A quick blast up the allotment on Wednesday in between showers and
torrential down/side pours!
Earlier this week Momma Pat and I tackled the compost bins. These were
made years ago with wooden pallets stood on their side, and they have been very
useful. However every year they get completely overgrown by brambles, nettles,
bindweed, and dock. So every winter we clear it all off and chop it all back, and I also spend a day digging them over, turning, moving stuff around, and generally faffing.
I
tend to leave the back of the compost bins to grow wild during the year as it
makes for a very good habitat for bees, wasps, the fox, hedgehogs (we’re not
sure if there are any but I like to think there are), butterflies and their
caterpillars, beetles, and of course all of the birds. The patch behind the
compost has a half built brash line/dead hedge made using bits of plum, red
currant, black currant, dogwood, and other woody bits we can’t compost. It has
made a good barrier between the plots and a good base for the brambles etc to
grow over and cover. There is also a good clump of thistles which come up every year here.
Whilst we were clearing I uncovered lots of offcut
downpipe and some rotting wood pallet, so these were all relocated further
under the nettles/brambles to make a rotting wood pile for wee beasties, and
the tubes should provide shelter for varying things to live.
A good hour or so of work; this week I also need to get on and
start digging over some of the beds and get them weeded & covered for
winter.
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| In a couple of years time I think I need to seriously consider sourcing some new pallets! |
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| Rotting wood pile and offcut downpipe |
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| A little clear path at the back of the compost bins for access to cut stuff. I'll leave it all to grow back now. |
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| Robin came down to inspect the works |
