Sunday 26 March 2017

All change at Haddock's.



Always on the look-out for easier and more productive vegetable gardening, I have now established a simpler, more rotation-friendly, plot.

I've split Haddock's into four equal size sections with a narrow path between them. Of course this means I've lost a small amount of growing area, but I intend to make each section more productive (and in certain cases, less wasteful). The 40 cm wide paths were first covered with a landscaping material, then topped with crushed stone.

Digging over my garden in Spring has always been a pain; literally, because I have a bad back (and my rotovator is buggered). But, now having four much smaller areas to work, the task seems far less daunting. Each section can probably be dug over in about 30 mins (back willing).

Manure and compost will be spread liberally, and I shall try to double-dig where possible. I'm hoping that my 2017 veg' campaign will be seriously productive.

All I now need is a statue of St Fiacre on the intersection of the paths, and abundance will be guaranteed.

Haddock's gets smaller and smaller, but the yields are more and more generous. There's a moral in there somewhere!

Digging looms; as soon as the weather gets better.......



42 comments:

  1. Oh My Goodness, this looks wonderful. What a beautiful garden. Can not wait to see more.

    cheers, parsnip and thehamish

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  2. I'm wishing you a fruitful and happy year in the garden!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Jennifer, that's exactly what I'm wishing for myself.

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  3. It looks as though it will be much easier to manage.

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    Replies
    1. I'm hoping so; psychologically it will be.

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  4. That looks extraordinarily well organised! Nice to work out there with that view, how much time do you spend leaning on your fork and just gazing?

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    1. I have considered building myself a small 'man cave' at Haddock's, but I probably wouldn't get any work done. However, I do have a chair.

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  5. We've just cut down to four vegetable beds, with a similar aim.
    Our view isn't nearly as beautiful as yours though!

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    1. Beautiful, isn't it. I often sit there and the silence is staggering.

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  6. Oh what a beautiful view! Gentle green hills, a grazing white horse, a pink blossoming peach tree...
    I would sit in that wheelbarrow and forget to dig!
    Greetings Maria x

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    Replies
    1. The Wheelbarrow contains our Strawberries; no sitting allowed.

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  7. Oh Cro, what a gorgeous view! Hey, what's the tall purplish plant? Is that a kale variety? I have so many deer in my wooded yard, that I'd have to build a tall fence to keep any veg on the ground. All I can manage is a couple of potted cherry tomato plants on my 2nd story deck during the summer.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, it's red Kale. I've left all the plants for the sprouts that they send up. Delicious.

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  8. Replies
    1. Why do I make all this work for myself... I haven't stopped for weeks/months/years.

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    2. Why indeed. Mind you don't trip over the path is what I meant.

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    3. I was thinking of my bloody back.

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  9. What an amazing space. Here's to a productive year. X

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    Replies
    1. I'm really looking forward to it all, it's a true pleasure.

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  10. All that and a lie-in this morning. May it go well.

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    1. No lie-in for me Gwil; I'm a creature of habit. I rise at 5.30 am regardless.

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    2. Lie-in Gwil? We lost an hour.

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    3. Rachel, clock said 7am instead of 6am, so I like to think I had a lie-in.

      Cro's lost an hour! That's clear. ;)

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  11. What a good idea to split Haddocks up into smaller plots. Even out in our main veg garden I make smaller sections within the larger sections, otherwise we get overwhelmed with the upkeep of it all. Hope your back holds out for you.

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    Replies
    1. I don't know why I didn't do this before. It will also make it much easier to keep track of rotation.

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  12. You really ought to look into no dig veg gardening. It works a treat. Charles Dowding is your best man to follow on it. In late autumn bury Haddock under a few inches of well rotted mature and leave the worms to their business. Plant straight into it in spring. It works a treat and the yields are superb. Less weeding too. A lot Less!

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    Replies
    1. I've heard a lot about no-dig gardening, but it never seems logical. Maybe I'll do a test plot. I'll have a look at Mr Dowding; thanks.

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  13. Every thing looks so beautiful and with the white horse at the back it is perfect.

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    1. He came up especially to have his photo taken!

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  14. My garden has gotten smaller as well. I can't tell from the picture, do you hava a raised garden, or does it just have a wooden perimeter? My dream garden would have raised beds, lovely paths, and of course no weeds. -Jenn

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    1. Just a wooden border. Raised beds would be nice. I don't mind a few weeds, as long as they come out easily; and don't spread.

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  15. There are crosses everywhere you look in your place. Are you SURE you aren't a Christian?

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  16. Looking good, I never worry about loosing space to paths, my garden is full of them, but it means no one treads on the soil (only on pain of death now...) and the space between beds doesn't grow weeds!

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  17. Not weeds....ground cover!!!!!

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  18. I am in the same point in life and am rethinking how I can do my gardening without bringing about pain. It can be back breaking work and we must adjust and change some things around. I am hoping that I will get even better results.

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