Our first job of the day was to give all the garden a really thorough soak. Not just a little shower, but at least a full watering can for each plant. This will encourage the roots to push deeper into the soil, making the plants a little more drought resistant in the long run, which is particularly important as the Summer Holidays are approaching. Fortunately this is one of the favourite jobs for the Busy Beez, and there are never any shortages of volunteers for this.
More pumpkins here, along with yet more salad leaves.
Our main job today was to put the finishing touches to the new flowerbed. The weeds cleared, and the whole bed given a very thorough watering, the Beez set to work arranging a mulch of bark over all the bare earth.
This will help to suppress weeds, and being an effective mulch to prevent much needed water evaporating too quickly on our sandy soil. It also gives a good decorative finish to the flowerbed.
Our vegetables are flourishing, and so far, our companion plants of Nasturtiums and Calendula (Marigolds) are doing us proud by keeping the bugs away from our crops.
One pot of Nasturtiums is actually quite infested with blackfly, but our beans are pest free thus far. We do have a little assistance though from our little friend the Ladybird.
This little fella is of course a '2-Spot Ladybird' It is a variety often seen in our country, and it helps us by eating it's favourite food - aphids, also known as black/greenfly. An adult ladybird can eat around 1000 aphids each day, and their larvae (below) will eat almost as many!
Our carrots are looking healthy, but they will soon need thinning out.
It's not all about crops though in the Shooter's Grove garden. This beautiful petunia is nestled in one of our hanging baskets.
And these little beauties have decided to join in again after their main flush of flowers in the Spring
What a welcome sight.
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