Compost, Weeding & Fire!

The last few days have been fine, so I’ve had a bit of time on the plot but not doing anything too exciting,

The patch of ground to the side of the large greenhouse has been unused this year apart from the mini raised bed and cloche that I grew some potatoes on and the large cloche tent it’s not done anything but grow quite a weed cover. So clearing it has been quite a job. It’s pretty solid so even hoeing is quite hard but it’s basically done now. A large amount of compost on it and a dig over should make it productive for next year.

Moved a few more barrow loads of compost but there’s still a lot to shift. I’m trying to avoid straining my back this time so taking it a little at a time and taking ibuprofen at the first twinges.

New Shed at Home

Wednesday was fun. We’re having a new shed in the back garden as the present shed and lean-to contraption have seen better days. Because it has been extended the only way to get the new shed into the garden is either through the house, which I don’t think would actually be possible or through next door’s garden.

There’s no fence behind the existing sheds so I asked the neighbour who said it would be all right but he’s taken down a huge old shed and there’s a load of wood piled in the way.

So, equipped with one of those dustbin incinerators spent the afternoon in next door’s garden piling wood into a neat pile and burning the smaller pieces. Originally I’d said I’d burn the lot but when I started I realised it was a bigger job than I thought.

I think I should explain, our neighbour passed away and his house was in a bit of a state. Like a lot of people who have experienced real deprivation, he grew up in Poland during the war, he didn’t throw much away. His wife is Russian and looks after her grandson who is an orphan but she can’t get him into the UK so she spends a lot of time there and only comes over here for short periods. His son has been doing a lot of work in the house for his step-mother but he’s not got a lot of time either so if I want a clear path through I’ve got to clear it. Not that I mind.

I love wood fires, even in a galvanised bin. The crackle and sparks just hold a magical attraction to me. The problem is that I didn’t want it to flame up too much because it would have damaged a nearby apple tree or the conservatory so the longer lengths had to be broken down and  the wood fed in carefully, not too much in one go. That meant sawing the longer pieces and trying to avoid the lots of nails in the wood. Still managed to spike myself with one, thank goodness I’m up to date with the tetanus shots.

Anyway, it’s an ill wind that blows no good and I’ve got my reward from this task. There are enough planks to build one good deep bed on the plot although I think they will need some preservative on them.