Amazing weather we have been getting lately. When the sun shines, it makes you forget all the rain we also had. The rain barrels are shut down for winter. I still have a bit of water in them which is used to water the houseplants that are taking a good space inside.
So far I have shredded 11 bags of leaves. These have been spread over the raspberry bed and all over the garden. I still have another 12 bags along the side of the house. These also will be shredded and a part of them will be stored for next spring to use with grass clippings. All the paths are also mulched with this combination or leaves alone.
With all the clay we have, I used to drag lots of mud on my boots but walking on leaves makes it a lot better.
The snapdragons must really like this kind of weather as they are in full bloom and some buds are just opening. The sweet alyssum reseeded itself and I even found a couple of honey bees flying around on a sunny day.
I still have a good amount of flowers in the garden and the dahlias have not quit yet. I hope we have another few weeks of this good weather. I have been harvesting baby kale and lettuce on a regular basis, enough for salad. The dill, parsley, cilantro and even some basil are still alive and doing well.
Some people only use the beet roots and discard the rest. I used the beet greens to make lasagna instead of spinach and sautéed the stems with onions and a little balsamic vinegar. It’s best to use beet greens within two or three days after refrigeration.
For more information: please call me at 250-558-4556 or email plantlady1@shaw.ca
Jocelyne Sewell is an organic gardening enthusiast in the North Okanagan and member of Okanagan Gardens & Roses Club. Her column appears every other Wednesday.
