We planted something!

Is that a round of applause we hear? Yes, we have actual things growing in the soil that we seem to have been shovelling in a groundhog day-esque way for the last month or so. We planted the strawberry plants that Bob kindly donated. They need a fair bit of space as they tend to grow low and wide so we have used half a bed already. It certainly looks good having some greenery in amongst all the soil. We didn’t need to water them in as the good old Manchester weather provided plenty of showers whilst we were there. That combined with us both still feeling poorly meant that it was pretty hard work today so it’s nice that it is all starting to pay off.

We did manage to get some jobs done that we can cross off the list. We ignored a few strange glances in the city centre this morning and went leaf collecting! Funny how this time last week there were loads of leaves all over the place (so many that there was a man with a leaf blower over on the university grass pointlessly blowing them around) yet today they seem to have disappeared. We managed to fill four large bags to take with us to the plot which is pretty impressive considering we are in the heart of the city. This was to fill the leaf composter that Neil made yesterday in true Blue Peter style using some wood offcuts and chicken wire that his Dad had been saving (though I think he had forgotten what for!). This should mulch down over the next year so it can then be used directly on the beds or be added to the compost bins.

We made the final full size bed and filled it with the usual soil/manure mixture and this used up the last of our soil pile-the place almost looks a bit empty without it! Neil then began making a wooden frame which will form the base for the shed. Now we are just waiting upon the shed being delivered and a call from the timber recycling man about some more scaffolding boards and we can start building our shed. It will be a relief to have somewhere to store our things as our car boot has been rattling with a random selection of tools and miscellaneous bits and pieces for far too long. I think a valet of the entire vehicle will soon be required so that we can offer lifts without a lingering sense of shame.