One of my new years resolutions is to get my a bit more balance in my activities. Specifically I want to spend more time writing, to complement my reading and video making. My writing topic of choice for this year is a new blog focused on my allotment and it...
This is a long video, but then it’s on an important topic. I explore my approach to self-sufficiency and then spend quite a while illustrating how I put it into practice through successional sowing, choosing different varieties that mature at different times, choosing veg suited to different seasons and season...
In this video I do a full tour of the three allotments, the polytunnel and the kitchen garden and store. It’s a long video, but it’s worth it because it finally feels like not only has spring arrived, but warm weather has arrived too. The word on the allotments is...
Big update on the progress of my super early potatoes and how I’ve planted in the ground this year. I’ve planted lots of Charlotte and Arran Pilot in tubs on the patio at home and on Jennie’s plot. I’ve also planted Charlotte in the ground (with some chits removed) for...
It’s been another challenging week on the allotment. Hail, sleet, light frosts and plenty of rain and wind. As a result we’ve had a bit of downy mildew rearing it’s ugly head on some of the lettuce; ironically the variety that’s meant to be most resistant! I’ve picked off the...
Well it’s been a challenging end to winter, with the coldest weather anyone around here can remember. The wind chill has been particularly challenging, so anything tender that’s not under cover has suffered, the chard and broad beans being good examples. Under cover though nearly everything has survived well. I’ve...
After a couple of weeks wait, we finally got the stumps ground out on the plot. The whole process took about half an hour, saving we a week of back breaking work doing it manually. It’s been really cold this week, but the worst is still to come so I’m...
Here’s a quick tour of the kitchen garden, not much ready to harvest – just beets and carrots – but loads of veg in the store and freezer. We also have a chaos of seed planting and potato chitting on every available window sill. We even have a few tubs...
I’m still waiting for the stump grinder and as a result ‘project polytunnel’ is stalled for another week. I’ve taken the opportunity to disassemble two raised beds and associated mesh frames that I bought from my back garden. I’ve always hated them. They’re the wrong size and the design of...
The harvests are really starting to pick up now. I’ve just picked 20 litres of veg, that’s a respectable £20 worth, and it’s the second harvest of the week. It’s a tricky time of year though, picking enough to eat, but leaving the plants strong, so that they grow even...