Best intentions

I missed the allotment work party as I got confused of where to be and on what day. I turned up on Sunday which I thought was the right day to find it is was not. I tipped the trailer of manure and pondered what to do. I could have sneaked off for a sit down with my book but conscience got the better of me and it was not an unpleasant day.

Even my soil is too wet to dig. Instead I went to the black compost bin by bed 1, took the lid off and looked in. The compost was super fine. A colony of Ants had been living in there over the summer and had processed the soil to a fine tilth. The Ants were gone so I removed the bin outer the got the spade busy digging out the compost and throwing it across the adjacent bed. I hope the worms and rain with mix it in for me.

I cleaned up the area of the bin. There was a mass of White Dead Nettle runners under the base of the bin. It was a bit of a job to root them out [pun intended]. I reinstated the footing of the base and replaced the bin. Now I have an empty bin for the piles of weeds that are popping up on the plot. Nettles are a beggar. On the one hand they are invasive weeds and sting but on the other hand are habitat for several Butterflies. I ought to be happy they are because Nettles thrive in rich, moist soil which is indicates the quality of my soil however it is a bit of a drag for such a high honour. Click HERE of the "Be Nice to Nettles" website. I particulary like the "did you know" panel on the bottom left of the their website. Proper useful infomation for chats in the pub.

I took the oppertunity to dress the Rhubarb patch with manure. I am not short of manure so the bed got a good deep dressing. You can telling it is warm the top layers of the manure heap is teeeming with worms. There are a few birds about but not many. The bird feeders I put up last week have hardly been touched. The Robins where about as were a few Blue Tits but not much else.

I had a look at the bees and replaced the syrup feeder with a block of fondant. The guard bees were out quickly to find out who was shaking up the hive, even if it was with the best intentions.