Andrew began de-shaming 'The Corner of Shame' and I started and very nearly completed clearing out the Asparagus and Strawberry bed. Now who would you like to hear about first?? Me! Oh, okay :)
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It has come as a severe blow to us but the whole Asparagus bed was completely rotted away last Summer. The winter had been so wet and the cow manure that Andrew (in good faith poor love) had put over the top as a mulch, just made the ground soaking, plus everything was attacked by leatherjackers and thus the crowns were simply pulp. 
We had invested a lot of time and money into this venture as it is one of our favourite foods and it's bloomin' dear in the shops. We studied the whole thing and got the right crowns for our conditions, made those conditions even better and thought, yum....tasty Asparagus for the next 20 years, fresh from our own plot. Well no. So to ease the pain for Andrew who, we all know, was the one who did all that research, not me..I set about clearing the bed in the late Autumn.
Well since then some pretty substantial weeds had settled in and I had missed one mushy crown too. So everything out! A tough job but I love turfing dead stuff and weeds :) I found 1 sad and lonesome baby worm. Just one.
The strawberries were ancient and not really producing terribly well for us and so need replacing. They were in a silly place too so this year we are getting new ones and putting them in where the Asparagus was and just having them and the raspberries in that big square bed. There shall be a huge fruit cage erected too, which will be one of many - I am not letting all my delicious berries go to the birds again this year *shakes fist at sky*
P.S - look at this - flowers (and berries) on the Raspberries; they are confuddled plants!
Over at the far diagonal corner I got Andrew to start into the most shameful area of our whole plots. My gorgeous Oriental Poppy had to be moved (it's my favourite thing on the plot) and it was found a new home in my big flower bed over on 14b. A poor we half rotted Rose was also moved (I don't really hold out much hope for this little guy) and a very pretty primrose :) The Red Dogwood just won't fit anywhere on the plot or even at home so at the minute it's just been cut back and hopefully I can do a little guerrilla gardening with it. The beautiful red stems to make for good pea sticks etc so I think it will be an asset in the hedgerow ;)The other grasses were just cut back and some self seeded babies potted up as spares for the back garden.
I wonder will this guy be there again (sadly I doubt it as we have many birds of prey and, well, he sort of stands out). Thanks to the Hubby for the photo.......
Coming along nicely and I now feel motivated to get to my plot this weekend somehow. I'm not able to dig yet but I can sure pull up turnips and pick PSB. Then I can come home, pour a glass of wine and plan. Thanks for the pics xx
ReplyDeleteUsed to always grow my strawberries in the ground and then I started planting them into old baths, and they do so much better never planting them in the ground again! :)
ReplyDeleteOh all our PSB was eaten again this year - so jealous Ms J!!!
ReplyDeleteAnn - in Baths, now that is interesting, I must start dumpster diving again..... x
It's been very frosty here overnight not good weather for that poor little bird - pity you couldn't catch it.
ReplyDeleteShame about the asparagus will you try again!
the whole sad and sorry asparagus venture has broken our lottie hearts. But never say never - maybe one day we shall be strong enough to try again *weep*
ReplyDeletehahaha.
I'm trying asparagus for the first time this year and am feeling a little nervous now. Just waiting for the crowns to arrive. Visited my allotment for the first time and it's a bit shameful, no work done today but I will back! You're putting in lots of effort which will be rewarded later in the year!
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame about the asparagus. My aunt is growing it too thought her patch is in its infancy with those lacy frondy leaves and little red berries. You are both so brave and diligent to tackle the corner of shame. Hope you are rewarded with things that will do well for you.
ReplyDeleteGood work, the Gaults! I did a bit at the lottie at the weekend - the first visit for months - and fell in love with it all over again. A couple of pounds of harvested sprouts helped too. Well love is blind they say. One plan of many is to try asparagus too. Come on, don't let the invertebrates grind you down! Steve, Liverpool
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