My veg patch renewal mission started in earnest over the Easter bank holiday weekend. I found three volunteers to help me on this mega-mission, and will be reporting in on how we managed to make such a quick transformation to the plot which was really overgrown after a year of not being very well tended to (I had very little time to spend in the garden last year and it rather got away from me.)
For the task, we needed a wheelbarrow each, so I nipped out to screwfix to buy new wheelbarrow tyres to replace the two very old, need-repairing-all-the-time tyres that I already had. I knew exactly what to buy as I’d already replaced one wheelbarrow tyre a few years ago and was so happy with it. I tell all my gardening friends about these tyres, and it got me thinking about those other things that I like to share with all my gardening friends – so, here they are for you…(and please note, I do not work for these companies and I’m not getting anything for mentioning them here!)
Mesh Netting
I buy this stuff by the metre from the local garden centre, and I use it year after year. It’s not perfect, but it is the best kind of netting I’ve found – it is by far the best way of keeping butterflies and pigeons out without trapping small birds which, I have found, quite often get in through holes in the netting with larger gaps. Being a fine mesh makes it very insect proof too, so I find it useful for carrots to keep carrot root fly out, and also quite useful for rocket and brassicas for keeping flea beetle off.
It’s not 100% effective, but having tried several different ‘bird-friendly’ or ‘insect-proof’ nets and covers, this kind of mesh netting is the one I like the best. Enviromesh is the best known brand for this type, but nip down to a garden centre to see if they sell it by the metre.
Universal Puncture-Proof Wheelbarrow Wheel (Walsall)
As I mentioned, I’ve used this for a while, having got fed up with constantly repairing and inflating old tyres only for them to be deflated again later that day. This one is easy to fit and I haven’t had a single problem with it. I have used it to wheel heavy barrowloads of compost and woodchip across soft, soggy grass. I have used it uphill, downhill and on flat surfaces. I’ve used it to wheel over soil, tarmac and woodchip paths alike. Not a problem. I really recommend it.
Also, I really recommend a metal wheelbarrow over a plastic one – the plastic ones seem to split quite easily after being left outside in the summer. The metal ones, for me, seem to last longer.
Strulch
I love this stuff. It’s a bit pricy, but for me the investment is worth it. It’s a specific type of mulch that you can use, in nice thick layers, to cover raised beds etc. The things I like about it are:
1- It is very effective at keeping slugs off my plants. I don’t really understand why, but it definitely helps.
2- It does a really, really good job of keeping weeds down – I will definitely be using it this year as I know I won’t have a huge amount of time for the garden again but I don’t want to let it get out of control again!
3- It breaks down eventually and I either scrape it off and compost it or just add more on top
4- It is really good at protecting the soil and keeping moisture levels more consistent (more so than a compost mulch I find, but that’s not scientific in any way!)
5- It’s quick and easy to apply, no shovelling needed.