Worm pit.

Finally got dogs fed and can get another post done. Spent afternoon walking dogs and gardening. My sister said to me today I'd only got a small garden and it was not much work and I replied it's the preparation. This is how I did it with Angela's help.
First I cleared all the weeds and plants about a month ago and saved them in a pile. With the sun we've had during that time they were very wilted today. It's best to use grass clippings and hedge trimmings like I did when I first did this as a young lad. I only had weeds etc to hand.
Today I dug a second trench about a foot deep, two foot long and 18 inches wide. This trench, like the first I did a few days ago, I lined with the very wilted plants. I then chopped them up with the shovel. This will hopefully stop them regrowing.
Two days ago I filled the first trench with soil I'd passed through a riddle. The stones from it I buried under a slab next to the compost heap.
Today I piled the stones at the opposite end of the compost heap as I riddled the soil back into the trench. Angela helped as it is a two person job.
There's three things that are important. When digging the trenches you must save all the worms you come across. Also any you see in the riddle as you are passing soil through it. These worms you keep and before you level the riddled soil you place them on the plant material at the bottom of the trench.
Why you may ask. Well any gardener knows worms are a gardeners best friend. There poo is perfect plant food. More worms, more worm poo. More worm poo, better plants, without the need for artificial feeding. Also they are hopefully born in your soil, so when they breed they will have offspring genetically suited for your soil.
When I first did this when I was about 12 I dug the trench up after about 9 months. I was surprised to find a ball of worms the size of a football! From an original group of about 30.
I wonder when I see farmers ploughing fields. Birds devastating the worm population behind the tractor. Farmers wondering why yields are down unless they spread loads of fertiliser. I honestly believe British worm populations are vastly below what they used to be. Thats why every garden I've had access to during my life I've built what I call a "worm pit" in.
Anyway. The first trench now has about 9 potatoes in it and the second has loads of carrot seeds. Should be very well formed when they grow as no stones to get in the way of growing plants. Should be really easy to dig up as well and easy on the tools. We've got a small bit of preparation to do before we get the lettuce and tomatoes in. Hopefully do that tomorrow. I watered the seeds in and am hoping for a little rain tomorrow to help. Much better than using precious drinking water to keep watering them.