When the leaves on the Shishishagira Japanese Maple out front turn orange then red – usually the last tree around to change colour – I know it’s time to plant garlic for harvest next July. Yesterday I selected some of the best garlic bulbs from this year’s batch and separated the cloves, enough for over 40 new bulbs next year. In some past years, I planted garlic in a haphazard way, planting some in any disused areas of the garden. Last year I established a dedicated patch for the garlic and I used that area again, plus took over some other areas for garlic near the tomato garden.

Garlic is super-easy to grow. The only thing to remember is to cut off the scapes when they appear in June. After harvest in July, the garlic has to be cured for a couple weeks. I do this by tying it together in a bundle and hanging it outside under a canopy. I used to plant my garlic at the end of September. My brother suggested that was too early because if we get a period of nice weather, the garlic could send out shoots before it gets freezing cold. I took his advice so these days I plant it in November before the ground freezes.

This means winter is almost here. Time to bring in a little wood for the woodstove. Time to get the snow tires on. Last week I cleaned out the bird houses and did maintenance where needed. I like to do this before winter, so in spring, the bird houses are ready for new inhabitants. With several trees around our home, we see a good variety of birds. Last year house sparrows, chickadees and grackles used the bird houses plus there were robins and cardinals nesting way up in the spruces.