Primarily the plot is pretty much looking after itself; because I no-dig I don't have much in the way of weeds. For those that don't know about no-dig; the concept is that you disturb the soil as little as possible. You might remember that when I set up the beds in the first place I simply laid cardboard at the base of the bed and topped with a mix of top soil, compost and manure. At the end of last season I put a thin layer of compost or manure on the beds (except the roots bed) and covered them. My site suffers from bindweed and horsetail as well as the other normal perennials (dock, dandelion, creeping buttercup) and the annuals. My potato bed had a small amount of very leggy horsetail but I haven't seen any bindweed on my plot at all this year and I've kept on top of the annuals by just pulling them up as I've seen them. I have had some doc come through on the beds but it pulls up really easily. The Beechgrove Garden on 17th August did a review of their dig/no-dig beds (page 7 of the factsheet - link below) and showed that not only is it much easier to garden without digging but the crop yield is significantly better.
http://www.beechgrove.co.uk/module_uploads/2/Factsheet_2017_-_Prog_18.pdf
My final comment on no-dig is to put to bed (no pun intended) at least one of the myths that I often read. People say that you need loads and loads of compost/manure and they can't make enough to cover their plot. When I did used to dig my beds I put compost/manure on the beds and dug it in. I don't use any more compost/manure than I did when I used to dig my beds the only difference is that I let the worms do all of the work instead of me!
I'm still busily harvesting although I have now lifted all of my potatoes; I cut off the tops after some blight warnings in my area and was planning to leave them in the ground but unfortunately my little bushy tailed friends were digging them up and so to try and preserve them I have lifted them all and they're currently residing at the back of my pantry! I grew pink fir apples this year and they appear to have been resistant to slugs and wire worm (both of which I suffered with last year). They're not big potatoes, much to Mr L's disgust, but I'm hoping they'll be very tasty. Pink fir apples are distinctly knobbly with pink skin and yellow, waxy flesh which means they're good for chips and roasting. One of the things that I haven't done so well with this year is my brassicas. Although my cabbages in the polytunnel has done marvellously the swede, cauliflower and sprouts have been ravaged by cabbage whites, despite being netted. Luckily my swede had already grown a good crop before the caterpillars decimated the leaves so I am just going to cut the leaves off and leave the swede in the ground to use as I need them. The cauliflower however have bolted and the sprouts look like they've all be eaten so I might give up on them and sow some carrots into the bed instead because this will be my roots bed for next year. I have been very successful with my carrots this year (that I sowed directly) but not so successful with the parsnips because I transplanted them and they didn't like it. I completely put my success with the carrots down to a micromesh barrier which meant that I could happily thin my carrots without worrying about the carrot fly. These have been so successful that in addition to the 2 I already had (thanks to my lovely neighbour Sian, who gave them to me) I have ordered some more for next year because I'm going to be using a slightly bigger bed and I already had a tiny gap that I had stuffed with scaffolding netting folded about 4 times to keep the carrot fly out. I shopped around for the best price and found that Keen Gardener Limited had a very good price and could deliver quickly. Whilst I didn't actually need them quickly I liked that if I had I could have had them within a couple of days.
https://www.keengardener.co.uk/haxnicks-micromesh-pest-wind-barrier-x2.html
My main focus at the moment is preparation for the end of the season and for next season. I use a five year plan which works for me. I have taken this from a four year plan that I found but this had onions and legumes in the same bed; which I don't do and so I added an extra level to include the separation I have on those beds. I refer to this plan over and over again as I plan next years beds.
I have continued to harvest the sweetpeas from my flower bed but I've also now been able to add roses, dahlias, cosmos and cornflowers. I am so pleased with the displays I've been able to have in the house and there have been occasions when I've given them to friends and family. This week as I harvested the flowers I was putting them into a watering can that I'd filled with flower power and I just thought it looked really pretty so I took a picture! These flowers are now in my living room and they smell amazing. The roses are David Austin roses (Lady Emma Hamilton) and they smell amazing as well as providing me with a fabulous display throughout the summer. I can't remember if I have already told you this but I have put my name down for another plot. I want another half plot and ideally one that is very close to mine. If I do get another plot then I am considering doing something slightly different. I would like to have fruit trees and something more fluid. There will be some beds because I would like to have a bigger strawberry bed and an asparagus bed as well as being able to grow more of the crops that my family like. I will keep you updated and, if I am lucky enough to get a second plot, you will of course see the development of it from an overgrown jungle to a fully productive and working plot.
Until next time then - happy gardening!
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