Progress

This weekend in the blazing sunshine, I pushed on with the vegetable garden layout. I managed to make another two raised beds, on behind the original bed on the left and one running parallel to the south facing wall at the back. This latter bed will be a mixed one, with my nectarine tree, a climbing fig, as well as being used for tomatoes and squash later in the summer. At the moment it has some rose and blackcurrant cuttings that I took last autumn. I’m hoping they will take well enough for me to move and pot them up later in the summer to make some space for use as a nursery bed.

I’m pleased how this part of the garden is looking now, much better than it did in December with the floods, but the most important thing will be to see how much improved the system is at growing vegetables. It will be interesting to note the comparison to last year as the season progresses. I’m hoping the raised beds will speed things up a little as I noticed the clay took a long time to warm last year, so even though seeds germinated (albeit slowly) they stalled for a while and didn’t get going for quite some time. Bearing in mind we had the wettest year on record too!

I’m waiting to get some more wood before completing the other two rectangular beds, which will altogether form a square grid with intersecting paths (as a cross). Only a few more weeks before the broad beans, parsnips and potatoes will be going in!