Tatnam Organic Patch

A new years workday at the patch, and lots to do. Broad beans to plant, and we never quite reliably get around to a winter crop for the greenhouse, so Marcos  and Dante were busy digging extra compost into the tomato bed, before Marcos planted salad leaf seeds.

Gary advised leaving the tomato roots in place, for the beneficial effects of fungal growth at bringing nutrients in from the deeper soil. And I thought there was plastic under the bed to keep the soil a bit more moist.

And then the dilemma – broadcast the seeds or plant in rows. We’re keen to move to less formal patches, but especially in the greenhouse with fresh compost, if we don’t plant in rows, it will be difficult to tell the crop from the weeds, and that will make for some interesting salads knowing the many wildflower seeds that self-set around site.  So rows it was.

Andy was a bit late to site, I saw Ken and Ruth heading for home, and Harriet briefly. A bit of plumbing to restore the flow from the roof to the water system in the greenhouse (and the overflow beyond into the pond), forgot the  glasscutters again to repair the pane that was cracked before christmas (it needs cutting around the pipe taking the water from gutter inside to the tanks). Another job for next time.

One of the apple trees looked a bit sad. Possibly the roots had become too entwined from having sat too long in the pot before planting a year ago. Mark suggested digging it up and chopping or teasing the rootball apart. I tried, but one side of the tree seemed well anchored, so I gave it a go on the unsecured side.

And shifted another apple tree which we had optimistically planted too close to the overhanging Oaks, and which was clearly struggling for light. There’s another to move next time.

As usual at this time of year, Mark was busy tending the brambles, with Harriet assisting. There was lots else going on, but I missed it, so any pictures or anaecdotes welcome folk.

Andy