Our Autumnal Garden Update.

I love Autumn in Greece. There are lots of gardening jobs to do without having to get up early to avoid the baking sun (the temperatures are cooler more like a UK summer) and there are no worries about having to water the garden.

There are plenty vegetables still growing from the tail end of the summer that can be harvested. I have peppers, zucchini, marrow and chilli peppers remaining. Unfortunately the brutal rains damaged the top of a flourishing zucchini plant. My neighbours have gifted us tomatoes which we can continue to ripen on the window sill and grapes straight from the vines.

The winter fruit trees are producing an abundance of lemons and grapefruit yet to ripen. Watering well throughout the summer cannot be neglected or the fruit will not be juicy when harvested.

The lavender was already cut back and shaped after flowering at the end of the summer; this allows further growth before the winter to prevent a woody bottom. (See my blog on growing lavender)

Other herbs are flourishing now; due to the temperatures similar to spring they get a second growth. Our greek neighbour advised me to cut the flowering tops off the the basil.

On our garden walls the wild cyclamen is in bloom. We dug out some of the plants last year and positioned them around the garden in other areas to add to the floral display; they will bulb themselves and flower twice a year..

A village neighbour gifted us with some potatoes at the end of the summer. They had already started sprouting so I allowed them to 'chit' for a further week, then cut off the sprouting ends and placed them in the warm soil (sprout upwards). The remaining part of the potato was perfectly fine for cooking. Due to the changeable weather conditions these plants are now flourishing. Fingers crossed we don't have a hard frost and after three months we will have some small salad potatoes for Christmas.

One of our village neighbours is a goat herder. The family have several animals on their little small holding; Cows, sheep a couple of horses and many goats.

Throughout the summer months the goats are taken further into the mountains to graze where it is cooler and there is more vegetation. During this period the goat pooh that has been on the ground in the goat shed over winter is left to compost down into manure/soil.

This week the elderly extended family and ourselves help to shovel the manure into large sacks after it has been rotervated loose. This is then distributed by truck to various plots of land to enrich the soil for the following year.

This is hard, smelly work but full of 'chit chat' and laughter with a hearty chicken roast dinner and wine afterwards. There is no help from the younger generation as it's said that many leave the villages to go to college/university or for the cities to work and do not return.

During the coffee break were able to take in the valley views. We are blessed living here.

We were gifted with twenty sacks of composted manure in return for my effort. I weeded our garden beds, turned the soil and raked a good deep covering of the composted manure over the top. The next rains due will produce a rich liquid which will drain down into the soil. All the tubs and window boxes are topped up too protecting the plant roots and bulbs throughout the winter.

Top Tip: Make sure all windows are closed or insect screens are down for a couple of days as flies have a party when 'muck spreading'

This is the perfect time to buy mini chrysanthemums. I love the vibrancy of so many various colours. Keep potted and place either side of your front door to give a warm autumnal welcome. Don't forget to 'deadhead' the plant. Taking off dead flowers will encourage an abundance of blooms. Once the plant has finished flowering it can be transferred into the garden. The plant will shrivel and look dead but is only dormant and should regrow in the spring.

Jasmine is a delicate white flower with a strong fragrance, a perfect climber for growing up an arched trellis. We made our own from leftover wood. As the jasmine grows and flowers in the Spring and Autumn remember to train and secure it to the frame.

A couple of extra additions to our garden are a large water butt; topped up with any rain water, pavement hosing down or car washing. A bbq; a bit late for the summer but we are hoping to have it finished by the end of this month with a view to having a little neighbourly event.

There are several pockets of land in the surrounding area which have become little dumping grounds for unwanted/discarded items. We have motivated and arranged with our neighbours to clear these areas together, recycle what we can and remove the rest. Any garden refuse that can be burnt will be placed on a bonfire. Fires cannot be lit until after 31st Oct due to the risk of causing forest fires.