This was not before I'd made a robust 'spacer' to raise the drums up by an extra 6" on previous years. Thanks to Health & Safety a local building firm has to bin any scaffold planks that are remotely sub-standard so a friend who works for them secured me several lengths. After cutting to size I wrapped each one in old compost bags that were stapled to it, then nailed them together and mounted the drums on them, the spacer planks resting across the metal frame beneath. These should last me several years now they're protected from the elements, and I have a minimum 5' depth of potential root length.
It really does stretch your stomach muscles emptying out each drum after a Winter of excess, the sand being put into old builder's dumpy bags before the drums are refilled from those bags once more. I use a metal scoop that I had made especially for this task many years ago, and it certainly helps get the sand out of the lower reaches of the drum. I only have 7 drums, which is more than enough for me. I dread to think of the labour involved by those growers who have many more such drums to fill. They must be mad.
I left the sand stacked well above the top of the drum as you can see, but believe me these will need topping up within a couple of weeks. I intend to do my mixes in early March, in order to have the holes bored by mid-March. Only at this point will I set some seed indoors on damp tissue for chitting.
Time now to soak my aging muscles in a hot bath before a few bevvies whilst watching Top Gear. A perfect end to a productive day.
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