Sunday 29 March 2009

Spring sunshine brings life...

Improved weather, although we did have hail and frosts yesterday, has allowed much progress on lottie plot four. Onions, garlic and early potatoes are in. This is along with a good variety of fruit. Despite the gales a few weeks ago, I managed to get the strawberries planted under weed fabric. These are in a raised bed. We are pleased to say that this is now the only weed fabric that is present on lottie plot four! Last year we covered over half the plot in heavy duty weed suppressant matting. We did manage to grow a good crop of pumpkins though this, but it was not a long term solution. This did allow us time to weed through this section strip by strip. The whole area was heavily infested with bindweed so this was a slow process and the main project for over winter. Today we reached the momentus occassion of removing and weeding the last strip of fabric. In addition; over the last few weeks we have prepared many of the raised beds. Some of these are covered with cardboard until planting, others have been filled with wigwams which will hold various climbing beans and peas. The main planting season is a while off as we are in the chilly north, but I have planted 2 short rows of beetroot in a raised bed. The 7ft high mountain of compost we inherited is now moved and we have levelled the area in preparation for laying a patio. The plan is that we have a pergola next to the shed for shelter during the summer months. We will also have a storage area all nicely slabbed for easy maintainance.