More Hard Labour

So this weekend was one of labour. On Saturday end of the garden was attached by me and my mate Ant (friends with muscles help), we've managed to dig out almost all of the turf now, the only bit left is under the pile of dug up turf we have created (the floor in an otherwise winning plan). In the evening it was off out to buy a Hippo Bag for the waste.

I realised with dismay that the rat problem is still excalating, not only are they are refusing to take the bait from the bait boxes but they have now discovered the delights of the compost bin. I have done some reading and have decided that I shall be buying a pre moulded plastic base tray for the bottom of the bin to provide some rat protection and wrapping the whole thing in chicken wire (maybe overkill but I am so sick of bloody rats in the garden!). I have also just purchased a Bokashi system.

The Bokashi system cleverly pickles down your waste (even meat, fish and dairy), fermenting it into a better state for composing in your cmpost bin (or burying in the ground). It also apparently creates a hotter compost bin, which should nicely speed up the rotting. This is good from two aspects, the rats apparently dislike fermented waste, and the compost should be ready quicker than it would in a slow bin. I found out my local council offer a reasonable deal on Bokashi bins, so I bought mine from their website (birmingham.getcomposting.com)

Sunday was the big push. We worked from 11am to 7pm without a break, we being me and Nath, plus my mom and dad. We've cleared 90% of the turf, rubble and junk from the end of the garden, and lots from all over the garden really. It was surprisingly easy to fill a 1ton Hippo Bag! I think we may need another! Today I ache like a bugger, but I am hoping that one more serious session in the garden, plus buying and errecting the boards to make the raised beds will be enough to have a useable veg garden. Hopefully the rats will be eliminated soon. Not sure I want to even think about eating from where rats are walking!

Moving Forward

This is Nathan, Bexs' partner. With the advent of spring we've been moving from the planning and anticipating phase in the garden, to the doing and digging phase. We've cleared quite a lot of the previous owners old turf, burnt mattress springs, random metal bits and big stones from our soon to be vegetable garden. This is a reasonable afternoons work, but by crikey it's been a bit hard on the joints.

I suspect come the summer we'll be smoothly muscled, toned athletic specimens of glorious humanity. Either that, or I'll be a broken down cripple curled around the ibuprofen packet :)

It's been a good day for breaking in the new spades, so here's in anticipation of more!