After arriving early to help unload a delivery of compost to the Trading Hut, I planned to stay all morning on the plot. I wondered if I was going to be rained off at first but it was only a shower and I managed to carry on in a coat and hat until I got too warm. Then ensued a rather comic situation as the zip got stuck on the jacket too high for me to slip it off over my head. I eventually escaped with help from a nearby plotholder friend and had to cut into the zip to undo it.
My objective was to clear the patches where weeds were beginning to seed themselves all over the site. Where I plan to grow my climbing French beans was a mess containing tall nettles so, with my jacket on, I was well covered to avoid being stung. The soil was so dry and hard I had to tease the weed roots out with a fork and a big pile of greenery went onto the compost heap as none of these weeds had actually flowered. At least the ground is clear for me to plant my climbing French beans and set up the canes. |
The soil is already very dry so I shall probably have to soak the patch before digging it as I have seedlings growing on in the greenhouse which can't wait for rain.
However I had taken care not to pull up bindweed as I knew there would be more below ground than above. Having dug out most of the bindweed by the fence I noticed a few small sprigs of it in the next bed. I was horrified at how much root I exposed with my fork as I had dug the patch over fairly carefully earlier this year! I kept these roots and shoots separate so I can drown then in a bucket turning them into a useful if somewhat smelly liquid manure. |
Before going home, I drowned the bindweed and harvested asparagus, rhubarb, new potatoes and 4 radishes.
Back tomorrow hopefully leaving me clear on Sunday for the Working Party. We've got a bit of clearing up round the Cabin and its new decking and lots of potholes to fill in!