Garden activity

Its that time of year when I am itching to get the seeds in, but frosts haven't stopped so I can't.

I left everything in place this year after the end of the vegetable season. I've seen it done in various organic systems around the world over the past year. Last years crop remains are dug into the ground after having been left to gradually rot down over the winter. Seems to make sense. Normally I cart it off and put it on the compost heap and then transfer it back again a year later when its completely rotted down. This way it saves effort and adds organic matter to the soil sooner.

So at the weekend, Huw, Mabel and I tackled the back garden veg plot. I decided to move the climbing frame and slide to where a bed was last year which didn't really get enough sunlight and put a bed where the slide had been. This meant moving 4 really well soaked railway sleepers and transplanting the grass from under the slide to the new place. Pictures tell a 1000 words.

Here's what everything looked like when we started.





Mabel helping carry the turf from the old to the new location.



And raking it all out.



The new bed, finished.



Looking down the garden it looks much better now.



Next weekend, we'll get the seedlings in I hope. As the summer progresses we'll be seeing some new additions to the vegetable plot this year including Salsify and Red Cabbage which I've never tried growing before. Plus the usual runners, French beans, broad beans, courgettes etc. We're also trying Aubergines for the first time and some of the lovely Globe Artichokes which will go in the front garden with some ornamental gourds. Should be fun getting all that lot to grow.

I'm hoping to do even more jamming, pickling and potting this year too. As it happens I'll document it here.