Plotting...

Managed to take opportunity of a rare break in the weather to gig in some fertiliser (organic garden vegetable fertiliser from Howard Johnsons, makers of Zoom! - not sure about the quality but can't fault the attractive packaging - and I got it half-price). Hopefully it does something and I still have plenty to do side-dressings.

I have been wondering about the space I have to grow stuff, given the list I prepared earlier. Since I am an organised type I drew a plan of the plot.

Some factors that influenced my decisions to place things:

• Winter squash are in the area where I suspect someone before me had a compost area. Should be fertilised enough for it to do well.
• Beans are grown along a trellis on the side. May have to change that if I get a neighbour on the plot next to me. Thought first about growing them along the fence but garden manager warned me of the projectile qualities of the big stakes that may prove too tempting for neighbourhood kids. May have the trellis in the middle and use it as shading for more delicate plants that may otherwise be roasting over the summer.
• Strawberries are also far, far away from tempted passers-by.
  
• I initially forgot about the compost bin. It's in the exact location where I've been stacking piles of ripped-out weeds.

On other news, I finally met the garden manager. She seems nice and fired up by the job. Apparently, 5 people have volunteered to be Produce for People coordinator this year (!). I'll be playing back-up in case the "official" one can't do a week. Just by chatting we also organised a garden clean-up combined with a seed exchange.

On yet still other news, I seem to winning out over the weeds. Possibly.

Next week: Probably laying out of beds, getting rid of more weeks, sowing rocket (aka arugula) and building a proper compost area with stakes and chicken wire.