I lovage borage xx

I spent nearly seven hours at the allotment today. When I got there it was lovely and quiet, as I got on with jobs I listened to the lovely bird sounds. There was one interesting one which I'm afraid I can't describe but it wasn't long until I spotted the green woodpecker that was making it. I had a real moment of feeling so perfectly contented which was made even better by glorious sunshine coming out too. Aaah!

I didn't deal with the raspberries as I said I would. But I did consider my options.

Meanwhile I weeded the beds. I made hoops to hold up the enviromesh above the carrots, brassicas and the broad beans. I'm very pleased with them. I sowed two rows of early Nantes carrots. I also sowed borage and lovage in the brassica bed. The lovage won't stay there as I becomes a large plant, I'm just starting it there - finger crossed it germinates. Lovage is a great habitat for ground beetles and slugs hate ground beetles - yippee!

I'm really into the whole companion planting thing so the lovage and borage are part of my masterplan. Borage is a companion to most plants. Apparently detering cabbage worms and attracting bees. Borage adds trace minerals to the soil, can be used as a mulch; if grown near will enhance the flavour of strawberries and improve tomatoes' resistance to disease. If that wasn't enough the pretty flowers are edible and the leaves contain vitamin C, potassium, calcium and mineral salts!

Preparing the Raspberry Patch

...weeds, weeds, weeds...

Some major excavating had to be done to clear the deep, winding and sprawling roots of the brambles. The alien-like bramble roots went all the way down to Hades! Often we'd have to dig 4' down into the orange sand and stoney subsoil following one to its finer hairier ends. Not to mention the couch grass and the nettles. This area perhaps 16' x 8' was the hardest so far. The two of us worked for 13 hours, over a few days to clear it - it's very slow progress. But so satisfying. It's inevitable that we've missed some but I know we have be very thorough.

We squished grubs as we found them like the horrible fat chafer grubs and tough leather jackets. Leaving our favoured fat worms and shiny black ground beetles free reign.

Interestingly, I recently listened to something on Radio 4 about slugs being repelled by ground beetles. Apparently the beetles like to eat slugs! Slugs have been observed rearing up at the ground beetles!! Scientists are experimenting with the scent of ground beetles to create and organic slug deterrent - Now that would be good!!