Luckily, we managed to put in all 170 hedge plants and fruit trees before the weather turned nasty. So now the veg garden is hedged all around, though it may be a few years before any real protection will be had from the hedge. In the meantime, the windbreak fabric should continue to do the trick.
 |
| Barely visible hedge |
This time we went for a couple of mixed hedge packs, an alluring-sounding 'edible hedge' (hazel, wild pear, crab apple, blackthorn, rosa rugosa) and the 'coastal hedge' (sea buckthorn, hawthorn, more blackthorn, rosa rugosa and alba, cotton easter).
 |
| Another view of the new hedge |
Can't wait for the rest of the black plastic to come off. The next big project, other than digging all the area currently under the plastic is planting up the wind-blasted slope on the south end of the house with heathers. Hundreds of heathers.
I've been well impressed with how much veg you can grow over the winter in this country. Can't praise the winter veg enough! I lifted the last two parsnips yesterday and only five leeks left so soon we'll be down to eating mainly kale, spring cabbage, chard and swede. April will be the month with the least variety available, but the first salad leaves should already be on the menu.
 |
| Neep with a heart |
Other than winter veg that are being harvested to clear bed space, there are a few overwintering veg that are starting to look good now.
 |
| Overwintering broad bean |
 |
| Garlic bed |
I've sown this year's tomatoes, chillies, sweet peppers and aubergines (a big thank-you to North by North for the funky additional seeds), but nothing is showing yet. Maybe just as well since the weather has gone all wintry again...
 |
| The lookout in March |
You must be willing that hedge to get a move on it will look fantastic in time. What a wonderful way to surround a veggie plot.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of covering my whole veggie plot with plastic and a good layer of manure next winter - that's depending on the cost of the plastic. I know it doesn't look very pretty but it must help keep the weeds down and warm up the soil.
Well, on the spur of the moment today I bought a polytunnel! It's only 3M by 3m so shouldn't take too much work to get it ready for planting.
!70 hedge plants - that's quite an achievement! Even thinking of that makes my back ache... A few years and you'll be feeding yourselves and half the local fauna with hedge fruit.
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of the small polytunnel. I'm waiting for a small second-hand greenhouse to come up. The extra space will be so useful. We had some plastic down over unused beds and veg plot areas as the weeds grow throughout the winter here. I'd probably go for weed-proof matting rather than plastic since the water can drain freely through that. We have both and the cost is about the same if I remember correctly.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that Jim did most of the hard work! Yes, hopefully the birds will be feeding from our hedge rather than from our soft fruit.
ReplyDelete