​Chasing Rats

Sunday 15th October
My usual Sunday morning session is normally more about chatting to other plotters than working but I try to get something done. I started by cutting more compost out of my mature compost bin and barrowing it onto the rest of the brassica plot I was preparing, then went for a coffee. On the way back from the café a colleague walked with me and as we chatted outside the plot we encouraged his dog onto my plot to check if there were any rats. (I had seen a couple last time down and found some holes around the brassica tunnel and strawberry patch.) She was soon snuffling amongst the strawberries and digging. A rat shot out and she gave chase but, unfortunately, it got away.
When they had gone I turned my attention to the wrecked strawberry patch. I cut back the foliage, something I meant to do last month, and started removing the runners that had rooted all over the place, mainly Elsanta which has flourished this year. I soon had a bucketful of runners to take home to sort out and a much tidier strawberry bed.
As it was lunchtime by then I left the harvesting until tomorrow apart from a fennel that was growing very well and too close to another. I went home for lunch just as the afternoon shift of plotters was arriving.