ilultham

 This year I'm trying to go for lower effort in the veg garden. I want a year to get on top of the weeds, they're really taking hold in some beds and having imported bindweed (unwittingly) I need to do something to stop their advance. So I've sheeted over a few outside beds and will sow some green manure on others.  I'll still grow loads of beans, peas, sweet corn and squash, but might not go to my usual levels this year.  The same is true in the polytunnel.  Last year I enjoyed having loads of different crops in there, but we've gone for easy productivity this year. I've covered the beds in black plastic, to keep the weeds at bay and to help retain moisture. The plastic in the rest of my garden has been in use for years now and is still looking good. I didn't buy any more in, just used what I have.  I've gone for just a few crops in there, all with similar spacings. Tomatoes down both sides, 51 plants in total, then some melons, about 16 cucumber/gherki...

So this week the poultry could come back out and free range! Woop!  It hasn't been too bad as I have lots of pens, but I was desperate to get the ducks out of the polytunnel!  They had really trashed the place! I got their coop outside and they've been sunning themselves out on the long grass, basically loving life!  I managed to spend a few hours in there today to find the paths again! Now I have to decide what I'm going to do to prepare the beds. Part of me doesn't want to add anything - I have a feeling that the duck muck will be potent enough - so I think that just turning it over a bit might be enough (it's pretty compacted from them walking on there for 3 months).   I'm looking forward to seeing this filled with tomatoes and cucumbers in the summer! The children's all-you-can-eat buffet!

 The polytunnel has been a place of absolute abundance for us this summer - but it's not been a place I'd be keen to show people round! It is full to bursting and a complete jungle, next year I'm already planning to do things a little differently in there!  I did a short video showing you round and also showing you where I went wrong.  Let me know what you think and please subscribe to my YouTube channel if you don't already!  For some reason you need to view this in full screen rather than on the mobile app to watch the video.