The Wednesday session was busy, leaves got collected, the newly dug area raked over, and some new paths created with wood chips. The plan is to keep to the pathways, trying not to compact the soil by treading on it, therefore keeping it workable. We emptied a compost bin onto the plot to be used for legumes (peas and beans), these are the hungriest of the vegetables, and this was our first home made compost! It seemed like a lot inside the bin, but spread out, it goes nowhere at all, and it will be at least three months until the next of the compost is ready to use. Luckily we have now been directed towards a possible local supply of horse manure, and if regularly collected and added to our compost bins, will make the dream of a ‘no dig’ policy come true! Simply add a layer of compost as a mulch, and let nature do all the work, it is magic!
The broad beans got planted, some peas to harvest as pea shoots, and sweet peas for an early flowering crop, but the garlic and onion sets are having to wait for the weather to improve! Saturday was a complete washout and mainly involved replanting violas that got ripped out of their planting holes by the wind!
We still have food that can be harvested and has not as yet been eaten by the wildlife. The sawfly disappeared from the Chinese cabbages as quickly as they came and have left the hearts to mature. The kale has been giving us leaves for a couple of months now, and an excellent kale lasagne has been made and the recipe shared. The purple sprouting is starting to show the first broccoli heads which is very exciting, reward for the months of fastidiously removing cabbage white butterfly eggs and caterpillars!
Fingers crossed for a break in the weather next week, so much still to do. A couple of pictures of the nursery playground have been added below to show how much work the children have done…….looking colourful!
What’s next?
- Any more wood chips available for the paths?
- Collect leaves for the leaf compost bin
- Plant the onion and garlic sets if the weather allows!
Kale lasagne 
Purple sprouting flower Nursery playground planting Nursery playground planting Plot view
