Ongoing soil preparations, including for the fruit area

With Spring fast approaching some final preparations are still needed - firstly the fruit area where the fruit cage will shortly be built. I spent around 3 hours on the soil of this area yesterday, trying to make sure all couch grass and nettles were removed and the old gooseberry bushes cut back and then dug out ready for new plants.

The other main area needing attention is the front right hand corner of the plot which last year was badly affected by Mare's Tail weeds and is unlikely to be properly cultivable at least in the short term. Today I removed much of the couch grass, nettles and other weeds and only time will tell what the area looks like once the Mare's Tail starts to grow again. Maybe today I managed to remove some of that as well though it has a reputation for being able to resist all counter measures!!

Finally, with the deep bed structures in place all that remains is for them to be filled with weed-free, sieved soil and well composted manure and then for the asparagus plants to arrive.

In the afternoon I visited the Dimmingale Garden Centre for more fine seed compost and a few extra seeds - purple sprouting broccoli, kohl rabi and mixed salad leaves. Everything is pretty much set now ........