Around the Garden on my birthday

Broccoli trying to survive the slugs.

Today is my birthday. It was a lovely dawn, a bit cold, but a lovely new day.

I received lots of love, some cards and a metronome. Love the metronome.

So here's my garden this week.

Firstly I'm really glad to have started off a new worm farm. Just a handful of worms, but hopefully there'll be more as time passes..

I Have been trying out a few methods for enriching the soil in our tiny beds. I love the idea of the no till method, so I've tried a few similar techniques.

First I dug up some of the clover that is spreading all over the drive, and laid it roots up on top of the soil of the bed. Then I tried various coverings.

Black plastic bin bags were not too good. Somehow the plants and weeds were still going after three weeks, but the area that I just laid an old paper flour sack on top weighted with bricks was wonderful. I had been hoping to allow the paper to rot down too, but when I saw the quality of the new soil underneath i just had to plant my strawberries in it!

It's all broken down, no hint of a weed, and the soil looks like a huge pile of worm castings. Which I'm sure it is! Just wonderful..

More beds now covered in old paper sacks!

This is the clover on the drive that I have used as a green manure.

Here's to lots of good soil!

My seeds have arrived, and I'm now just planning my bed rotations.

Back to the family!