0 comment Monday, August 25, 2014 | admin
Beltane falls on a Saturday this year, and I suspect there's probably going to be a few festivities in the area. I've even considered making a salutory maypole outside with some brightly coloured strips and some flowers, and I think when my energy level is somewhat recovered, I'll get some cherry and apple blossoms to lay outside and affix some bright streamers to the clothesline. The BBQ was yesterday, but we have leftovers, and several cider and ale selections to sample. The only downer seems to be that along with spring has come a rather nasty spring cold/hayfever and I'm feeling decidedly less than 100%.The grass seed is doing its thing outside, thanks to all the rain. Unfortunately, so is the bindweed, which is everywhere in the bottom of the garden. There's also a fair bit of weeds which are spreading into my bit of garden from next door's neglected gardenspace. I really loathe the idea of having a non-organic plot, but I am strongly considering using some weedkiller next spring to kill off the nasties. I don't like doing it but I'm aware of my own limitations - gone are the days I can get down on my hands and knees and pull out every bit of bindweed from the ground. I'm going to have to do some aggressive nuking, I don't really think there's any other way.
I'm also considering putting in a bit of a "weedbreak" by installing a raised bed along the bit of chain fencing in the bottom of the garden. Weeds would have to crawl a fair way, without benefit of light, before they could make their way into my garden. It's completely un-utilised space, and I think some plants grown along that area would be quite pretty and gain a fair bit of light as well. So we'll see how we manage it.
I'm also investing in some comfrey, more than likely grown in a pot to keep it from taking over the plot, and also allowing to keep it out of reach of child and dog. With all the gardening going on, and my meagre returns on homemade compost (which, while good, there just isn't enough of) I'm looking into other alternatives for soil amendment which won't rely upon me having to place an order with a company every spring. Comfrey is great stuff, with really high NPK levels, and I can lay the leaves right on top of the soil as a mulch, then just water in and let them do their thing. I can add the leaves direct to the compost heap to get it to break down faster, put it direct on my beds for the winter, and make into balms (best combination IMO is with a bit of honey and yarrow). So I've placed a bit on Ebay for some organic cuttings and in a week or so I should have some fresh roots to set out into a pot for this year, and then hopefully into one of my bigger tubs for next year.
It has become more and more apparent to me that the garden is not a "done" project. It is never going to be "done" - but that is rather the fun of it; the tending and digging and planning and weeding and raking and watering...honestly, I don't really see that as work. If anything, it's hard NOT to want to be out mucking about in the dirt. There's a lot to do out there, and always is. There always will be - lawn to be cut, weeds to be hacked down, pests to be dealt with, fertilising to sort out, pruning to do, painting to get sorted out. Thankfully I have a lifestyle where I can actually do those things, not sigh and wait for some moment of "free time" which will never actually present itself.
And on that note...now that the bread is rising, the laundry and dishes started, and I'm not feeling too grotty, I'm off out to have a look at what I can get done out there today.