WIP

This really is a long work in progress, only just started today. Twitch (couch grass) has invaded the artichoke and herb bed very badly. I took some of it out last winter, but a much more radical solution is needed.

Accordingly one of this winter's projects was to dig up the valuable plants - artichokes, bay tree, rosemary bushes, sages, a bit of mint, a bit of marjoram, a small fennel root and so on - clean their roots of twitch and replant them in a newly-constructed raised bed slightly off to the side of this photo.

My back injury has put paid to the plan for the time being, and now that shoots are starting to appear on almost everything I don't have time to get it all done this year.

So I am clearing what I can of the twitch from around those precious plants, so that their growth isn't compromised too much in the coming season.

It is a slow tedious job to loosen the soil with a trowel or fork, and then tease haul out the long twitch roots one by one, trying not to break them.

Obviously I do it whilst kneeling, but even so it stretches my back, so extreme care and caution is required. 

I managed just 20 minutes this afternoon before calling it a day. It is going to take a long time at this rate! But little by little I shall prevail. And happily there are other less back-testing things that I can be getting on with.

Amongst other things I cut down the asparagus fronds and lifted the final few potatoes from the lower veg beds. And I have made Camemberts.

Bean and I had a lovely walk in relatively balmy conditions which saw us going further than we have for ages. I had stripped down to my T-shirt by the time we got home. (Not just my T-shirt: I left my trousers on too.)