November 2025

OBJECTIVES FOR NOVEMBER 

Hoe as required to discourage last of annual weeds.

Sort compost heaps.

Pull up marigolds.

Finish tidying up in Jerusam Artichoke area.

November 3

Too wet for digging. Hoed round.

October 2025

OBJECTIVES FOR OCTOBER:

Keep hoeing 

Transplant chard from seed bed

Continue to curtail/ remove unruly/ unwanted clumps of herbs.

Deadhead marigolds and pull up when finished flowering

Cut back and compost Jerusalem Artichokes

Compost remains of rhubarb 

Remove runner bean tower when finished.

October 2

Spent some time at the bed this morning, and was joined by a lady called Liz who helped for a while, and will continue to do so.

Planted out the rest of the Carrots.

Cleared and tamped down an area in front of the compost heapd where we can transplant the beetroot and chard from the seed bed

Cut back more herbs, etc along the front, up to the steps.

October 4

Quick visit to secure the runner beans again (wind had changed direction 180°).

Surprisingly exposed there - will have to build more robust support next time 🙄

October 6

Visited briefly today 

Incredibly, the garlic is through already!

Planted out the beetroot into their new home. They were looking a bit sad, and there weren't that many of them. I think it's been a bit too wet for them recently. 

Chard still to move over next to them, then I thought we could just move a few spring onions around in the seedbed and leave them there to mature a bit more spaced out 

I have now tipped the three sacks of compost into a couple of heaps as I thought the full bags looked a bit attractive and quite transportable up there.....

The compost is there for a bit of light mulching around some of the established plants once they have been got a bit more under control, so please feel free to sprinkle around a bit if you feel the urge.

October 9

Brought two small established rosemary cuttings down and planted towards the front in front of compost heaps. Moved one or two chard to same place to see if they take 

Moved a couple of spring onion clumps to give them room to breathe in the seed bed.

Half of chard now moved. Rest can follow if they like the new location.

October 11

Cleared more lemon balm from round front of seed bed. Bit of hand weeding.

Same young lady took handful of runner beans - these are probably the last, but will leave up for another week or so as still have some flowers on them.

The "Come Outside Community" club, who meet there every Saturday, provided some upbeat foreground music and much activity and enthusiasm all morning. Quite a few good conversations.

And just in case you notice the compost heaps looking a little more tropical than usual, one of the organisers asked if it was ok to put orange peel and banana skins on our compost heap and I accepted this readily as they are both mineral rich, and it keeps them out of landfill. Also I am anticipating lots of "green" stuff to be added when the runner beans, Jerusalem Artichokes, rhubarb, and marigolds are over later this month - so a bit of "brown" to balance this would be good. 

October 15

Hoed throughout and cleared round pointed end

Only the jungle behind the compost heaps to tackle now 🙂

Strange infestation of blackfly on one marigold plant only (near runner beans though).  Will lift and compost next time and maybe accelerate removal of other marigolds if it looks like spreading....

October 18

Brief visit by David & Mary this morning.

Market in full swing:

Bit of weeding and deadheading marigolds, scattered most of compost around growing areas.

Next jobs. Cut down and back the Jerusalem Artichokes, take down the runner beans, which don't look as if they are going to produce any more, take out the marigolds when finished.

There is new growth from the rhubarb, even though this year's still looks healthy, but perhaps start to pull out the older stuff??

October 22

Cut back the Jerusalem Artichoke

And dismantled the runner bean tower as we are not going to get any more from it and Named Storms in the offing 

New growth rhubarb growing rapidly 

October 25

Quick visit. Hoed throughout 

Turned over ex runner bean space.

Very busy there today. Market on.

October 28

Turned over area immediately behind compost heaps. Left only one instance of mint and one of oregano.

Will continue to corner another day when it is less windy.

Whats ready NOW?  Follow this link to see what's ready for harvesting at the present moment

September 2025

 OBJECTIVES FOR SEPTEMBER

• Continue watering as necessary
• Continue weeding 
• Turn compost heaps
• Trim all dead flower heads from herbs FUTURE POLICY will be to remove flower heads from flowering herbs within reach of edges of plot as they appear so as to concentrate the energy back into the leaves and thus improve flavour - for human consumption. Those in the centre to be allowed to flower - for the bees.
• Tidy up the soft fruit bushes - cut currants back by one third pending proper pruning late winter,
• Take out random self sown clumps of herbs
• Flower heads off Fennel
• Restrain the Chives
• Thin the new seedlings in the raised bed as necessary

1 September

The long awaited rain has arrived in earnest!  Everything looking much fresher!

Trimmed the red and white currant bushes back by approx one third and removed ground level branches.

Gave all the flowering herbs a good trim. 

Cut the spent Globe Artichoke back.

Topped off the tallest of the Jerusalem Artichoke

Deadheaded all the Marigolds [this is an ongoing job for someone with a small pair of snippers until they stop flowering or we will inherit an even more abundant proliferation of these lovely flowers in the future]

Spring Onions starting to show in raised seed bed.

3 September

Rocket now through. Should be ready to start harvesting by the month end. We sowed most in the raised seed bed, and some directly into a space in the plot near the boundary wall.

4 September

Hoed most of the plot - leaving the bit between the path entrance and the pointy end. Still a lot of small weeds germinating.

Temporarily tied back the Broad Bean support, which is getting a bit top heavy and leaning towards the Park.

This is insurance against the predicted Named Storms yet to sweep the country.

Its a bit inconvenient, but not as inconvenient as squashed Runner Beans on Princes Avenue...

8 September

Hoed and deadheaded throughout

Rocket seedlings outside seed bed flourishing - perhaps need thinning out a little bit??

Spring cabbage doing well

IMPORTANT!  Notice to members of the general public

The relatively damp conditions we are enjoying at the moment are ideal for growth of fungi, which have started to appear around the Edible Bed.

THESE ARE NOT MUSHROOMS which we have sown for you to harvest, and, like many wild mushrooms and toadstools, they are probably VERY DANGEROUS IF CONSUMED. DO NOT PICK THEM OR TASTE THEM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES !!!

9 September

Prepared strip between Red Russian Kale and Chives, etc., at the wall side for either onion sets or garlic planting.

Hand weeding around the Peas, Cavolo Nero to the front of the bed revealed a few Alpine Strawberries, so added them to the list.

11 September

Hoed throughout and hand weeded seedbed as far as possible.

Hoeing can't get really up close to veggies without disturbing them, so there are some weed seedlings to pull out by hand around the newly planted crops, eg Spring Cabbage, Red Russian Kale, etc. if anyone fancies that quite delicate job.

16 September

Visited today.

Hoed throughout.

Beans all picked but still flowering with promise of more to come.

Bit of slug damage to one of the Spring Cabbages. First sign I have seen of this.

September 18

Hoed throughout. Deadheaded Marigolds, and took out the Marigolds which had been transplanted between Cavolo Nero to give CN a bit of breathing space. Don't know whether the Marigolds did their job of luring cabbage whites away, but there were perhaps fewer egg clusters to be found than usual?

Russian Red Kale and Spring Cabbage doing well

Thinned out Beetroot and Chard seedlings. Rocket rocketing.

Quick dig over area behind Currant bushes to make space for Onions, Garlic, etc.

21 September

Prepared new area for planting out in front of Rhubarb, sharp end.

Took out much superfluous Lemon Balm and Chives to make room.

Levelled two other planting areas ready for Onions & Garlic, plus Pak Choi, radish, and Carrot seedlings, all on the way.

22 September

Received Onion sets, Garlic cloves, and Carrot, Pak Choi, and Radish seedlings for planting out.

Soil a bit wet for tramping on yet, so raked three areas fine and level and tamped down with rake.  Should be ok to plant out tomorrow.

I thought to put onions and garlic in the area down at the clock end, Pak Choi alongside the Russian Kale, and the Carrots and Radish in the area between the runner beans and rhubarb if anyone else would like to lend a hand?

23 September

Planted out Pak Choi and Radish seedlings.

Started on half a dozen or so carrots, but they were very small and probably need a bit longer in the module before being picked out.

Let's see how they all cope.

Rocket getting near usable

24 September 

All garlic and onion sets in.

Onions in two locations:

Garlic in blunt (clock) end

Cut back the Fennel by about half just to tidy it up a bit.

26 September

Removed unwanted herbage and dug over area to front of plot in front of compost heaps. Transplanted some of the errant Alpine Strawberries into that area.

The Rosemary bush which had been growing there had given up the ghost, so remains were removed.  I have a small one grown from a cutting elsewhere, so I will bring that down in the near future to replace. Need to hang on to that label then.

I think there is still room for another couple of Rosemary bushes in other locations at the edges of the plot. It gives winter greenage, plus it is very sensory with a lovely fragrance to attract passers-by.

28 September

Thinned out a bit more of front border. Woody herb invasion stemmed in that area.

Pushed back in a few onion sets which had sprung around. If anyone is passing by over the next few days, please look out for any similar which seem to be sunbathing on their sides or completely bottoms-up due to sumersaulting. They seem to be a bit lively at the mo, whilst ones back is turned..

30 September

Bit of hoeing.

Rocket looks about ready to start using?

August 2025

 OBJECTIVES FOR AUGUST

• Remove last of large weeds
• Establish a seed bed
• Sow some Autumn/ Spring crops
• Plant out Red Russian Kale and spring Cabbage
• Continue weeding, deadheading
• Water new additions as necessary

9 August

New fork and spade supplied and secured in safe place.

Last two large Thistles removed as they had stopped flowering

18 August

Watering rota in place again during heatwaves

Peas now really showing promise

            As are the Runner Beans!

20 August

The small raised bed was repaired, weeded, and composted - ready to sow some Autumn vegetable seeds.

Watch it's ongoing progress here.

23 August

Beetroot, Spring Onions, Chard, Rocket all sown in the raised seed bed, and Spring Cabbage and Red Russian Kale planted out in the main bed.

24 August

Another watering rota established, especially for the new additions during a third [and final??] heatwave.

Still no rain

31 August

Chard and Beetroot the first to show!

Peas, Cavolo Nero, and Runner Beans now reaching maturity

Red Russian Kale and Spring Cabbage growing well

July 2025

OBJECTIVES FOR JULY

• Plant out Cavolo Nero, Runner Beans, and Peas when arrived
• Introduce a Lavendar plant
• Finish digging over the final two thirds of the plot
• Water new plantings as necessary

July 2

Planted out seven young Cavolo Nero, several Runner Bean and Pea plants.

Cavolo Nero immediately attracted the attention of Cabbage Whites, so companion plants Marigold and Mint, both of which are reputed to lure the butterflies away, planted with them.

July 8

The weather turned very hot, and we had had no rain for weeks, so a small team visited the Bed daily to water the new plants.  This was to be the first of three "heatwaves" which between now and the end of August when there was very little rain indeed.

Another third of the Bed dug over

July 17

The Runner Beans were starting to take off, and the Cavolo Nero looking much sturdier. Needed to remove Cabbage White eggs from underside of leaves regularly - they obviously hadn't been fooled by the Marigolds and Mint!

July 23

Bit of a blow - the spade and fork have disappeared, but not before last third of plot dug over and compost heaps turned.

Never mind. Almost to be expected perhaps.