Here you can see some nasty dandelions, stinging nettles and dock leaves and roots breathing their last gasp in a bucket. Weigh down these green leaves with a brick and fill with water and leave in a sunny corner for a few weeks. The plants will start to break down and form a really stinky brown tea. This will be used (a cupful to a gallon) as a liquid fertilizer!
Just a drop in the ocean in the neverending battle against the weeds down on the allotment, but just the thought of turning the tables at least once, gives me pleasure!
Now... hold on to your hats! I must make it clear... again.. "MATRON DOES NOT DO FLOWERS - YOU CAN'T EAT FLOWERS"....but; owing to exceptional circumstances in the natural environment I feel it is my horticultural duty to encourage beneficial insects to the garden in order that they might pollinate MY VEGETABLES! Nasturtiums act as a sacrifice plant - they attract the blackfly which seem to prefer it to my broad beans. I just nip off the infested tips and they keep growing. Tagetes, Marigolds - have a chemical compound in the leaves and in the roots which deter eelworms and whitefly. Limanthes, the poached egg plant - is adored by bees and hoverflies which in turn pollinate my veggies and eat aphids. And for the very last time... yes I know some strange people do eat flowers and survive... but I prefer veggies!
Stop press news.... The chicken holiday home has arrived. Tikka and Korma will be spending some time Down on the Allotment in the next few weeks. Watch this space....P.S. What's happened to the 'profile views' counter on the blogger profile page? It has stopped counting! I was happily heading for 7000 readers! and it stopped!