Sundown in the Veggie Patch

The old hen run is now a veggie patch and beginning to look good. The hens may have eaten all the green except the nettles but removing all the old roots, pieces of metal and discarded rubbish that lay buried took longer than I imagined.  The rest of the back garden will have to remain unplanted as I'm expecting the builders to take down the old shed, which has an asbestos roof that is caving in, and rebuild the walls that risk falling.  Knowing how timings work they may not be here for months but, sure is sure, if I plant anything it will be trampled almost immediately.  

It's not the only plot of vegetables as I've kept my kitchen garden this year which far more advanced, but having this area covered has saved a great deal of pigeon damage and I can easily net all the cabbages to keep them safe from the butterflies.  The polytunnel contains most of the tomatoes and oca, which failed to grow last year but I'm really interested in trying them.

Hard work and amongst the reasons I've not had much time to comment but during the summer months I've all the fresh vegetables I need, plenty to conserve for the winter. As I lived in Italy for so long I look for varieties that just aren't available other than, if I'm lucky, in specialist shops.  This year I have five varieties of beans, purple mangetout, six varieties of tomato that you definitely won't find on the shelves. I've never seen crystal lemon cucumbers in the shops and my staples, chards, kales and the chicory types of lettuces are almost impossible to find, fresh or in any quantity. 

Apart from anything else it just tastes better and I love my garden.  

Better get back out there and water a bit before the light goes.