Pig Sty Avenue

I was converted to no-dig a few months ago in the bath, listening to Gardeners' Question Time . I've been aware of the concept for years, of course, and had been inclined to say, in The Long Bar with The Old Man after a hard day's digging at the original Pig Sty Avenue that it was a load of hippy nonsense. Anyway, somebody asked a question about no-dig, and what got to me was the tone of the three experts. Mind, these are all people who make a living from horticulture, and have been formally trained in it. They weren't saying it might be a good idea, they were saying it's the only idea. Dig if you want to, it's good exercise, cheaper than a gym and you meet a nicer class of person. (Clearly, Bob Flowerdew has not encountered some of the gobshites who lean on my plot's fence and give me unsolicited advice.) Their attitude reminded me of mine on questions of English usage. People, usually in the pub, knowing what my job is will often assume that I will we...

I managed to finish editing the submission I've been working on for... months, I think, and get it sent off at 11.30 this morning and get down to the allotment for a couple of hours, maybe slightly longer. 1st, raked over the whole bed to level it and get most of the roots out. Roots! Loads of them, mostly nettles, I've left them heaped up by the pond, but I'd estimate a couple of barrow fulls. Which got me thinking. There are bits of twig, branch and root from the fruit bushes, too. They'll all break down but that bed will likely become a bit deprived of nitrogen in doing so. Which is a good reason for going with the plan to mulch with oomska and sow with field beans at the end of the season. Then I got into digging over, hopefully the last time I will dig this bed over for sometime. Got maybe a third done - I was actually very pleased how little 'hard work' it was, the soils is quite light. There are actually 3 types of soil: by the eastern boundary, benea...