Time for a Swedish Fika

 

What's Fika?

The most heard translation in Sweden is: "Fika is a Swedish word that you can translate as taking a break for coffee or tea and a bit to eat." But after some yours living in Sweden, I learned, it is much more than that. "It is not only an moment to relax, to catch up with your family and to laugh with your friends. It is part of daily ritual, a cosy escape or a refreshing pause. It is the time between meals, the place between destinations. There is always time for Fika." Mostly the Swedes drink coffee (they really drink a lot of very strong coffee) and they will eat something sweat, like Kanel or Kardemombullar (look here for the recipe: Kanelbullensdag in Sweden). Where? When you are living in Sweden you will find out you will meet the Fika everywhere, in your company, in some local trädgårdscafe (you can find all over the country at least in summertime) or in the local bakeryshop. 

Autumn Jobs to do

 

Time to prepare your garden for winter now! It's a little depending where you are living, the climate of your country, but also micro climate such as height, shelter, seaside or not, etc. For me september is the for exemple perfect time to move plants, mostly it is more natural moist so they can root before winter frost is coming.

Autumn Crocus (Colchis)

Autumn jobs to do now:

1. Have some fresh autumn decoration instead of summerplants in pots.
2. Move the plants you want to move or split (easy work less watering).
3. Clean the border for the last time (pick the weeds and cut back old flowers).
4. Put plants who don't like frost inside in a frost free place before winter starts.
5. Collect the seeds form the plants you like.
6. Order and plant some springbulbs for next year.
7. Look after your greenery: Harvest your tomatoes and plant your garlic.
8. Cut the grass for the last time, a little longer certainly not too short).
9. Cover the compost place with this last grass you just have cut to start the biological proces of breaking down.
10. Put on some lights in your garden.

Oeps: and for the people living on the countryside; prevent some plants from being eaten by the deer in the winter...my Sedums and Salvias are like a delicacy to them, so I put some iron around them to survive. Maybe I forgot something...? Look at my post last year!