The Fruit and Veg story
One of the most frequently recurring themes this year has been the need to think about what we eat and where it comes from. There is absolutely no shortage of TV chef’s ripping a few leaves from their garden and throwing them straight into the pot. “Plot to pot in under 5” [minutes] is the target! Last night on TV we had Jamie Oliver cooking in the garden urging us again and again to “look at the luvly colours “–Then a couple of certifiable lunatics dressing themselves in camouflage and scouring the countryside for free food – wild gourmets no less. One of the presenters told his attentive audience, that he never goes anywhere without his essential kit which included 3 sharp knives and a 12-bore shotgun [loaded I suspect]. I’d like to see him in Waitrose with his hunter-gatherer equipment. I am not knocking TV foodies, and I do admire Hugh Fairly-Longname who conveys his fantastic enthusiasm and skill but if you want to realistically reduce fresh food-to-the-plate times then your own garden is the place to do it. Next myth is year round self-sufficiency. Don’t get hung up about it as it’s just not going to happen. As a householder with a regular job, the best you can hope for is a nice meal or two of good fresh vegetables, herbs or fruit at various times during the year.

Have a look at the plant of the month section below as we are just about into fruit planting season, and that’s well worth the effort. Jobs for the month will give you a few things that can produce some fresh leaves in the darker months that lie ahead.

For the garden centre this is a very busy time of year. The autumn is very much the start of a new season. Bulbs to plant, trees and shrubs to go in, all the old summer bedding to rip out and replace with winter pansies, cyclamen, primulas and polyanthus. Autumn colour is unreliable on this damp island – some years will be better than others, the only sure things is that the leaves will fall and then the question of how to deal with them. Leaves are tough – they contain lignin which is the tough part of plant cells which resist breakdown by the usual micro-organisms in  the compost heap. They are best dealt with by crushing then composting. Run the lawn mower over a leaf covered lawn with the blades set on high and you’ll have a good amount of material to mix into the compost heap. If you have access to a shredder then that is just as good. Alternatively collect them and bag them. Add a compost maker and stack to one side to allow them to gradually breakdown into leaf mould in a year or so’s time.

 Plant of the month

Fresh fruit from the garden – you can beat food miles and packaging for a few weeks at least by growing your own apples and pears. Allocate a space in your garden, talk to the staff in the garden centre and buy a tree or two - it really is that easy. Get them in the ground and watch them blossom!
Planting trees is also an excellent way to mark a special occasion, and brings so much extra value to the garden.

The Apple (Malus) family is vast with many edible and ornamental varieties to choose from. They look great in spring, full of blossom and many are attractive simply as garden trees. And then there’s that unique sense of homeliness you get from branches laden with quietly ripening fruit. Pear (Pyrus) offers similar benefits, as well as being a more individual choice.

In both cases, there are varieties which, owing to their growth habit or compact size, are ideally suited to smaller gardens. Most garden centres stock a range of dessert or cooking apples, including varieties that you will have seen in the supermarket. The great opportunity with home-grown, however, is to produce fruit that really suits your own palette. ‘Sunset’ and ‘Fiesta’, for example are great eaters that you probably won’t find on the shelves, but if you want to go for Cox’s, Braeburn’s or Bramley’s, they’ll work in the garden too.

If you are not interested in actually eating the fruit, then choose an ornamental variety. Malus ‘Evereste’ is an outstanding small tree, ideally suited to garden applications. Its wide pyramidal crown, blossom that ranges from light purple to pinkish-white and orange/red ornamental fruits all have major appeal. ‘Golden Hornet’ is another winner, with light pink &white flowers and yellow fruits.

For pears, the range is more limited, but again, there are small trees suitable for the garden which will produce either edible or ornamental fruit.

Plant fruit trees in fertile soil, in the case of pear, and moderately fertile soil in the case of apple. A full sun position is preferable, although apples will tolerate some shade. So grab your spade and get into home grown top fruits this autumn!

Jobs for the Month –
It’s the start of the pre-winter tidy up. Compost the remains of the summer bedding and rubbish from the vegetable garden. A good compost heap is the single most important thing in a garden. It is absolutely essential that you return the goodness to the soil – it is the only way to keep it productive.

There are lots of plants for autumn and winter colour in tubs and borders. Winter pansies and violas are staple diet – so too the hardy cyclamen hybrids that give a good display until January. [Hardy to –5oC at least]. Wallflowers planted now will flower next April -May, similarly Sweet Williams, and Brompton Stocks.

Check over climbers and trees – make sure their supports are sound enough to take the winter weather.

Most lawns need some attention – a good raking, and an autumn feed. Spike the surface and add sharp sand to improve the drainage and reduce the amount of moss. Hard work but well worth the effort.

To get a few fresh leaves now and then though the winter, you should first find a good growing spot. Window sills are the most likely solution if you haven’t got a greenhouse or conservatory. Look for easy germinating leafy sorts such as mixed leaves, rocket, corn salad ( also known as Lambs Cress), chervil, basil, and spinach. They won’t grow to maturity but they will make young leaves which are tasty and nutritious through the winter. You can dig up a few summer herbs, especially parsley and thyme, pot them up and grow in a light frost free place to crop as needed.