Carnage in the Garden

This winter saw some crazy wind and rain and I didn't escape unscathed. This is the scene I awoke to a few weeks ago:

The might have only cost €49.99 but those plastic greenhouses gave life to many seedlings, as well as bringing tomato plants to full maturity. They were basic but provided the main conditions required for early plant health - protection from the wind and warmth from the sun. They were also a great place to store small tools and accessories.

But from the ashes some hope has risen. The plastic covering wasn't worth anything and I suppose the aluminium frame could have been used for staking and support but what I'll make best use of is the light shelving. I have a big problem with local cats using my freshly dug beds as a large bathroom and disrupting my plants. I've used nets but they are a bit troublesome to weigh/tie down especially if you need to remove them for any reason. Dead greenhouse to the rescue with its generous organ donation. The shelves are perfect for laying over my garlic plants, with plenty room for them to continue growing, while deterring cats from digging in that spot. Tent pegs can be used to secure them, yet they are easily removed if needs be. They are also tidier that a net, which can be blown around easily.

Where the greenhouses once stood, I have dug the ground and am beginning to prepare vegetable beds.

My indoor space for starting off seedlings is limited to two miserable window sills so I will have to come up with a contingency plan, especially as I have vowed to make this my most successful year yet. I don't think I'll bother investing in another cheap greenhouse, they served their time but it's time to move on to bigger and better things.

In other garden news, my big heap of garden waste at the bottom of the garden is revealing some lovely, crumbly friable compost from beneath:

Digging digging digging