Harvesting then a long work session

Monday 10th October
After a very successful working party yesterday, I went on to the plot to do some harvesting.
The quantity and quality of the raspberries continues to decline but they are still nice to eat, I just wonder how long they will crop.
I also picked some turnips. There were so many that I offered some to neighbours, taking a couple home. I did the same with my beetroot. Some of the first sown row are now absolutely huge and probably only useful for juicing, and I don't like beetroot juice! However the second row is just coming to its peak.
In return for my gift I was offered a pair of leeks (mine are still too small) and a pak choi - lovely!
Finally I found a good helping of broccoli shoots to take home.

Today I arrived at the plot quite late in the morning but prepared with a packed lunch to stay for the rest of the day. After doing a couple of quick jobs for the Association, I set about hoeing off the weeds, along with the old vines, that had grown on the squashes patch. I raked up a huge pile of growth for the compost help and then sowed a mix of Italian Ryegrass and Winter Tares. Unfortunately I discovered the seed was 5/6 years old so probably won't germinate!





Following that I moved on to digging out my compost and spreading it on next year's brassica patch. Having removed the front panel, I cut 2 or 3 inch slices down the front to further mix the layers in the heap.
It was lovely, black and crumbly, the best I have ever made!
I soon had covered half the patch with a nice thick layer which I raked smooth ready to dig in.





​Then I started digging over the patch ready to plant out some spring brassicas.
Digging out the trench along the fence took ages as I teased out masses of bindweed roots. All these went into a bucket ready to be drowned with water (see photos).

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I needed to use my normal spade and fork too start with as the bindweed had spread. At least I also managed to weed much of the asparagus bed while trying to deal with the bindweed roots. When I had finished the whole bed was 8 or 9 inches higher than the path and needed treading down ready for the brassica plants as they need firm soil.
All this took some time and it was after 5 o'clock when I went home!