Nettles Again!

It’s been a bit of a mixed day today. We started off by trying to light the bonfire – I say ‘trying’ – it looked good to begin with, but the flames fizzled out within a few minutes. It is still too damp, I guess L

The next job was going to be to continue the path. But then the nettles started to get in the way L

These nettles are some that were cleared earlier in the spring, but because I chopped them down with shears they have regrown and needed removing again. This time, we did the job properly and pulled them out by their roots. Not that we got all the roots by any means, but they don’t grow as rapidly when pulled up. Nettles, like many weeds, are pretty clever really. If you cut them down, they go into survival mode – not only do they regrow rapidly to enable them to set seed, but they grow several shoots from the previous single stalk.

After about half an hour - OH's bit: 

He did about 24 square feet

My bit:

 I did about 4 square feet!

A couple of hours later and the area behind the garage is clear of nettles and thistles once again.

And a huge pile of nettles to show for it:

I hadn’t realised quite how large this area is. The garage is in three sections, each about 10 feet wide. The section nearest the top of the new steps is longer by about 15 feet, which leaves an area about 15 feet by 20 feet, inset behind the longer section of garage. It is where we used to dump the grass clippings before we built the new compost bin.

The height of the grass clipping at its highest above the level of the new path is around 12-18 inches, sloping back towards the garage wall. The path is about level with the layer of bricks three up from the lowest one you can see in the next photo; the highest part of the path/bed is about level with three bricks higher than that:

I am going to level this area (level with the path approximately) and make another garden bed, with a gravel-filled drainage channel between the back of it and the garage wall. I think some slow growing conifers would be good, as it does get quite a lot of sun, despite it facing north. 

The area opposite, on the other side of the path, is currently where the ‘mound’ is (where I removed the elder the other day) and where the bunnies have taken up residence. This too will be levelled and a cottage garden bed will grow there against a backdrop of roses, honeysuckle and the elder I am leaving in place along the fence.

Having cleared all the nettles, OH removed the huge pile and added it to the bonfire. Then he cleared the loosened soil from the path. We extended the path area by another 4 feet, so not much progress there. 

That dip in the middle is just about at the entrance to the rabbit warren

The path is nearly back as far as a rabbit hole that is now right in the middle of the path. I think this one is disused, because we put a piece of slate across the front of it and it is still in place.

All done for today J