Planting Garlic

Monday. It's a beautiful clear blue sky today, so it's a pleasure to be working outside. I trimmed the hedge at the front of the plot where the blackberries have suddenly taken over and become lethal. This led me to tidy up the 'borders' near the gate. I can't really call them borders as they're just an extension to the weed bed where we park the car. Then I dug over the area where the first early potatoes had been planted, added some manure and planted the garlic and shallots. There had been some rain last week so the soil was a little easier to dig. I'll have to find new ways of using garlic as I have a lot to use from this year's crop. I've probably planted too many again - I bought two bags which will probably give me about thirty plants. I tried a red variety called Germidour, as the red ones we brought back from France earlier this summer were delicious and huge.
Thursday. Another warm day to enjoy on the plot. I started edging the grass and digging over the soil next to the fruit bushes. There were plenty of bindweed roots to remove - I'll beat them yet! I'm hoping Peter will do some some rotavating at the weekend, but he won't be able to get in between the fruit bushes. Phil, Francisca's husband stopped by today - he wanted to know what the flag was that I was flying. I explained that we used to live in Newfoundland. He's a very interesting chap - asked me if I knew any local charities who were organising campaigns for Christmas, and we talked about Scottish Country Dancing and Jive Nights.
I finished up by spraying the brassicas which are infested with whitefly and watered the leeks.