So no wearing flip flops or open toed shoes anymore.

I use black plastic a lot to cover the beds when starting them off so will proceed with extreme caution in the future.

This has turned into a interesting insight to the life of snakes, thank you both for your comments. Is it only grass snakes that like hot compost or could there be adders be there as well? A fellow plot holder said he had the biggest adder he seen, sunbathing at the end of his plot last year, let ho...

"Grass snakes lay their eggs in compost heaps, the warmth helps them hatch(assuming it was a grass snake, yellow collar round it's neck?)"

Thanks tigerburnie I did not know that, did not see yellow collar but was more interested in getting ride of it rather than studying it.

Started to remove the black plastic on my compost pile and there on top was a snake, never moved so fast as I have a fear of snakes. Lifted the plastic off gently with the fork and watched it retreat to back of pile and into neighbours plot. Will be taking more caution when turning the compost in fu...

I froze some chillies last year and noticed they were brown inside when I used them, then read that it is best to cut them up before freezing.

Have you noticed the onions going to seed early this year?

Been eating the scrapes from my onions for past 6 weeks, had a few from the hard neck garlic last night.

Think there is a typo here or somebody has moved spring... back says harvest May & April front says September to October.

"No one is going to grow spuds without digging anyway"

How about these, planted 4 in deep in composted beds, covered with straw a tip from the guy that double digs, rather than making a ridge.

Hopefully there will be spuds on the plants.

There is a guy that double digs his plot and says his soil is not very good/fertile, but hey stuff grows same as my beds which are no dig,

There is no right or wrong way just what suites you.

Note the compost has to be turned over so there is digging of a sorts.

Thank you ...can harvest my garlic now.

My beds are no dig filled with compost, at the end of a crowing season I put an inch or two on top for next year this as per Charles Dowding’s way. There are loads of worms on my plot (the moles/molehill tell me) so guess that helps with improving the soil. I wonder if doing same on pots would work....

You could be right Westi.... no sign of anything planted though unless you class the carpet laid down beginning of the year.

The other day my plot neighbour turned in in big convertible good job it was sunny. Anyway he got the strimmer out great I thought he's going to clear his plot at last, well 20 mins or so latter he left after cutting 2ft weeds down to half size not even at ground level let alone clearing the weeds h...

Seems to have been a major problem in the past and still is and getting worse with it getting into general compost

I thought farmers were not allowed to use this on any crops that leaves their farm.

I am fortunate I only use horse manurer from one source and so far seems ok.

Got a email saying "Aminopyralid contamination of home gardens and allotments is back."

First learned of this on Charles Dowding "No Dig" forum and and see from links for others this was a problem as far back as 2008.

Has anybody on here had first hand experience of this?