31 May-1 June 2008 - Old Groundskeepers' Tales

Much labour this Saturday, as we prepare for the start of summer, glorious summer.

We brought to the plot five paving stones that had been liberated from our back garden - to form a salad bed at home - which were installed, resting on a bed of wood chippings, as an elegant walkway from our gate nearly to the Pagoda.

The seedling broccoli were planted in Bed 1 next to their slightly more mature brothers. Much of our salad leaves, which had bolted, was harvested, and eaten for supper. Several radishes were ready, too.

Weeding proceeded, N's delicate fingers being put to rough usage. Carrots and onions now really looking seriously like they should. Especially pleasing as others on the site have had their carrot seeds eaten by mice (rabbits are so yesterday).

K sowed some more carrots and radish, and transplanted the various leeklings (blogs passim) to a temporary site in the seedbed. We hope they don't get too comfortable but better to be in the earth than lolling ungainly-like in containers whilst waiting for space to get free. Also sowed some flower seeds, including poached egg flower - then to be given some of these already growing by Jan and Pat. Always room for more.

Pest control activity on the apple tree which has the ant thing going on. Apparently ants like aphids. The leaves are beginning to look stressed. Borrowed some toxic stuff and blitzed the tree. (We try to be organic as far as possible but sometime you just gotta...)

Potatoes getting on well, no earthing up required in N's view (which may turn out to be a catastrophic misjudgment).

Our comfrey thrives - attracting much bee action - although we have a lingering guilt about simply using it as future green compost rather than cherishing it for its own qualities.

A deck, made of pallets, was installed. It, like all else in the plot, will require nurturing, maintenance and vigilance.

Nice cup of tea and a sit down on our lawn (which we attempted to mow with the mechanical mower).

Traps put down for mice on Saturday, with a peanut butter treat for the doomed. We are subseqently advised that, although traps are better then poison, cheese is the bait of choice. Mr G: "They're vermin; just small rats." By Sunday, two traps had sprung, but no corpses.

Strimming accomplished on Sunday, when a few more bean plants take the place of the weakest on our teepee site. We hope the corn will flourish, especially as it and the courgettes and butternut squash all got a good dose of the Magic Vegetable Water (which is truly stinky).

Weather note: mild, cloudy, soil still soft after the tumultuous rain last weekend