[Livinhope]

I was pinching the tops out of a pathetic row of broad beans yesterday which were covered in blackfly and came across a couple of lady birds.  Passed the time of day with them like you do, and then was delighted to see several of the little black ladybird larvae also on the beans.   I haven't seen any for several years so hopefully they are on the way up again.

[Starling]

I found larvae some on the broadbeans I was hacking down, so I have left them up for now.  Shame was going to stick the leeks in there - nevermind there is always next weekend. 

[Livinhope]

As leeks need to be in firm ground could you not plant them between the rows of beans.  It would also be a bit of protection against the birds, little blighters keep nicking ours.

[Starling]

Thanks Livinhope, will try that if the baby is asleep when I go down there tomorrow 

[Livinhope]

Glad to be of help.  We have left our finished bean roots in for the nitrogen,  roughed the soil up a bit and planted a row of green beans and  a row of peas.  I'll owe the ground a fortune by the time I've finished.

[Zippy]

You won't owe the ground much of a fortune if you are following a nitrogen fixer with another nitrogen fixer - great soil for following with brassicas next year.

[Livinhope]

And that's precisely where they're going