We’ve come a long way, this was the plot in August last year.This year there is more of everything and it’s much tidier. So let’s have a chat about what work we did on the plot over the last couple of weeks. First up we finally got around to framing another bed. Knowing that the nephews were due a visit, we framed the bed I thought would be most vunerable to small people walking on it, the one that was half french beans and is supposed to be half chard (if the seeds ever come up!) This is it a couple of weeks ago…And after my DIY magic. I took six of the metre long fixed lawn edging things, but because the bed it only 1.8 metres long, two of them had to be adjusted. Ma was very impressed and wants to do all of the beds, because it looks tidier, I agree but it’s a marathon not a sprint, I want to get four more and sort out the brassica bed sides this year. Then there are two other beds that need the same treatment (which will need another 18 panels) and we have plans to buy two or three more of the beds that we bought last year (that’s 2 1.8 by .8m beds and another one metre square bed) and then I’m probably officially out of room unless I put them at the top next to the shed and we already have plans for that area, that involve fruit bushes and wildflowers!

Speaking of the shed though. We go busy with some hooks and a drill and had a tidy up. Which also made Ma very happy.I had a tiny re-arrange of the greenhouse too and found a place for ripening some tomatoes, they were dragging on the ground so had to be cut off.We finally got a patty pan and it looks like more are coming. I’m pleased because the only thing in that bed is that plant so it would have been a total waste of space if it hadn’t sorted it’s life out!I trimmed the mutant, non-flower producing cosmos too, because they were over shadowing everything else in that bed. Lesson learned I won’t plant them in the salad bed. The nasturtiums also got a haircut…And so did the rosemary.The borage that I had to cut down because of the blackfly, self seeded and is coming up in the same place which is nice, I’m not sure that it’ll get through the winter but it’s nice to know that it’s been doing it’s things. Also self seeding were the poppies…The tomatoes are producing a little bit but some are still getting there.It looks like I have 4 solid butternut squashes ripening and they are big!There has been flowers and produce and it’s all abundant and lush.In addition to the stuff already mentioned, we pulled up the cucumbers because they had gone off the boil and gave the summer squash a mildew busting haircut. Ma did masses of weeding and there was feeding, watering and general work. The big thing was to get all the rubbish off the plot and into the dump. It was hard work and also involved meeting a mouse! We didn’t get to everything we wanted to do so the list is getting bigger, I’m dividing it into August/Sept work and Autumn/Winter list

August/Sept

• more pruning of the plum tree
• plant out and sow some of the things we have planned for autumn
• sort out the raspberries (shorten the lines, work out the frames)
• sort out the brassica bed (new sides and netting, put up the french beans)
• extend the strawberry bed (weed and plant out new runners)
• sort out the space for the new long bed at the bottom of the plot
• plant potatoes in bag for Christmas (late but what can you do)
• plant spring bulbs at front of plot
• sort out paths on plot (weed/woodchip/make paths at front of plot
• mark out space for gooseberry bushes
• sow grass seed at front of plot

Winter/Autumn work

• re-site the gooseberry bushes
• sow broadbeans and garlic
• clear up/feed/cover summer beds
• new raised beds
• clear/clean/secure greenhouse
• decide what we’re growing next year
• order what we need in good time

There is still lots of work but the nature of it is different, I was talking to someone the other day who was saying that she likes closing the plot down in autumn and coming back to it in spring. I like the seasonal change of the work but I do want to use the plot a bit in winter which is why I planted all the leeks and cavolo nero and why this year, I’ll sow broad beans and garlic and chard. It’s nice to feel the seasons…..