It's almost mandatory in Chislehurst isn't it

Speaking of lotty headgear I do hope we all wear the daftest we can find

Well, my hair looks pretty daft at the moment so I hope that counts.

My hair looks really daft when I'm at the lottie and when it's really sunny/hot I have a ridiculously big floppy hat

I used to have a floppy black witch's type hat for the winter but I can't find it now

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enough said

just the thing

I was tempted to keep mine - the one the mouse at the front out of

I will be needing to invest in a winter hat

I invested in one of these a couple of weeks ago for work

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It's waterproof and the brim is excellent for breaking up spiders webs before they wrap round my face

That's a very coooool hat Lily

oh! Dave's got one of them!

I'm assuming you already know it's a biker rally hat?

Well it's supposed to be an Australian bush hat - wouldn't be much good to wear on a motorbike

well, we've been plotting

gawd but it's hard work though! each little bed involves cutting with a halfmoon, watering, wrestling with a spade to gouge the turf off. Then going at the compacted earth beneath with first a pick axe, (watering) then a mattock, (watering) then a fork, (watering) then breaking the huge chunks with the mattock again before fighting it with a rotavator

It's gonna be a long job this!
Think I'll be growing mainly brassicas next season at this rate

Blimey sounds like you got concrete! How comes it's so compacted?

it's the very top of the hill (perhaps the water just runs off it ) and it's been used for horse grazing for the last three years.....and they are very fat horses

I reckon when it's finally dug it will be a prime site....the frost will run away down the hill and there shouldn't be much pest/disease build up.
It's just blimmin hard work trying to get me onions in

what do you do yours in Mrs no dig?

I work on the basis that most veg don't need much of a depth and if they do, say for carrots or parsnips, you just pile it up the soil. Not just soil but mix it with leaf mould, home made compo/shoite and sand. If the soil is very hard you can water it, or better still after a downpour, and make a hole with a bulb planter/trowel. If the core which comes out is concrete just bung it in the compost and use some of the mix (as above ) to plant the veggie. Spuds are going to help you churn the heavy soil up as will celeriac and leeks. My very first crop was onions and I did what you did, eg scalp the top layer of turf off but at least my soil was soft, in that patch at least. I have planted leeks in concrete several times and they've done well as their roots are great at breaking up crap soil. Brassicas don't mind rock hard soil either. Just do the bulb planter hole thing and then smash up the core with the trowel and get a bit of compo to mix it with. I did broad beans too on rock hard soil and they didn't mind either. They're programmed to grow after all

okidoke

I shall invest in a bulb planter forthwith

Tara - try to get a long handled bulb planter. My soil is like concrete and I couldn't push a normal bulb planter in, but the long handled type let you use your foot (like a spade) so it's much easier This one looks OK ...

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the long handled one is good for making spud planting holes. A hand held one is cheap as chips and I use mine all the time. They are just the right size for planting stuff in bog rolls, they fit just perfick

Been plotting today, just tidying up, sorting out compost bins, had a bonfire, did some weeding, faffed about with the hedge, pruned me apples. Brought home beetroot chioggia, which I roasted and it was lovely, ditto squash, celery, onions, shallots, garlics, Florence fennel and a bunch of thyme

Just roasted a chicken all round with garlic, onions, shallots, thyme, lemon. It made fabbo gravy. Tray of roast veggies and one of the Lemon Drop chillies to pep em up. Very lovely grub indeed

a chicken, not my chicken Perish the thought

I didn't buy it, it was given to me but it must be the first roast one I've had for ages. I did do a double take as I saw it reclining in the pot
I must admit I felt guilty

nutter!

yeah I know I am but a soft-hearted sentimental typa one

I went out tonight to put the chooks to bed, they were already inside when I got out there but one of them came out to greet me and she was ever so lovely

So, that's why I felt guilty cos I had her cousin in the oven while I was cooing at her

Wards How could you?

I went a-plottering too, today Cleared the sweetcorn and the dead courgettes... Left some for just in case
Finished clearing a bed for the hunnions, should arrive any time now...
Dug some rasp. which will go to a good home tomorrow

Was nice Came home with loads of leeks