away. It might end up in a decorative pot outside the front door.

Deciding on what potatoes to grow next year is always great fun. There are so many varieties but I've narrowed it down to half a dozen and will be sending off my order soon. The great thing about the internet is that you can research the different types and get them from specialist suppliers such as JBA

One veg. seed order has already gone off and I'm still working my way through the catalogues. I know many people say you should collect your own seed but without trying different varieties you'll never know what best suits your own taste and conditions.