With a little help from my friends

I took a day off work today. I needed to catch up on a few things including a spot of gardening. The sky was quite clear though it was pretty chilly - about 3-4 degrees. We are due for snow tomorrow so it was just as well I had the chance to pop over today.

As I arrived, I met the allotmenteer who has transformed the plot right next to the gate I usually enter the site through. A year ago, it was covered in brambles reaching over head-height. Since then, he has constructed the foundations for a fruit cage to cover pretty much the whole plot. We had a nice chat and he offered to cut down my brambles. He said that he had the tools to do it and it would be a quick job for him. What a star!

I got to my plot and set to work planting six Jerusalem artichoke tubers in Bed 6 (see below). The garden claw tool I bought today (it was on offer in the local hardware store) made very light work of preparing the soil (I am not even on commission).



Just as I was about to plant the tubers, another allotmenteer popped by. He also offered to cut down my brambles and had brought along a tool to do the job. My brambles have obviously been a hot topic of discussion on the site in recent days. I feel guilty but this chap did say that he had some spare time and relished the challenge. He made a start then and there while I pottered around (adding lavender cuttings to the compost bin and weeding around the salad leaves in the cold frames). See the before and after pics below (demonstrating just one hour's work).





We had a bit of a chat too. I kinda hope that some rabbit holes are found behind the brambles as that would explain how the critters were able to get onto the site last year. I will repay these kind gentlemen with booze and chocolate. Maybe cake.

Meanwhile, at home, there are signs of a fourth sweet pea emerging...