October has crept in with rain and my least favourite time of year, when it’s not quite cold enough for a fire and plants are going black and brown… so I did some weeding! Chopped back the wild rose I tried to eliminate and pulled out some dreaded mares tail. I am going to see if I can get it under control, bit by bit, but it is maddening when the things that grow well – valerian, golden rod and roses – are the things I don’t want. The snails go for the things I do like and they munch on my veg!

I’ve got an ash growing in the side box so that needs culled but I now wonder whether over winter I should be sifting and sorting all the earth areas and try to eliminate the stuff that goes mad. I’ve been told to look at the No Dig method for the veg beds but in the flower areas I am getting frustrated. Everything I don’t want needs digging up for sure. It has been here a long time but if I can reinstate the earth with new soil surely I can introduce new plants? I loved lots of things the Chelsea Flower Show showed for the first time but I am still keen to eliminate pink and have less yellow.

Let me know if you know how to get rid of valerian or golden rod? Or do I have it for life?