Mum came down to pick the high beans and cut the long stems back. Together we put in four firm guy ropes to stop the frame blowing about in the breeze. Two are on the fence side, attached about ⅔ of the way up, leading down pegs hammered into the ground and then secured with another peg hammered in over the top (as the first pegs came straight back out with the strength of the wind). The other two guy ropes are on the other side, nearer the edges and at a less acute angle. Now the frame barely moves if you give it a shake. This will be our new MO for cane trellises.

I did another round of tomato pruning – particularly trying to get a bit of air among the Romas. I discovered more fruit coming on those too.

The compost area had become pretty overgrown, so I’ve made a start on clearing it, cutting back the geum, pulling up yards and yards of bindweed. I wasn’t dressed for tackling the nettles and the sun was too hot for my hoodie, so they’ll have to be cut down another day. I really need to get at all the canes down there and see what’s worth keeping.

The few ants that were on the compost bin earlier in the afternoon became a load of flying ants a couple of hours later. With no kettle of boiling water available, I spritzed them all with bug spray, just in case that at least annoyed them.

Pretty sure this is my tallest ever sunflower.

I’ve stood up the yarrow, which hd completely flopped out from its centre. I’ve put short canes in all the way round, so hopefully tomorrow’s heavy rain won’t immediately undo all that work.