The Patch

24th January 2005

It's a Bit Untidy, Isn't It?

The Patch was left alone for a number of weeks over winter and it certainly looked like it. It needed to be be cleared so that we could come a long and dig it, ready for planing in th spring. Two gangs of Garden volunteers helped on two seperate days. There was a lot to clear, so we needed a lot of help.

Another View of the Work To Do

It doesn't look any better from this angle, does it? There's still a lot of work to do. We had better get cracking then.

We Miss the Hippo

The Mini-Garden Hippo hasn't been seen for a number of weeks now. He's probably on holiday somewhere, perhaps enjoying the sun or exploring a land he's never seen before. I do hope that he comes back soon though.

Timber!

The tall sunflower stems almost needed an axe to chop them down as they were so big! However, the Garden volunteers are a very strong lot and with a few hearty tugs at the stems, they came out of the ground (taking a huge lump of soil with them).

Runner Bean Bulbs?

These are the roots that are left by the Runner Beans. Their swollen root balls almost looked like bulbs. We didn't plant them again, but I wonder if they would have grown again if we had? Perhaps we'll try this next year if it happens.

What a Lot of Compost!

All of the clearings from the Veg Patch went on to the compost heap. There was a lot of clearing, and we managed to fill the compost heap completely. Mind you, it won't take too long to rot down and become plant food for later in the year.

Found You!

Nestling under a Buddleja leaf, we found a couple of overwintering 7-Spot Ladybirds. They will often huddle together and hide somewhere to sleep through the winter. Sometimes they can even find a warm place in your home or garden shed.

What a Difference!

After two lunchtime 20-minute clearing sessions in the garden, it looked very different from when we first started. There are still some bits and bobs littered over the soil, but these will be dug into the soil in a few weeks time. They will become food for this years plants.

Nicely Trimmed

Just like a new haircut, here's a view from the side. When we were clearing around the tree stump, a volunteer found the Mini-Garden Hippo hiding away. We were all very happy to see him back. The Hippo had just come back from travelling to other gardens, to see what was happening elsewhere. Hopefully we'll get a few tips to help us this year.