Willow in the Fall and gardening.

 The willows shown here were cut down almost to ground level in the spring time. As you can see they have grown back as "whips" reaching nine feet or more in height. If I cut them down now I could strip them of their leaves but not their bark. I could then use them as ribs and hoops in my rib baskets as brown willow. However, I prefer to leave them over winter and cut them down next spring time after the first flush of leaves appear. Then I will be able to strip the bark from them and use them as "white willow" instead.

Fall is the time I dig over my vegetable patches, burying most weeds that are there as green mulch. I will add compost onto the surface later, and dig that in before I plant next spring.

I do so enjoy turning over this patch of soil, and the other ones that remain. The soil is so rich and friable. The rich dark soil is easy to work and it sits on top of a well drained sand and gravel base. Not too far up the street the soil is dense and heavy and poorly drained with the typical blue colouring of an ill-drained clay soil.