Welcome to the jungle.

Today, before starting

We did quite well with the blackberries this year, but now they are all gone and the fact that they are weeds and out of control, today was a good day to start cutting them back. Armed with my hedge clippers, I got stuck in. I felt like Indiana Jones, without the whip though, poison darts coming at me from every direction. I did get attacked, but that was due to nettles and brambles piercing my skin. I was bilingually foul mouthed every time that happened. It wasn't much fun having bramble branches springing into my face either.

Spring last year

Eighteen months ago, I did have it all clear to ground level. I did think that was a good job well done, but as you may have read from a previous blog, they all grew back, worse than before. This time I dug out the root ball, and boy did it have balls. I'm not even half way through yet, I still need to get the plum trees under control, but it was good having the afternoon sun shining through and warming my face in an area of the allotment that hasn't really seen any light this year.

Left hand side of picture is the pile of clippings for this year, and last

I managed to clear a way to my compost heap which I haven't seen this year. And a member of the wildlife community has made the most of that fact, having burrowed in and making itself at home. The hole is too small for a fox or badger, but what ever it is, it can't be doing my veg any good. So the landlord is back now and an eviction note is in the post. I'm just hoping they will see that they are not so hidden now and go somewhere else.

And now for the 'And finally' part of the news. The mystery of the bashful brassica has been solved. I have cauliflowers, heads no bigger than a cricket ball or baseball, but this time I'm not waiting for them to get any bigger.

Till next time and thanks for reading.