Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2015 | Page 90

GARDENING Fruits of the Autumn W ith Autumnal winds brewing and leaves falling around, we’re turning the corner into the colder months: time to wrap up and find some wholesome jobs to do to keep us warm. With the majority of the vegetable plot produce cropped, stored or used, we are left with some of our staple winter crops to keep us going over the colder months. Root vegetables, cabbages and winter salads grown in the (slightly) warmer polytunnel add interest in an otherwise quieter period on the plot. The broad beans have also been sown, ready for an early start in the spring. A thick muck mulch will also be applied to the plot soon to break down naturally over the coming months. The apple and pear crop this year has been great and has far outshone last year. The early winds have created quite a lot of windfalls on the ground and, keen not to waste an opportunity, we have 90 www.goilife.co.uk been juicing batches of apples ready for our orchard blend of apple juice and medium and dry ciders. Any apples that have been steadfast in the trees are being handpicked and eaten straight away or stored in the abbey, being careful that none have blemishes that will encourage them to rot. Some apples have been stewed and married with our hedgerow blackberries for the perfect pudding combination. This year also provided a bumper crop of berry fruits. Our cloister mulberry was groaning under the weight of fruit, as were the newly planted fruits trained along the walled garden wall. In the borders we have been removing tired and spent perennial stems to tidy their general appearance. Now is also the time to divide herbaceous perennials. High on the list is removing fallen leaves to reduce the risk of smothering plants and also the lawn. Although it seems like a thankless task, it is always Matt Noyce is head gardener at Quarr Abbey, and is responsible for the 200 acres of gardens, pastureland, vegetable plots and private woodland on the estate. worth removing the leaves regularly to prevent bare patches appearing under compacted leaves on the lawn. In preparation for further winter winds, attention is now given to vulnerable shrubs and trees by pruning where appropriate (to reduce ‘wind rock’) and checking stakes and ties around our precious new plantings. Pictures by Matt Noyce