Our greenhouse was a tip. I’ve been giving it periodic clean-outs every year, but the truth of the matter is that I’m now into my third year of paying a mortgage on this house and there were still some areas under the potting bench where I’d not dared venture.

It all came to a head this week when I was having to actually clamber over heaters, chairs, trugs and bags of compost to get in and out for watering, so I emptied everything out onto the lawn, disposed of what wasn’t needed, used what I could and carefully packed what remained back inside.

The transformation is amazing.

There was 120 litres of bark chippings in there that I knew nothing about, left behind by the woman who sold me the house. They were full of bugs and grubs, and when I emptied them out into the chicken compound to top up what we’d already put in there the hens went crazy scratching around in it and picking them all out.

I used some of the compost to top up the potatoes, which are growing quicker than I have ever known potatoes to grow before, and I used about half of the smaller pots I found to start off some new bean varieties.

It took three hours to get everything out and then put it all back in, but it was well worth it. The greenhouse is so large and airy now, and easy to get in and out, as you can see from the picture above. It’s a joy to be in once again, which at this time of year is great.

And soon it will be filled with fast-growing tomato plants with plenty of room to stretch and – I hope – produce a first-class crop.

Related posts:

1. Spring cleaning the greenhouse
2. The jungle in my greenhouse
3. Heating the greenhouse