I’m always keeping my eyes open for different containers to grow crops in. Recently I’ve come across a couple of old wheelbarrows; abandoned and rusty, they are sad versions of their former working selves. They still serve a purpose though. They can hold soil, and as the bottoms are not rusted, a few drilled holes provide the necessary drainage. One of the wheelbarrows has been turned into a strawberry planter. Where once there were bricks and gravel, now there is lush green foliage, white flowers and the little green fruit of the developing strawberries. The berries are rapidly ripening and I had visions of being able to wheel the barrow around the plot, taking the fruit to whoever fancied the delight of picking fresh strawberries. Unfortunately, the weight of the soil, and the rusty wheel didn’t allow it. We’ll just have to go to the strawberries.

The other barrow has been sown with carrots. Its added height hopefully means that the dreaded carrot fly won’t detect the roots and damage the crop. I’ve sown little spherical Parisian carrots, so the lack of depth shouldn’t be a problem, and the fact it’s a container has allowed me to use a better draining soil (lots of sand imported) than the heavy clay we usually have. Now to find another wheelbarrow and see what I can put in it.