Temperature drop encourages growth
An urban oasis in Twickenham combining trees, shrubs and general planting with a variety of pondlife and wildlife.
The drop in temperature following the recent heatwave has encouraged further growth of lettuce, beans and courgettes. Courgettes are producing so quickly that if you overlook them for even a couple of days, they turn into monsters!
Bindweed has been a scourge of the allotment, scrambling up the raspberries and twining itself around the base of plants. I try to manage it by digging it out carefully so as not to break up the white, spaghetti-like roots because every piece left in the ground will regrow with vigour.
The garden has been a bit battered by recent wind and rain. However, fallen flowers can be rescued and brought indoors for pretty displays. Red and white begonias in windowboxes have flowered prolifically throughout the summer, needing very little attention. Trailing blue lobelia in other windowboxes look a bit bedraggled, but they soon perk up with regular deadheading. Squirrels in the garden have been fairly quiet over the summer, but they’re now showing off their acrobatic prowess, finding even more ingenious ways of infiltrating bird feeders. We now have a group of starlings visiting each day – their constant squabbling always makes me smile.
I haven’t yet decided which spring bulbs to plant – it’s always good to try out new varieties and colour schemes. Colourful tulips and crocuses will be planted in pots near the front door.
Soil in both the garden and allotment is easy to work now, making the removal of weeds far less onerous. Autumn digging will begin in earnest in the coming weeks, then overwintering vegetables, such as garlic and broad beans, can be planted and sown.