Autumn Blow

Autumn, it's that time of the year again when we're back to chasing daylight...

With the length of days shortening at a fast pace, it's becoming increasingly difficult too to get some garden chores done after work, when nearly all of them require good lighting to be done properly. Sure there's always floodlights (and we even have head lights now, nifty gadgets!) but nothing really beats the illumination given by the good old sun.

Anyway, before I digress even further what I'm really meant to say is that we're back to mainly being weekend garden warriors again. And with it being autumn it means that one of the garden jobs we have to do is giving the garden a good leaf blowing.

Now this is one the tasks I actually don't like doing and leave it for almost solely for Gaz to do as he doesn't mind it at all. In fact he's actually really good at it. Which is handy because of all garden maintenance that we do that produces the most visual impact in a short period of time of doing so, leaf blowing is the one that takes the top position.

Now why do I dislike doing the leaf blowing so much? It's mainly because of the cable. I'm clumsy with cables and feel that they always get in the way for a smooth and effortless job. And it's bad enough that I have to cope with them when using the vacuum cleaner but needs be I should. Sure there are loads of cordless ones out there but up to now nothing really beats the power of one that is still corded (and with three cats, we do need powerful ones).

Going back to leaf blowers, the same principles goes that it should be powerful enough to do what it's supposed to do and perhaps only a cabled one would do the job...

Until the our friends at Stihl offered us to try and review one of their new products which is a cordless leaf blower.

A cordless leaf blower, will it be powerful enough blow away those autumn leaves running just on rechargeable batteries? And will the batteries be light enough that the blower can be easily maneuvered into delicate angles? And how long can the batteries last, will it be long enough that it can finish the job and beyond that? The scepticism is there of course but a lot of the negativity has been neutralised from the start knowing how reputable a brand Stihl is.

Stihl, we were both very excited to try the product out and to satisfy our own curiosities.

And so we did. And the BGA 56 did not disappoint, far from it...

The battery was quick to charge, was easy to slot in, and was light enough at 3.3kg including the battery that it made the assembled leaf blower easy enough to carry and maneuver while doing the task. In fact it actually felt lighter to carry around than our existing corded one. The design is so much more compact and sleeker too that the airflow seemed more 'precise' that debris was much easier to blow away with much less effort on the arms less exposure to the surrounding plants (and pots!). 

More importantly, was it powerful enough that it was able to do what it's supposed to do? A glowing yes! It's combination of being cordless, a sleeker design, relative light weight, powerful blow, and overall less set up time made the completion of the task a lot quicker, which was a fab bonus! \The length is adjustable to suit you use. Usually it takes Gaz an hour and a half to do the entire garden, having to keep moving cables and the extension lead. This time around, it was done in forty minutes. The battery is said to give 20 mins of continuous blowing, although it lasted longer for us.

A big credit though has to go to the compact lithium ion battery which didn't lose intensity during the entire duration of its use and lasted longer than claimed.

And yes it is cordless! And I had a go to too and thought it was fun to use. Looks like leaf blowing won't be solely Gaz's job from now on.

Thanks Stihl, it's a really great product!

Mark :-)

The Stihl BGA 56 is available from all the usual Stihl stockists.

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Autumn Beckons

It's October now and autumn has definitely begun. Although the garden is still looking very lush and only a few plants have just started changing leaf colours and shedding them, preparations have begun for the coming colder months.

First things first, start treating and shifting our pots of succulents. It wasn't easy to break up the display we created for the summer but I took a deep breath and just went on with it.

I really ought to get a potting bench. This squatting malarkey isn't good for my back long term. Still one has to smile...

For the whole of last week it was sunny and dry, albeit with significantly cooler temperatures than the previous month. The week before though we had so much rain which helped most of the succulent to bulk up even more.

But there are lots of pots to shift so one must carry on.

As expected we didn't get to finish moving them all. We weren't expecting to anyway. Autumn preparation usually goes on for weeks but we've had a good head start already.

I'll miss the succulent display we had last summer...

But they don't look too bad under cover either.

They'll keep me company as I spend more time once again, during the colder months in the koi shed.

Mark :-)

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Why Hide the Evergreens?

As I was tidying up some of our potted plants over the weekend, sorting and grouping them together in preparation for the winter (as well as just being organised, or attempting to at least) I had a sudden thought, why am I hiding the evergreens?

First, a bit of autumn colour in the garden...

It was very damp, grey, and misty over the weekend and although it never actually rained while we were in the garden the atmosphere was so cool humid that it felt like we were gardening whilst there was a constant drizzle. Still I wasn't complaining as the temperatures were at least mild and it was atmospheric, like gardening amongst the clouds. And I'll take this condition anytime over freezing temperatures.

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A Touch of Frost

Last week I had the chance to get home early so I could move under shelter the frost sensitive plants we have still outside, as we were forecast some frost on the Thursday morning.

Well frosts did arrive and a thin layer of white crystals were all over the garden when I gave it a quick inspection in the morning. Alas I was in a rush to go to work so I wasn't able to take frosty photos but for a few moments I was able to take in the sights and take note of the distinctive scent of frozen vegetation in the air.

Fortunately the frosts didn't last long and they were all probably gone an hour or so after I've gone to work and the temperatures afterwards have been much milder.

So how did the garden react from the visit of jack frost?

Some got frazzled...

Some got the trigger to finally start shedding its leaves like the Kalopanax above...

And this Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' (which has grown well, not bad for a tree bought for £1).

Some look surprisingly unaffected by the frost despite looking like the sort that will mush at the faintest touch of it...

Whilst some continue to hang on to their leaves ignoring the frosty trigger.

Hopefully there won't be any visit from jack frost for quite some time after this, cross fingers!

Mark :-)

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Very, Very Nice!

I managed to claim back some time owing from work today and got home early. Not much time at all, just over an hour but that was all that I needed today. I just needed to be home whilst there still some daylight around so I can shift some plant undercover as we are forecast a possible blanket of frost on Thursday early morning.And it seems that this will be a one off (for now) as from then onwards it looks like it's set to get a bit warmer again.

Since October has been on the whole mild and very good weather wise the shifting of some of our plants undercover has been very slow. Plus we're prioritising finishing off building the quarantine shed so we can store plants in it too (and have fun in it).

Winter population slowly building up

Also, as much as possible we prefer to leave out plants for as long as possible as they are better off outside rather than jammed altogether under glass the earliest possible we can do so. They will remain much healthier the longer they stay out as long as the weather remains mild enough for them.

Saying that I know time can be an issue too and storing plants becomes just a matter of when one can do it rather than when is the most ideal for them (which is often the last minute before a cold spell, or in the case of xerophytes to dry out sufficiently before that).

Its's all a balancing act of different factors but the dictum 'Store plants too early and you prolong their winter too' goes to mind each time autumn arrives.

Anyway so yes I utilised the extra hour early home to move some plants under glass. Fortunately there wasn't that much to move with urgency at all and most of the borderline ones can remain outside where they are for now, as they should be fine with short bouts of cold and frost on them.

The ones I had to move ASAP were the ones I personally call the 'mushy lot' - i.e not necessarily very tender but touch the leaves with ice and they turn to mush. Lots of succulents fall under this category and several leafy plants.

What about tender and tropical plants that are not only intolerant of any frost but of colder weather altogether? Well we don't really have any of those truly tender ones outdoors anymore to mollycuddle and drag in the house at the first sign of autumn. We used to but we have disposed of them gradually until none remains. The only tropical and very tender ones we have are the permanent houseplants which are in the sun room and third bedroom (most of the house are plant free).

So I've just almost unceremoniously shoved these 'mushy lot' under cover, closed the greenhouse doors, and tucked them to bed for now. Over the weekend we'll have more time to sort the plants out properly and with more thought so as to utilise the available space as efficiently as possible.

The 'mushy lot'

Since the clocks have changed and moved back we rarely get the chance to spend some time in the garden after work and are only able to do so during the weekend. Until the length of daylight gets significantly longer again we are mostly weekend gardening warriors.

So when I got home early and managed to do a bit of gardening, a rarity at the moment, I was reminded how nice it was to do so after work. It's to forget that sensation at the moment as our daily routines have changed now to adapt to the colder months.

I thought it was refreshing and invigorating, it felt like a treat! Like the odd cup of special coffee after work, or an aperitif before a meal, it was very, very nice!

Mark :-)

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Wisdom from the Fallen Leaves

During the earlier years of cultivating our current garden the leaves that fell during the autumn used to annoy me. Sounds very strange I know but that was an era wherein being pristine and perfection were more of a priority than just simply enjoying the garden and the changes it goes through the season.

Fallen leaves are debris that makes a garden untidy. They accumulate on to evergreen plants and succulents, smothering them and if they rot in situ which can potentially cause harm.

Fast forward now and in more recent years when the sight of fallen leaves in the autumn are nothing more than just...fallen leaves, part and parcel of autumn. They just need sweeping and tidying up every so often, little and often the best approach. When they accumulate on crowns just remove them as you pass by and the ritual continues until the last batch of autumn leaves have fallen.

Seasonal chore, that's what these fallen leaves signify to me now and no longer a source of annoyance. Mild nuisance they still can be but they are also viewed now with a degree of fondness.

This change in perception however represents a more relaxed approach to the garden, which in many ways allows us to appreciate the garden even when generously sprinkled with fallen leaves. 

On a nice sunny day, wrapped up warm and holding a mug of hot tea I survey the garden and now look past the debris and see beauty instead that is unique to autumn.

Mark :)

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The Joys of TV

At this time of the year we rediscover once again the joys of TV...

In fact I've put in a small note on my phone which ones to look out for.

There's the Apprentice on BBC1, Big Dreams, Small Spaces on BBC2 which will air everyday this week. Then there's the new season of Walking Dead on Fox TV, as well as American Horror Story whose previous season will also be available on Netflix sometime next week (mmmm marathon!).

Speaking of Netflix we have seen some of their new fabulous autumn film offerings like Skyfall (shame my favourite Bond girl had to die), Hunger Games: Catching Fire (which I must have seen six to seven times before on Blu-ray, still love it though!), and Nymphomaniac Volume 1 and 2 (an excellent, poignant film of an acquired taste, that despite its generous showing of graphic sex scenes it is far from titillating as it is to show the psyche behind the behaviour, and is definitely not a feel good film). Hopefully season two of Bates Motel will be available here soon too.

Oh and if we miss something (we don't just sit around after work, we do other things too...) there are always the catch up channels, digital box recording, as well as online streaming wherein you can access past episodes on demand via apps on smart TV. 

Ahh don't you just love technology! And I still remember family time in my youth huddled together watching the same program on black and white TV... 

So do I have enough on our must watch list? Not at all. Then there are loads of 'property porn' programmes to look forward to (interiors, designs and house building), as well as historical and documentary ones.

I think I may have elaborated enough already of some of the things we look forward to as we rediscover once again the joys of TV. But what has it got to do with gardening?

This week will be the last week wherein we'll get the chance to see the garden after work with some daylight still available even for only a short amount of time. Next weekend our clocks go backwards by an hour. Yes we gain an hour over the weekend but it also means from then onwards it will be dark already by the time we get back home from work.

Darkness, not conducive to spending time in the garden let alone take pictures.

In the spring and summer the television becomes neglected in our household, almost abandoned except perhaps for the ten o'clock news as we spend most of our free time outside, in the garden or somewhere else. But come autumn and winter the sense of hibernation sets in and warm re-acquaintance with indoor pursuits like watching TV amongst others takes over again. Activity snobs may say such a preoccupation is an unsophisticated and mostly brainless pursuit but my answer to that is, we work hard and twist our brains for most of the day like a lot of people do and surely a bit of untwisting afterwards wouldn't do any harm. Even if it's just 'watching TV'.

This is how we cycle our activities. There is always something to look forward to for every season. No time to mope during the colder months with so many other things to look forward to and be distracted with.

We do also know that this seasonal infatuation with the gogglebox will be short lived. Come early next year it's likely that we'll find Walking Dead drab and depressing and not watch the latter episodes until the season finale. Interest in American Horror Story is likely to linger. Patronage of property porn shows are likely to persist although they may start to fade later on into just becoming a background noise in the house as we think about and plan for the coming growing season ahead. Then later a new cycle begins as we abandon the TV all over again...

Although before we do that, for a few moments and something to look forward to early next year, we may see something very familiar on our screen. Familiar faces staring back at us from the screen, in a place that is also very familiar to us too. And a reminder how fabulous last summer was ;)

Mark :-)

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Succulents Away!

Packing up plants for the winter is not something I look forward to, as it means summer is over and the colder months are lying ahead. The perk of it though is I get to inspect the plants more more closely than I would when they are actually out on display.

Only a small fraction of our succulents made it in the sun room as both of us don't want to clutter it too much. The rest of the house will remain almost plant free (we're not going in the 'jam as many plants indoors' direction ever again). I mentioned on a previous post that I may put plants in our lounge but I retract that now, best not to start in case such action will cascade into having more plants in the house.

Fortunately there are the two greenhouses where most of our not so hardy plants will be stored for the winter and packing it up has begun. Agaves and aloes are usually the first ones to go in so they get a chance to dry out before winter sets in.

The first batch are in:

Aloe cryptopoda

Agave salmiana angustifolia marginata

Agave montana - this one has thin variegated stripes only on one side of the plant

Agave titanota - stayed compact for a couple of years but this year the leaves have elongated

Agave guadalajarana

Agave victoria-reginae

Agave ghiesbreghtii

A few more succulents that may or may not stay in here for the winter. Some of them will need more warmth to sail through so will be relocated somewhere else, a new garden outbuilding that we are constructing at the moment (more on that later).

This coming weekend I'll be putting in more plants in this greenhouse and start sorting out the other one. We've established a routine now and although it looks like we have a huge amount of plants to move in it's not really as much as other enthusiasts do and not as tiring as it looks. It's quite relaxing in its own right actually.

Although I still much prefer moving them out.

Mark :-)

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October Days

Once you get into early October you really start to notice the evenings drawing in, as well as cooler day time temperatures. We have started to think about winter, by getting one of the greenhouses insulated, the other is still ok from last year. Then there are the leaves, which are all starting to turn, some of which are falling. At the moment it's not too bad, with only a few trees/shrubs dropping their leaves, most notably the Paulonia that Mark mentioned recently and a Chardonnay grape vine. 

Rhus typhina putting on a show

But other parts of the garden are still looking great, with plants putting on the final finale before frosts come. Although hopefully it will still be some time before we do get the first frost, keeping the garden looking good for longer, and also allowing us to keep the potted plants out, rather than putting the more tender ones back into greenhouses for winter.

Twinkles inspecting the Jungle Hut - we will finally reveal the finished new building soon :)

At the Jungle end of the garden the growth has been great this year, plenty of rain and a fairly warm sunny summer has meant many of the plants got carried away. When you consider what this area looked like after the fire last year its really like nothing happened at all.

The middle patio area has also done well with the new plants filling the space superbly. We are amazed how well the Amicia zygomeris has done, responding well to extra light this year.

The new red pergola is also looking as it should now, surrounded by lush growth, in particular from the Schefflera rhododendrifolia to the right hand side.

We have been fairly quiet on another project that is well under way at the moment, the koi quarantine pond and shed. Most of the construction is now complete, although we still need to glaze the windows and complete the insides, but that will feature on a post soon! As part of the construction we are adding a power supply, to power the filters, lights and a small heater. Which will be used to keep the shed above freezing in winter rather than particularly hot, even so we are looking to save energy with more efficient lower wattage heaters, and packing in the insulation into the walls of the shed to minimise heat loss. The filtration set up will ensure we minimise water changes, thus reducing our costs by saving water.

The new quarantine pond, and jungle hut will be revealed soon!

Gaz

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