First to the jobs on the plot. This week has been a continuation of trying to get the rotation beds ready so that I can have the top soil delivered next week. One of the main things to do in order to get to that point is being able to empty and then move the compost bin in the middle of the plot. I started with shovelling it to the barrow and moving it to my new compost bin that Mr L made for me last week; during which I have to say I was really pleased to see that the compost was really well broken down and hopefully that I'll be able to use it all year instead of spending the fortune I normally do on bought compost! Added to which it's fabulous that I actually inherited it from the previous tennant so all of the hard work was done by someone else!
I more than half filled my new compost bin before realising that I needed to use some of it to fill the dip that was left by an old bed. The plot has a number of dips and bumps that will need to be filled and smoothed out and it seems sensible to use what I have to hand. My plan is to fill the dips and then cover with cardboard and topsoil in the beds or weed membrane and bark chippings in the pathways. My thought is that should there be any roots left over from whatever has been put in the compost bin that I haven't caught as I've gone through it, they will be smothered enough to keep them down. I actually do believe that weeding is just a part of gardening and so I'm not worried about doing it but I don't want the plot to be overrun!
I also managed to get a good deal on some plants for the pond, I popped down to the local garden centre and if I'm honest I'd nearly given up before I found a group of pond plants at the very back of the shop all at half price. I got a grass, an iris and a couple of oxygenators as well as a canna which will go on the margins in the spring but it's not hardy so until then it's on the windowsill in my kitchen. Additionally I have moved some of the stones around the side to make 3 mini jetty's to help any frogs or stranded hedgehogs climb out easily. I don't want to have a plank in the pond so I'm hoping this will be a good way to deal with the potential problem. I also had some primula's and 2 cyclamen that had been left in a box and starting to die so I popped them around the far side of the pond; I'm not sure that they'll survive but they're more likely to survive there than where they were!
Finally I need to mention the weather! Today was the 1st November and it was like mid summer. The sky was clear blue and the sun was warm as I was digging out the compost; the photo shows the view from my lot across towards the park and woods. It was a beautiful and glorious day, just a shame that I couldn't spend all day there because of other commitments; which leads me nicely back to how I have the time to do this.
Just a reminder about my life. I work full time in a job that often takes me away from home, I have 3 children (currently aged 9,10 and 13) and of course Mr L! I have a half plot which is approx 40'x40'. I had previously had a slightly smaller plot in a shadier area of the site but I took this plot on in September so I'm still in the process of establishing to where I want it to be. I have read lots of comments on social media where people say that you need to be at your plot every day / 3 times per week/ just at the weekend and so I thought I'd tell you what I do.
If it was up to me I would be at the plot morning, noon and night but unfortunately I can't. In the shortening days the truth is I can only get there at the weekend and because of Littlest L's swimming lessons in the middle of Saturday it can be tricky to spend all day and often I end up not getting there until the afternoon. Given that it's getting dark around 5pm I have therefore sometimes had just 2 or 3 hours on a Saturday afternoon. When I do get there in the morning I have taken a picnic and worked through until I've had to take her to swimming lessons (or persuaded Mr L to take her). On a Sunday I then try to get up to the plot in the morning so that I have a couple of hours before lunch and if I need to do family stuff I do that in the afternoon. The main thing that I want to get across though is that even though there is lots to do on my plot I do have lots of sit down / coffee time and so I could probably achieve what I've done each weekend in half the time if I didn't do that. Even during the growing season I would go to the plot after work and after pottering around doing a bit of weeding the majority of my time was just relaxing with a coffee (don't tell Mr L) and soaking up the peace and quiet.
Some of my tricks for keeping the work down...
- I use weed membrane on the fruit bed, and it's my plan to cover with bark chippings.
- Nearly all of the plants in there are spiky and it's the widest of my beds so it's hard to get in and around to weed.
- I also have a fruit cage up to protect my berries from the birds during the summer, which just causes an obstruction to getting in to weed.
- I use weed membrane and bark chippings on my paths.
- Lots of my neighbours have grass around their beds but grass needs to be maintained and it's super easy in the summer to find it overgrown and unmanageable.
- Any kind of 'growing' pathway is susceptable to weeds - I need to focus my time weeding my beds - not my paths!
- I have monthly jobs to do in my calendar on the first of each month and a task list for each time I visit
- I have gathered the monthly jobs from various blogs, websites and books. They come up on the first of the month and help me to think about things that need to be done every year.
- When you're short of time it's important to know what you're going to do when you get to your plot. Even if that is deciding that you're just going to weed one of your beds or building a shed!
I hope that these thoughts and musing help you if you're not sure whether you can take on a plot or if you're just looking for some tips from another complete amateur; who learns every time she goes to the plot!
Have a great week everyone and thanks for reading
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