Friday 11 February 2011

Spring cleaning continues

Spent some more time on the polytunnel yesterday. More repair tape had arrived courtesy of a firm called First Tunnels (very pleased with it too). So I managed to repair all but one torn area. That can be done at the weekend.

I also cut back the brambles and willows that sprout up down the outside edges.

Finally the pleasant bit! I spent the rest of my time removing the mulch of grass cuttings/straw from the big central bed and covered it all with a thick layer of newspapers. These were thoroughly soaked, before the straw mulch was put back down. The small test area where I laid newspapers a few weeks ago is looking very good - lots of worm activity and nice moist soil....so I feel like it is well worth continuing over all the beds.

There is some rubbish that has been dumped in there that needs to be bagged and binned, and the last of the woodwork to paint....then I might take some photos of the end result.

Last weekend we had an awful lot of rain - the three allotments in the bottom corner of our plot flooded again - and a week later they are still flooded.

3 comments:

  1. It sounds like you have accomplished quite a bit, I did not know that they made special tapes for plastic...I'll have to check into that. I see that you are reading a Sepp Holzer book, I will have to look that up as well. I have been fascinated with him ever since I saw the video on how he lives and grows his crops.

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  2. Hi Mr H - the tape is not cheap but does a great repair job. The plastic cover on the tunnel has lasted 10 yrs and I hope to get another 10 yrs from it with careful patching.
    They can be found at -http://www.firsttunnels.co.uk/

    As for the Sepp Holzer book - I can't recommend it highly enough. Totally fascinating. Wish I had enough land to try his ideas on a farm scale....but can't wait to try things out on my allotments and small back garden. From reading your blog I'd say you would love the book! So far I'm reading about raised beds which is giving me lots of food for thought. He really is an amazing guy.

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  3. Thanks, I have added the book to my "wish" list and am very excited to read it in the near future. It looks like he has another book called "The Rebel Farmer" that is also in English. Just in case you have not seen it the video can be watched here.

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