Thanks saltcedar...Chenopodium... Hmm.. That is possible. I had put some spinach to grow last year and these might be mixed up in there with the spinach seeds. They are a delicacy in India and are called 'bathua'. The leaves look similar but never knew that they grow almost 4ft tall. Still dont know if I have the nerve to cook them and try!!

I don't have an answer to your question, but I'm curious what you are doing with the water once you get it to the garden? I have a downspout next to my new veggie patch and I'd love some suggestions on how to use the rainwater rather than just running off the turf.

Hi Aemon Sounds like you have done well...if your sleepers are not old ones...some of the old ones have been treated with creosote...another baddie Your mushroom composted soil sounds really good and I have one peice of advice which as is usual comes too late (if you did not think of it yourself) and that is to roughen up the surface of the clay by digging it over before putting the soil on top...the reason for this is because clay usually has a smooth surface and is not water absorbing...what happens is that when it rains or you water the topsoil the moisture that leeches down will reach the clay (where it is smooth) and it will run off because that is the way of least resistance...you will find seepage of highly nutritious blackish coloured liquid at some point...if you have dug over the clay so that you have a very rough surface it will prevent the leeching liquid from flowing and so it will soak into to the clay and enrich it with bacteria and soil fungus thus helping to created an even better soil...I am assuming you are on some sort of slope where you are cheers Peter Good luck

Yes, very cold here today, looks like winter's come at last but probably it'll be gone again by the weekend! Not moving too far, just to Richmond or the foothills of the mountains. I'm hoping to buy 1/2 to 1 acre, but not too much like that around at the moment. Are you coming out to the Sustainability Fair? 17th Sept at Richmond Uni, Ray & Adam will be down & I'm planning a bit of a get together. You & Mrs Grub would be most welcome, and everyone else of course! Sarah