Today was Kevin's first day back on the plot this year and he was thrilled to be up to his knees in clay again.He remarked to me halfway through that these were the best days!Here he is diligently filling the the compost trench for me. This will be the bean trench, started last Oct, I have been filling it with compost brought out from home.
Another day sorting out the fruit bed, I realigned the whole thing, moved one of the blueberry bushes which was easy as they are now sitting in tubs of ericacious compost in the ground.I dug it over, removing weeds and then we barrowed in 3 lots of well rotted horse manure.Even this did not faze Kevin when I explained the nice black crumbly compost began life as horse poo!There are lots of buds on the raspberries, blueberries and the blackcurrant bush which we gave a slight pruning to yesterday to open up the centre of it and cut out any branches that were damaged over the winter.
The asparagus got a handful of organic fertiliser and a mulch of horse manure as well.
Gardeners gold! This is the compost heap ( hill)! Zwena got in a mechanical digger to expose the black well rotted centre of the heap.It is lovely black and crumbly. We are so lucky on the Hydro allotments to have this right on the plots and also standpipes of spring water all down the allotment. I know from speaking to others who work on other allotments they don't have these invaluable extras to hand.
A weary gardener taking a well earned break. We spent 3 hours out in the plot on a lovely mild day, got lots done to start the new season off.Kevin saw a pheasant close up for the first time, I was not quick enough with the camera to get a shot. Two robins kept us company for most of the time,hopping around waiting for us to leave to check if we had uncovered any worms! I took a photo of one but it was too blurred to post.
On the way home I saw a big poster advertising a gym for working off executive stress, I smiled thinking they would be better off out in the fresh air in the country and growing their own vegetables for a fraction of the gym membership!
Comments
My little helper/grandson will be here Tuesday to help too.
When did you plant the asparagus? Will you get the harvest any this growing season?
Mine is on the 3rd year so this will be wonderful to have most of it to eat.
You are so right about gardening and fresh country air. It is so soothing, to me anyway.
Have a great day.
Pam
And totally agree about the gym membership, but then again not everyone is as greenfingered or as gifted in the garden as you are Mom.
we are all in agreement on the fresh air and being outdoors!