It was a busy weekend in the garden! There is a section of our garden, about 53′ x 17′ (16.2m x 5.2m), that the previous tenants used as a vegetable patch. By the time we moved in it was a dense mass of mostly nettles, alexanders and cow parsley, as can be seen in the photos below. We’ve been in the house for just over a month now, and this weekend, with the help of some friends, we finally tackled this area.

The vegetable patch before we started clearing it

Making progress: helpers of all ages hard at work

Almost ready for our crops

It’s a great feeling to have finally cleared this patch, it’s been something we’ve been eager to do since we first moved in, but there were so many other jobs that were more urgent. However, we do have an enormous task ahead of us now. We’re already into June, and we still haven’t got anything planted in its final position. I can take some comfort from the fact that the weather’s not been great up until now. Even last night I’m told the temperature dropped to a very unseasonal 5°C (41°F). My dad’s been really cautious about planting his young plants out at the allotment, so I’ve probably not lost as much time as it seems when I say we’re already into June and nothing is planted out. I am now panicking whether I have enough plants to plant out. I’m still planting runner beans, I’m sure I haven’t got enough.