Make some hedgerow harvests
MY grandparents were famed for their sloe gin – it inspired my cousins and I to have friendly competitions as adults, to see who could make the best batch. We even served it up with the toasts on our wedding day! So it’s a ritual to scour the hedgerows in late autumn.
I wait for the first frosts before I pick my sloes. These tart little berries (Prunus spinosa) get physically broken down by a frost, allowing flavours to intensify and steep easily into the gin. Add equal volumes of sloes to gin (grandad used to add the same volume of sugar, too, but it’s too sweet for me so I add mine at the end to taste). You can add flavours such as a few cloves, or a few drops of almond essence, if family rules allow. Shake bottles daily, then at Christmas, drain, re-bottle and drink. Cheers!
Lay a thick organic mulch around the base of globe artichokes. They can sometimes struggle with chills, so appreciate insulation. Alongside brassicas, net beds of spinach and chard if wood pigeons are troublesome in your area, to deter plant stripping.
Keep the foliage of winter salad leaves soft and palatable. Lay tunnel cloches over rows, alongside a sprinkling of organic slug pellets. Ensure your winter hoards don’t spoil. Regularly check over bags of potatoes and trays of roots, removing any showing signs of decay.
Fire up your greenhouse heater, ready for installation. Check that fuel levels, wicks and thermostats are in full working order.