The winter mulch for the garden

1artur chippingThis is valuable work. And also lots of fun.

I burst out of the door at noon today for the first garden visit in ages.

The weather has been too cold for much ourdoor choredom. And I had to wait a few days to risk getting this mighty chipping machine out and running.

It has new blades and is ready to reduce this huge pile to mulch. But I know you aren’t supposed to run such machines in sub zero temperatures. 1branch piles

So today – 8C and very sunny, no wind – was perfect.

I had teetering piles of branches collected from the forest and from random branches I have cut down over the past few months.

And best of all with chipping – there is no exertion invovled. Unless you count trying to get your full face helmet over your earphones so you can hear BBC radio documentaries while you feed the beast.

And spea1Shade garden beastking of beasts. He made an appearance today. He was mostly snoozing on the water barrel outside the potting shed.  But he did come down to see what I was up to down at the stables.

He inspected the machine and the unexpectedly open stable door. And then glared at me when the noisy contraption roared into life.

So it was back up to the potting shed for him.

And I followed with sack after sack of wonderful wood chipped mulch. 2little terrace mulched

I have clothed the shade garden. I have tucked up the new little terrace bank with a thick cover of weed proofing and soil improver.

I have done good deeds in the garden today.