Weekend work

I haven't done a great deal in the garden this weekend as I did my sponsored swim yesterday. Despite some aching muscles though, I managed to dig up the remains of last year's rainbow chard and kale. We had a pretty good crop of chard, but the kale never really came to anything. I think the problem with the kale was that it didn't get a very good start, being attacked by caterpillars. I left the chard all through the Winter, and the sparrows have been helping themselves - hopefully they took a few bugs too!

I also tidied up the strawberries. The instructions said to remove runners in the first year, but I obviously didn't do a very good job. As a result, I now have about 12 more plants to pot up. Free plants any-one?!

Pests!

Arrgh! I lifted the fleece on my carrots, parsnips and beetroot to discover hundreds of ants have set up home. I remember hearing that ants like warm, humid conditions so putting the fleece on must have seemed like heaven to them. Do they actually do any harm? I'm not sure, but don't want to risk my precious seedlings. Maybe the birds will eat them?...


Having left the bed uncovered, I retreated to a safe distance to watch the flocks of birds appear, only to see the sparrows descend on the next bed over and start eating the cabbages!


The solution? I don't want to use chemicals, especially as I'm not sure the ants will actually do any harm, so for now the cabbages are going to be covered up and the root veg will stay uncovered. Watch this space...