Continuing to be busy this week. A couple of us were at the Sandgate Parish Council meeting to talk about, and promote the garden. We hobnobbed to the best of our abilities, and think we have created enough of an impression to keep the garden in the minds of many of the movers and shakers of Sandgate! We took a small hamper of winter salad, leeks, purple sprouting and Chinese cabbage. Then since discovered that the leeks, growing in our very sandy, silty soil have captured that grittiness in their layers and need to be well washed or shredded to get rid of it. Let us hope that the introduction of compost will help to stop that, and apologies if it was you that got to take the leeks home! We learn something new every day…..
The broad beans got their string protection from the pigeons, which will double up as a support as they continue to grow taller. The pond site got a rummage to find as much rubble as possible lurking there so as not to puncture the lining once it gets put in place. We need to get this done next so that the pond can start to fill with rain water over the wetter months of the year, it would have been full by now if that had been lined just a couple of weeks ago!
The autumn raspberry plants arrived in the post and got planted on Saturday. An autumn fruiting variety was chosen instead of summer fruiting, so as to extend the soft fruit season right into the end of October. A small trench was lined with our own made compost for the new plants to nestle into, and it was awesome to be wrestling with what seemed like gigantic worms lurking in the compost bin. Provide the environment and the wildlife just appears as if from nowhere!
We continue to collect sturdy cardboard for the ‘no dig’ treatment of some of the weeds and paths and are amazed at how much plastic tape or metal staples need to be used to make a package, and how long it takes to remove it all before being used on the garden.
What’s next?
- Bird boxes?
- Cosmos has finally given up the ghost and can be removed and composted
- Get some sand to begin lining the pond area
- Work on pond area
- Mince pies and mulled wine on Saturday!
Broad bean support 
Harvest of the day Purple sprouting Removing staples and tape from card P
Planting trench
