Saturday 25 April 2009

Companion planting


Excessive consumerism - the modern scurge. I too succumb to this evil and in the last few weeks I've bought far too many seeds. This means I'm having to open veg plots sooner than I intended. This patch had been covered with carpet for about six months - not long enough to kill the ground elder - which when I rolled pack the carpet looked a bit anaemic but was fine thank you very much.

Hey ho. Dig on man.

I didn't dig this terribly well. Somehow forgot to dig two spades deep and bury the former turf - so it's going to be a bugga keeping the weeds down. But around the border I've used old feed bags to create a barrier to the roots of the likes of ground elder. Well that's the theory. The sheep and the horse also give me someone to talk to as I wile away the hours picking out shoots of buttercup, thistles and..... ground elder. You can't really tell from this piccy - but that horse is quite disconcerting - it stares accusingly. Aaaargh.

And nettles. I caught myself saying "Oooh nettles - that's a good sign". Has it really come to this?

Anyway - this is going to be a brassica patch this year. Not because the soil is suitable for brassica but because I have nowhere else to put them. Optimism.

6 comments:

Lulu Stader said...

I thought you're supposed to grow tatties in the first season in a new bed?

The Speaking Goat said...

Yeah but the tatties are in another bed already. It'll be fine.

Jo said...

You could always lay down some weed suppressant fabric, cut holes and plant through the holes.

I know what you mean about having to create new beds quickly though, I'm the same on my new allotment. I've got alsorts in my small greenhouse waiting to go in so I'm digging and weeding like a mad woman.

The Speaking Goat said...

Ah - weed suppressant fabric. I try my best to avoid spending money - especially on chemically treated things. Quaint I know. But the principle is good..mmmm - we've got lots of cardboard...

Anonymous said...

Sackcloth works. If you have any sacks.... Or you could weave some from twine. If you have any twine.

MTB

'Submisan' - someone who develops craftwork underground.

The Speaking Goat said...

Oh gawd we have twine alright. We think this used to be a twine farm - there's loads of it planted all over and Jussi is planning to make a door mat or 99 out of it.