MANURE ANYONE?

This week the planning for next year is in full swing with lots of crops finishing the harvest and soil being turned over to increase the mixture and give the earthworms a winter job of regenerating the soil.

With lots of leaves about from the recent windy weather it’s a great chance to use them to cover the borders and give the earthworms a helping hand with a ready-made food bank.

My search for horse manure has been rewarded and over the next couple of weeks I’ll be collecting varying amounts to provide the garden with natural nutrients to help with growing plants next year.

I might even plant a few crocus and snowdrops so when spring arrives there will be a colourful scene in the garden while the days start getting longer.

Autumn is an amazing season with the low lying sun reflecting an enormous amount of colour from the ever changing leaves on trees and bushes.

The climbing plant in my garden has already shed its leaves – probably helped by the recent strong winds – but others are reluctant to start turning away from green at the moment.

I think the warm October temperatures (even at night) have led some to hang on for a while. Now we’re about to start November, the temperatures are starting to fall in line with normal conditions for this time for the year and I’m sure the green leaves will soon become a rainbow of reds, yellows, oranges and browns.

For the wildlife, the birds are not spending too much time in the garden, apart from the house sparrows who are gathering in larger groups for shelter and food in the rose hedge. The dunnocks have made a few appearances, but the robins and blackbirds are scarce.

I'll know the natural food supplies are low when the long tailed tits arrive to feed on the peanuts and fat snacks.

I’ll be clearing out the nestboxes soon and preparing them for any winter roosting birds, before they hopefully are claimed for nesting once again next year.

I have another camera nestbox so will try and hook it up to the sparrow nestbox in the hope they nest there again. Given there are three chambers in that nextbox and the camera will only cover one, I do wonder what the chances are of my successfully guessing which one will be used, if  any.

I’ll probably go with the one that was used this year and see what happens.

Right, must go and pick up that horse manure!