Over winter garden work and preparation for Spring planting

Last month we managed to get to work on turning over all our cultivated beds and preparing to rotate our potatoes to where we had brassicas last year.  We also dug up loads of horse radish to control its tendency to spread and, likewise, huge numbers of three-cornered leek bulbs and plants.  The latter wait in the incinerator with all the dead twigs that have fallen from trees over the winter.  Prunings from gooseberry bushes, holly and various climbers have been collecting and drying for weeks along with all the thin parts of a vast but elderly grape vine that has been reduced to ground level in the hope of a phoenix-like regeneration in years to come.

All this stuff was consigned to the flames yesterday just after sunset when the air was barely moving NW, ie along the New River and the railway.  A neighbour, possibly anxious for our safety, called the fire brigade who were reassured to find that here was no danger and careful safety precautions were in place.  Apologies to anyone who was worried. Rest assured that nothing harmful or toxic was burned, only dry twigs, leaves and leek bulbs - there wasn't a great deal of smoke but what there was will have been mostly water vapour.  By 8.30 the incinerator contained nothing but a mass of glowing charcoal.

We recently had some fruit trees removed which were mostly shredded and taken away by the tree surgeons.  I have kept back a bit of green brash ready for November, by which time it will be perfect for a good bonfire.