There was another break-in early this morning. Nothing was taken, but they cut through the hasp rather than the padlock (which they took). The general expectation is that they could well return, so I’m taking my big tools and a few new hand tools back and forth for now. The door is in its tight shove mode, so is staying shut fine on its own.

We put the tomato supports away behind the shed (I shouldn’t have undone the cylinders) and I weeded Bed 6, meaning that the robin promptly arrived to help. That bed is now sown with mustard.

The earliest sown mustard is doing really well. It may or may not be sown too densely, but it doesn’t seem to mind so far. Later beds are gradually coming to life and I’m sowing spaces as they come free. The marigolds can all stay. When the frost kills them I might just leave them in place to rot more and be a habitat. I think it’s unlikely they’d self-sow.

Mum pulled down all the rest of the everlasting pea at the back and I chopped that up for the compost heap.

I weeded under the apple tree and only got my hair caught a few times. I added a thick layer of bark under the tree, leaving just a clump of foxgloves that need to be saved – possibly for the pond. All these foxglove volunteers that have appeared this autumn could be very helpful edging.

I added the newly purchased plants to the bug hotel: two pink phlox and a thyme, which should spread nicely over the top. Mum added a volunteer pansy she found to the pot and I added a volunteer foxglove. I also threw a few borage seeds into the corner to see if they’ll grow there behind the elder.

The trellis bed needs major attention, but there’s a stout toadflax that’s looking very nice on its second flowering. I must have cut it just the right way. So I need to not pull them all up!