I’m trying something new with my diary, which can now be found here. Rather than just publish it in written form, I’m also going to record a new weekly video, called “The gardening week’.
The diary, will be the show notes for the video
Steve Richards
I'm retired from work as a business and IT strategist. now I'm travelling, hiking, cycling, swimming, reading, gardening, learning, writing this blog and generally enjoying good times with friends and family
A couple of recent harvests as we achieve spring abundance, we buy the tomatoes in March! #Digforvictory #selfsufficient #backyardgarden #kitchengarden #allotment #allotmentlife
Back harvesting again after a few days off #digforvictory #selfsufficient #backyardgarden #kitchengarden #allotment #allotmentlife
Cycling and walking today in between the showers #notjustgardening
Golden hour on the beach this morning, before harvesting #sunrise #loveukweather #beachlife #beach #gooutside #scenery #views #thegoodlife
Autumn harvest #digforvictory #selfsufficient #backyardgarden #kitchengarden #allotment #allotmentlife
I was suffering over the weekend, so I just did a little family harvest to keep us going. Normal service will resume next weekend #digforvictory #selfsufficient #backyardgarden #kitchengarden #allotment #allotmentlife
Yesterday’s allotment haul #digforvictory #selfsufficient #backyardgarden #kitchengarden #allotment #allotmentlife
It’s our allotments open day on Saturday, Debbie and I will be on our plots if you want to come along and say hello #digforvictory #selfsufficient #backyardgarden #kitchengarden #allotment #allotmentlife
First post COVID harvest and the first time it’s felt like we have an abundance of summer fruits #digforvictory #selfsufficient #backyardgarden #kitchengarden #allotment #allotmentlife
We’ve had a great first half of the year, grown way more than last year from the same land. The bumper harvests are over now as I turn my focus towards autumn, winter and spring abundance. While harvesting ‘just enough’ over summer #digforvictory #selfsufficient #backyardgarden #kitchengarden #allotment #allotmentlife
Broke another harvest record this week, brining our total for the year to £4,000 close to a 20% increase on last year from the same land with more increases to come, especially in autumn and spring. I’ve increased close to 20% every year so far #digforvictory #selfsufficient #backyardgarden #kitchengarden #allotment #allotmentlife
Weekly harvests are just as we like them now, not too big, not too small, just right. We let the table be our guide #digforvictory #selfsufficient #backyardgarden #kitchengarden #allotment #allotmentlife
You are a bit ahead of me with your seed starting, but I did sow Asian greens this week. It is amazing to think about cutting the lawn in February! I was chipping away ice here last week, and even the weeds in our lawn are brown this time of year.
We’ve had a very mild winter Dave, after a cold autumn and no doubt a frosty spring
What fun to go through the week with you. Makes it feel as if we’re visiting your garden and region. Thank you for all the tips too. I’m not familiar with relay planting so thank you for the explanation. I’ve been interplanting for decades. You introduced me to doing bunching onions amidst the brassicas which I did this year. Very nice harvests considering the time of year and your climate. How far apart do you plant your calabrese? I usually do 15″ for broccoli and 12″ for the cauliflower, except Romanesco gets 18″ because of the plant size. Thanks.
The research suggests that the flowering brassicas respond well to different planting densities Sue, so I follow suit. I plant quite close together if I want lots of small heads and no side shoots, I will do this if I need to remove the plants quickly after first harvest for a follow on crop, usually in spring. I will give them more space if I want large heads, but more importantly a big harvest of side shoots over a long period, which I usually do in summer. I’m not doing manay cauliflowers this year as I don’t have the space, but I’m still doing calabrese because they are quicker, give a longer side shoot harvest and even heathier : All the best – Steve