Attack of the Triffids

I was dreading going to the plot today as we have been away for a couple of weeks. In my minds eye the weeds had grown to triffid proportions, ready to spurt blinding fluid if we dared to even threaten to pull them out of their cosy, secure Eden. But it was not as bad as we feared. We had a pleasent hour. Hudge sorted out the rickety shed door and I pulled nettles. Not many roots I grant you, but at least its a bit neater now.
Jean from the committee, who kindly sends out e-mails, has the following advice that we plan to put into practise next week end.
"What a problem they (Weeds) have been this year. If you have plant material which you don't want to put in the compost bin - perhaps thick stems, weed seeds etc - a good way of using this material is to start a runner bean trench for next year.
First decide where your runner beans are to grow next year and then dig out a trench two spades wide and one deep. Put the soil at the side of the trench and fork over the bottom. The next stage is to fill the trench with compostable material - don't worry if there are weed seeds or thick stems such as sun flower stems (don't use the sun flower seeds as the birds like them), asparagus or sweet corn as they will quickly rot down. When the trench is full up mound the soil back over the trench and leave it over the winter. By next spring the ground will be level and ready for the runner beans. This type of trench can be used for the squash family who also like the rotted compost which retains moisture.

The only items you really need to put in the brown bin are diseased material. Even the nasty weeds such as bell bind, spear grass etc can be left of the surface to dry out and they can also be put in the trench.

The rotting down weeds and stalks in the bottom of your runner bean trench help retain moisture, something which runner beans need"

Who knows what else can grow well in that damp, rotting compost ....  we will see what next year yields.