Latest gardening newsletter from Jane Folis – including Christmas ideas and visits

IT is nearly November and we are still experiencing temperatures of 17 degrees ? brilliant. It has extended the growing season and even my spinach has germinated. I finally took down the tomatoes yesterday and picked a final pound or two. They have been magnificent this year. The Aubergines just won?t give up and have now been put in the greenhouse. They were an outdoor variety called ?Ophelia?, available from Marshalls (www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk). There are still about ten fruits to pick. The variety is very small and quite delicious.

Now we are down to the winter crops and this weekend I really need to deal with my Endive. The roots need lifting in October/November and the leaves cutting about 2cm above the crown. Set five roots in a 20cm pot and pack with soil. Then put them in darkness indoors at 15degrees centigrade. The chicons, as they are called, should be ready in about three weeks. I?ll let you know how the Italian variety (the ones I got at Chelsea) turn out.

October has been rather a frustrating month. I managed to injure my shoulder rather badly and have been unable to do even the most basic of chores, let alone driving or drawing. Even using a computer proved impossible as I haven?t been able to raise my arm high enough to rest on the desk!! Needless to say I am rather behind with my work, but catching up fast now that I have some movement back.

One highlight of the month came courtesy of Nectar Points. I had, quite literally, thousands of them accumulated through my stationery supplier. One morning, back in May an offer came through for a demonstration and tasting day at Jean Christophe-Novelli?s Academy. Now how could I refuse? My day was planned for 16th October and even though I was unable to drive there was no way I was going to miss it. One very expensive taxi ride later I arrived at Crouchmoor Farm in Hertfordshire.

We had a wonderful day watching the master at work ? and he didn?t stop. We only had a couple of five minute breaks in the 6 or so hours we were there. We picked up loads of tips and sampled all the delights. When I get the recipes through I will include some in the newsletter. Having been on a diet for the best part of a year the highlight was eating a home baked loaf, stuffed with Camembert cheese and a magic tomato sauce. As you can imagine, the cheese erupted out of the centre like molten lava and the taste was divine. The day was brilliant and I am sure it speeded up my recovery ? the arm actually began to work later that evening. Perhaps it was the wine we were obliged to sample?

RECIPE
Leek Carbonara
This is a great alternative to pasta and a bit better for the waistline.

6 rashers streaky bacon
3 leeks
150ml double cream
2 tbs Parmesan
large knob of butter

Chop the bacon into thin strips and the leeks into thick slices. Heat a large saucepan and add the bacon. Fry for a few moments until golden and then put them to one side on a plate, pouring away the excess fat.
Add the butter and once melted stir in the leeks and about three tablespoons of water. Cover and allow the leeks to steam for a few minutes until tender.

Pour the cream over, simmering until lightly thickened, then spoon the Parmesan cheese and bacon through the sauce.

This is lovely with some lightly grilled fish, such as Seabass.

SEASONAL TIPS
It is not too late to plant bulbs. I can probably still put in a late order if you want anything, but I do know they are running short of the popular
varieties such as Narcissus ?Thalia?.

November is a good month to get the borders looking good. Many perennials have lovely seed heads and it is entirely up to you whether you keep them until the spring, or cut them back. Most stems can be chopped up and added to the compost heap, but do burn anything that shows any sign of disease. One exception to the rule is Penstemon ? these should only be pruned in spring so that any new tender growth isn?t damaged by winter frosts.

Remove any stakes and supports that are left in the ground and put them away for the winter. If you are in any doubt as to where certain perennials are, or if you have a newly planted border, do mark the cut down stems with small wooden sticks. This will help you identify what is a weed (and what is not) in the spring when the garden bursts into life.

Gather fallen leaves. Rather than bagging them up and taking them to the dump, put them in 100% biodegradable sacks and store. Leaf mulch is really brilliant for the garden. There is a great product for this process, available from Nether Wallop Trading Company ? www.netherwalloptrading.com. They suggest you collect the fallen leaves and pack them into ?love ?em and leave ?em? sacks. Tie at the top and stand in an out of the way corner of the garden.

November through to March is the time for bare root trees and shrubs being readily available from suppliers. If any of you need to infill borders or want new hedging or trees ? let me know and I will see what I can source.

Don?t forget to order seed catalogues. This will give you plenty of time to plan the borders and vegetable patch ready for the spring. A number of you have asked me how I get such a good supply of tomatoes each year and indeed get them ripened. I think it is down to my eager hope that spring is about to happen in late January!! I usually sow my seeds at this time and nurture them in my office until I can put them outside in May. By this time they usually have at least a couple of trusses and are well on their way. I don?t grow them in a greenhouse, but of course you have to be careful to choose outdoor varieties. I never, never grow them three in a grow bag. There just isn?t enough soil to cope. This year I used John?s brilliant wooden planters, but if you don?t want to go to this expense fold the grow bag in two and make into two ?pots?.

Give lawns a final cut to tidy up its appearance ? it also helps to get rid of fallen leaves. Clean away any grass stuck to the bottom of the mower and check whether the blades are blunt. If they are use a sharpening stone to put on a good edge.

Improve your soil by digging in organic matter such as garden compost or mushroom compost.

Put a floating ball or piece of polystyrene in ponds to prevent the water from freezing.

VEGETABLE & FRUIT GARDEN
Clear the vegetable patch of old plants, weeds and other rubbish that could be harbouring pests and diseases. Dig over open ground and add
organic matter such as garden compost.

Plant Broad Beans and Garlic if you didn?t get around to it last month.
Force Chicory/Endive (see above).

If you have space in the patch it is a good time to improve the soil. Dig it over now and leave it untended. The frosts over the winter will break
down any lumps of heavy soil and give you a far finer material to work with next year. Alternatively you can grow green manures, such as Caliente mustard or Phacelia. These manures suppress the weeds
and protects the soil from erosion and adds structure

Prune Apple trees. Begin by removing any dead, diseased or crossing branches. Shorten the central shoots by a quarter and then cut sideshoots back to three buds to encourage them to change into fruiting
spurs.

Prune Blackcurrant. Most fruit forms on stems produced the previous season so it is best to encourage new growth by removing about a quarter of the older stems. These are usually grey or black in colour.
If you have a plant that hasn?t been pruned for a few years, cut out more of the older wood. You can get away with cutting the whole plant back to ground level.

To stop winter moths, place grease bands around the trunk and stake of fruit trees. This prevents the female moths crawling up the tree to lay their eggs.

Spray peaches to protect against peach leaf curl. Cover to prevent any re-infection.

For more information, visit www.rhs.org.uk/advice/calandar.asp.

GREENHOUSE
Reduce watering now as the plants are moving into a dormant period.

Fungal diseases are one of the main reasons that plants can die in the greenhouse during winter. To help stop any spread, check over plants and remove any dead leaves or flowers. Remember to sweep up the
floor to clean up anything that may have fallen off the plants.

Clean up the greenhouse by washing with hot soapy water or garden disinfectant. Clean pots to avoid spread of diseases.

POINTS OF INTEREST
?We will if you will?
A Government-backed initiative to encourage healthier lifestyles.
The first is to encourage people to eat more home-grown, seasonal and UK produced food.
Visit www.rhs.org.uk/growyourown/news.asp for more information.

BIRDS AND BEES
A new RHS book is available and aimed at children.
RHS Wildlife Garden by Martyn Cox explains how to create suitable habitats for all kinds of wildlife.
Published by Dorling Kindersley ISNB 9781405334358
RHS Mail Order 0845 260 4505

PLACES TO VISIT
Gardens free to RHS Members
RHS Wisley; Blenheim Palace Park and Gardens; Nymans; Waddesdon Manor; Waterperry Gardens; West Dean Gardens.
For a full list visit www.rhs.org.uk.

FIVE BEE FRIENDLY GARDENS
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond
The National Wildflower Centre, Liverpool
Garden Organic Ryton, Warwickshire
RHS Wisley, Woking
Highgrove, Gloucestershire

EVENTS

RHS Wisley
Flower Arranging ? colourful Christmas
11th November ? 10.15 ? 12.15pm
Lunch at 12.30 followed by a guided walk at 1.00pm
Members