Equisetum arvense

The evil Horsetail/Pipeweed/Marestail, whatever you may call it had been rearing its ugly head in the potato bed. We pulled back the black plastic last week to find a field of it poking its little heads through the soil. Its a case of digging as much out as we can before planting in the bed and we’ve also been told that they don’t like competition so hopefully the potato foliage will keep them down a bit.

It was a great night for digging tonight after work, very stress relieving in the warm sun. Dug over the potato plot again and pulled out more roots. Must persevere without getting too demoralised.

Good luck to MIriam who has just got herself a boggy plot in Levenshulme!

 

BEWARE THE EVIL WEED!

 

Black plastic

Many thanks to Andy who laid his hands on a big roll of silage plastic and kindly donated some to the cause. Went down today and cut a very large piece to cover the plots that we wont be using untill spring. Hopefully most of the grass and weeds will be killed off.

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Field Trip

Just returned from 10 days visiting my parents in South West France. Went for a break but also managed to get lots of good info on growing things by looking at their veg plot. The climate they get there allows them to grow stuff we’d have no chance with, such as watermelons ect (although they’ve had a bad year this year, too much wet) I have plenty of tips for home made cloches, straw mulch, using old branches as cains and have also been able to collect a variety of seeds to try in the spring. I also have managed to scrounge some netting to protect our fruit bushes which they will bring over for me when they are next home.

will add pics soon