Dig, rake, sow.


So here we are at this morning scene of action. That's the far NW end. To the right of the photo is the boundary fence, and then a space already beginning to get filled with weeds. And then the front row of the nascent hedge, (the space between it and the fence is for - I was hoping - gorse).

Then a new rubble skinny path. You'll notice it curves. That's because the line of the hedge curves, too. And that's because when I was planting the fruit bushes I wasn't paying attention. But it's worked out well: in the far corner there's enough room for extra gorse, and the corner is where unwelcome visitors are likely to try to gain access. And it makes for a thicker area of gorse for birds nesting.

You can see where the path turns, and will now run straight, southward, 3ft out from the boundary. There's 1ft between the path and the bushes, to give the wheelbarrow space to run up the skinny path. I'll plant that with the sort of plants that like lurking by hedgerows in due course - that'll be a whole new project when I get around to it.

Anyway, moving left from the wonky path there's a straight line left by the planting board, and that's where I've sown 1/2 a packet of neeps, a var. called "Joan" from the Real Seed Catalogue. Said to be somewhat club root resistant, & club root troubles me because of this plot's previous history of, perhaps, haphazard crop rotation, and the almight re-shuffle that the earth has had. I bought that packet of seeds online when I was still in Saudi, and expecting, maybe, a raised bed to plant them in, and I think it was the 1st I bought. We love neeps in our house. (I should explain, neeps are what are called "swedes" in England.)

Along the main path edge (bottom of the photo) and along both sides of the new skinny path, I sowed Tagetes patula. Get in before the weeds with the path edge effect, and it's a good companion and bee plant. Only 49p a packet of seeds from Lidl, too.

Finally, see the watering can? That's there because I use it as an anchor for the tape measure. The bed - from the edge of the skinny path to the main path - is 11ft 4ins across. Say 11ft, allowing for marigolds and comfrey on the edges.

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