yes, frosty here too this morning. I haven't checked the dahlia situation yet, will do so when I get home from work. Put some mealworms out for the robins this morning. Ever since we had the dead silver birch removed, we've had far fewer birds visiting. It makes me sad.

thanks Monika, I'll see if I can source some to recycle from work!

than you OH, that's kind of you. My shoulders are complaining a bit this morning, but all the hard work will be a distant memory soon!

Well, we got all of the Hard standing dug up, and the skip full was collected on Thursday. I now have a 6ftx15ft rectangle of growing space! I'm going to order some composted manure and put a thick layer over the surface. There's already worms hanging around, so hopefully they will do their thing, a...

cherry leaf miner?

Most impressive!

To me, red is definitely sweeter.

Hope they manage to glue you back together today.

Me too! Seeing boiling caterpillars amongst the broccoli tends to put one off!

What an amazing achievement. Well done to both of them.

Thankyou For all those pieces of useful info! I do have a Dalek compost bin, but I might try the burying waste technique as well, as the bin won't be ready for at least another season. I won't need to grow courgettes, as neither of us like them! Although I will probably sow some seeds for my brother...

Colin, I'm an old hand, but always learning! Had an allotment for nearly 30 years. I am leaving it open, as primrose suggested, as it's been completely covered for over 25 years, probably more like 40. The composted manure layer is me beginning the no dig project, add on top and let the worms do the...

I'm used to having 4 huge allotment plots in one block, so this will be interesting! This year I was confined to veg in pots and grow bags. Some did really well, others not so much. Its a huge down shift from what I am used to, but needs must!

Thanks Colin & Primrose, I was thinking similarly. Where we are breaking the old concrete up, it is making a lot of small stones and bits, which will need removing. I'll do this, and loosen everything at the same time. Then leave it uncovered for a while, and put a thick layer of compost/manure ...

I am taking up a hardstanding to reveal the soil (quite stony!) underneath, would this be suitable to cultivate as a no-dig bed? My back can't take hours of digging, so I've been reading the about the no dig method, and it sounds like it should work. It's only a small area approx 2.5 x 5 metres, and...