Yearly Archives: 2018

Harvesting Potatoes

Largest Yield from One Seed Potato Competition

An old allotment competition is to see who can grow the biggest yield of potatoes from just one seed potato. This article explains how it is done.

Santa

Winter Solstice – Merry Christmas

Early Sowing, Winter solstice and Yule and Christmas Greetings to everyone.

Books

Taking it Easy – Catching up on my reading.

Catching up on reading gardening books old and new whilst the weather outside is awful. A quick report on what is happening on the plots

Eden Burford Greenhouse

A New Greenhouse Coming Soon

I've got a new Eden Burford greenhouse arriving on Monday. 10 feet long, 6 feet wide. Why I decided to get another greenhouse.

Fron Dirion 280618 Google Earth

A Review of Our Growing Land

Time to plan for next year but first a review of what we have already. A bit of thinking time to save work in the future.

How To Dig

No-Dig Gardening vs. Digging

A look at no-dig gardening vs conventional digging methods of cultivation. Both systems have their merits and drawbacks which are discussed.

Raised beds in field plot

Possible Experiment – No-Dig, Narrow Beds

Thinking about experimenting with a different growing system based on no-dig 30 inch (75 cm) wide beds as used by some commercial market gardeners.

Allotment Skip

Black Friday Thoughts

Some thoughts on our affluent society on Black Friday when the retailers engage in a frenzy of selling us things we don't really want or need.

Cultivator Diamond Tips

New Wolf Garten hoe and cultivator

I wanted a new cultivator and hoe but found this clever combination tool from Wolf Garten that did both in one. Very clever system saves cost and space.

Bucket of Peppers

A bucket full of peppers!

The last of the sweet peppers and chilli pepper plants were cleared in the polytunnel. A surprising volume if not the largest fruits.

Distorted Parsnips

Parsnip Growing Experiment Results

This year I tried a different method of growing parsnips. The idea is to overcome the slow and patchy germination that is the big problem with parsnips.

Looking down the plot

More compost, clearing storm damage

Taking advantage of a dryish day to move the rest of the delivered compost, level it out and taking a break to clear up the storm damage.

tomato plants study

Study shows using fertilizer increases plant disease

A study carried out at UC Berkeley is being described as showing using fertilizer increases plant disease but the facts are different. Read the truth.

Roundup Glyphosate

Glyphosate – Should we ban, Can we replace Glyphosate?

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in herbicides like Roundup. Glyphosate is probably the most used herbicide on the planet. Is it safe? Can we replace it?

Free Potatoes

Free Potatoes, Rejuvenating Rhubarb, Daffodils

Free potatoes - self grown. How to rejuvenate an old neglected rhubarb plant and get 4 new from 1 plant. Planting daffodil bulbs in the border.

Parsely

Chutney, Parsley, Woodchip Compost

Emptying the greenhouse means it's tomato chutney making time. Chicken waste to vegetables via compost. Woodchips. Parsley, easy to grow when you know how.

Compost Bins

Composting, Leafmould & Soil Improving

Turning the compost piles, fallen tree brash turned into fertiliser and leafmould plus a little on my very long term plans for the land.

Bunches of Bananas

Yes, We Have No Bananas

Bananas are Britain's favourite fruit. We import 5 billion bananas a year. But our supplies are under threat due to a fungal disease called Panama Disease.

Fallen Rowan Tree

Tree Blown Down – Yet More Compost

Storm Callum was the final straw for one of our rowan trees, so out with the chainsaw. Got about 3 cubic yards of compost from the bins for the plot.

Tomatoes Parsley

One Fine Day, Three Stormy Days

Sorting and storing the potato harvest, mowing, moving compost and gathering up the leaves for leafmould before Storm Callum arrived

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