vintage gardening in September

spring is here supposedly.

However, where I live, it is still a little on the cool side.

I am busting to get my tomatoes in but waiting a week or two will be so much better for those warmth loving plants.

roses are sending up new shoots and my crab apple is in full bloom.

I just noticed this morning that my lilacs have buds on them

*and it looks like they will be glorious this year.

I have 4 weeks to get my garden into tip top shape for ms*louisa's wedding.

I want lots of pots planted up with violas & pansies & alyssum spilling out of tubs.

And I need to plant lots of nasturtiums, alyssum and queen anne's lace

under my apple tree to help keep those bad bugs at bay.

It is looking like I should get a wonderful crop of apples this year.

This apple tree is amazing!

It is one of the original trees that was planted when our land was part of an orchard - over 70 years ago.

I have no idea what variety it is

but it makes the best apple crumble & apple sauce.

And it is a delight in every season -

just now it is ready to burst into blossom

and I am hoping it will hold off til the wedding day..

it would be lovely to have some photos taken under it.

I also need to wrap some hessian around the trunk for codling moth control.

This weekend, I am hoping to spend a few hours in my vegie garden,

getting it all ready for spring planting.

The snow peas can come out and be given to the chickens

and I will have to rake up alot of sticks that have fallen in the past few days...

I throw a few good handfuls of organic life onto the soil

and cover the whole garden with newspaper and lucerne.

This encourages worm activity .

I also need to lime the soil in some parts for those vegies that need lime.

Oh and I also have to turn my compost heap -

I have one cooking , one current and one that I can use now.

Wonderful things compost heaps -

the chicken manure and spent straw from their nesting boxes goes into it

as does any other kitchen waste that the chickens don't eat.

I stay away from meat products

and weeds like oxalis and some grasses.

I cover the whole thing with an old carpet piece

and the worms do their magic.

The liquid manure barrel needs to be stirred and topped up.

comfrey certainly comes in handy for that.

I also need to get more mulch on those beds that aren't covered.

The summer will be here before we know it

and I need to keep as much moisture in as possible.

I am now back to using lucerne, a little more expensive

but well worth the goodness it puts into the soil.

I need to weed, feed & mulch all my trees as well.

A busy time in the garden this month!