Hunting roots as deep as you can go

I think that a few people on the plot are taking a nostalgia tour by visiting my couch grass and bindweed site. They are remembering back to that glorious day 30 or 40 years ago when they, too, had to get down on their hands and knees and dig the weeds out, inch by inch. The nice Irish gentleman (plot just in front of the car park and exceptionally neat) came by today to watch my laboured progress. Two beds down, two to go. He rather helpfully told me that in a few weeks time, after we get some rain and more frost, I can start from bed one and go over the whole thing again. Apparently the weeds will be easier to grab with the soil is less frozen into clay clumps. Well yippee. Can’t wait.

Mind you there is something therapeutic in working your way over your garden with a trowel and a gloved hand and hunting the roots as deep as you can go. Aching progress, but I know it’s the right thing. But it does put back all my plans to have the first potatoes in the ground at the end of the month. We have yet to get the compost and manure – I can’t countenance another trip to Homebase just now – which will only happen on a Saturday when the shop is open.

I have got out the shoebox of seeds and have drawn up a planting chart for the next two months. (I’m so forgetful that I won’t remember what to plant when if I don’t write it down). This is to assuage my aches and pains from today and remind myself that one day this year I’m actually going to be bringing home bags of produce… a far cry from the two heavy plastic bags of bindweed and couch grass that I hauled home today and dumped in the industrial waste bin at the bottom of the street.
To plant in Feb indoors: Onion Sets, Peppers, Beetroot, Celeriac, Cabbage, Dwarf French Beans, Calabrese / Broccoli & Okra (all Jiffy 7s) Peas & Sweet Peas (Root Trainers)

To plant in March indoors: Lettuce & Tomatoes (Jiffy 7s)

To plant in March outdoors: Potatoes (First Early), Parsnip, Leeks, Radish, Garlic, Carrots (end month), Land Cress (all directly into soil)