Preparing the vegetable garden for spring

So, I let you have a sneak preview of our veggie patch last week, before we started tidying it up and weeding it (I only dared to show you one bed).

After a ‘days honest work’, (as Mr G keeps saying), here’s the after.

I’m trying my hardest to resist sowing straight into it NOW, particularly as it’s such a gorgeous day. I’m trying to leave it alone to see what weed seeds germinate before I sow anything, and to let the soil settle again.

Two of the beds are heavily manured ready for the potato crops that will be growing in them in a few weeks time. Once the peas and beans are growing I’ll be mulching them with some home-made compost and I’ll be preparing a bean trench shortly in preparation for the runner beans.

I’m hoping that there weren’t any dreaded couch grass seeds floating around as Mr G strimmed, scattering tufts of grass all over my nicely weeded beds.

Just in case you’ve ever wondered why gardeners bang on about covering beds when they’re not in use, this picture demonstrates it exactly.

The middle of the bed had been covered with weed proof membrane several months ago and there’s not a weed to be seen.

However, the edges are covered in creeping buttercup, dock and couch grass. We’d laid the membrane down in between the pea supports last year to prevent the weeds growing in an inaccessible area. It worked a treat, and saved me a half hour’s weeding yesterday.

The children were all out on play dates so it was just Mr G, me and the dogs…. a peaceful, satisfying day listening to the birds, outside in the fresh air…..

… oh and with a cat who’d like to think he’s a bird too.