Last of the digging?

Quick history lesson - Cobham was the hometown of many of the infamous 'Diggers' who began growing crops on Common Land in protest against the Enclosures Act. Their belief was that the Earth should be 'a common treasury for all' to live on. It is fitting then (and uplifting) that as an environmental activist who has started growing veg, I have to walk past this commemorative plaque with my fork over my shoulder on my way to my plot. If only they could see what's happened to Cobham since they were around though...

So, another glorious day - we even have daffodils coming up at the front of the plot where we dumped all the manure. (Quite a contrast)


I found Aileen and Brian already hard at work and soon got stuck in myself - with the aim of digging out the final bed of the four that we were aiming for on either side of the central path and the areas we will set aside for wild flower and a pond to attract wildlife. It was good to see lots of people about - a really relaxing and friendly atmosphere.


On a less savoury note, some kids have been down lately and smashed everyone's greenhouses. Mindless little pests - I wonder how they'd like it if older people went round smashing their playstations when they're out? It's the first time it's happened in years apparently...


Mum came down with some tea and sandwiches mid-afternoon. So we sat in the sun for a bit. She's just had surgery on her feet so the walk is quite an achievement for her.


I managed to finish what I needed too - I even managed to burn most of the weed roots to make a nice potash. Was feeling pretty satisfied and relaxed as I walked home at the end of the day in a bright red and purple sunset. Lush. :)

Lucious lettuce and pro-active peas

Bit of a photo update this eve (taken yesterday). First of all, the patch overview. the first spuds should be ready in the not too distant future so this could all look a bit different soon.

My courgettes have been looking a bit dry, with some leaves really patchy white. I took them off and fed them with fertiliser and they seem to have recovered well.



My lettuce which survived the slug assualts have been doing well after the recent rain. Looking quite big and fresh. Not long now. I need to get some more planted in fact!


Some of my Runner Beans have taken a real battering from the slugs, but this one's doing well. Need to tie it to the cane tommorrow.


My peas get veg of the week I think, if only for their little feelers that they wrap round the frame to pull themselves up. They're incredibly strong tenticles that creep up before winding themselves tightly round the first thing they find. I had to help them find the net initially but now they're going great guns. (Click on the picture for a close up!)


And finally, despite their disease and subsequent de-leafing, some of my tomatoes outside are recovering and flowering at last! The ones inside are getting really big and also ready to flower so need to go out this weekend really.