Also collectively referred to as, Oriental greens or Chinese brassicas, this group of plants really deserve their place in my kitchen garden and should be more widely grown. These leafy vegetables are fast growing, versatile and nutritious, easy to cultivate and taste delicious. This group of brassicas have done particularly well in our unheated polytunnel, [...]
Wood-ashes in the garden
Woodash is a useful and natural soil enhancer because it contains the mineral Potash, in a water soluble form, which many plants need in order to produce good roots, flowers and fruits. The remains of our burn pile from the winter pruning and forest maintenance, as well as the ashes from our wood burning stove, [...]
The Earth’s Seasons
As a gardener it makes sense to set my clock by the natural rhythms or seasons of the land I live on. Some rhythms are global, affecting our whole planet, some are regional affecting perhaps a whole country, some are local affecting the smaller area in which we live, there can even be rythms on [...]
Broadcast Sowing
Some crops are best broadcast sown, that is to say sown over a wide area rather than thinly in rows Crops that work particularly well are fast growing leafy crops that will be cut regularly for their young leaves such as; salad mixes, lettuces, rocket, lambs lettuce (mache), spinach, leafy oriental brassica and herbs such [...]
New Lean-To Greenhouse
Protection for seedlings makes all the difference when raising your own plants so Rachel has built a wonderful lean-to greenhouse outside the potting shed/cellar in front of the house that will give protection in both winter and summer. I think it is great and it has already made my life easier. It did not cost [...]
Making Organic Liquid Feeds
You can buy liquid feeds but why not make your own, it is free and you know it is organic. Here are a few recipes and tips for making liquid feeds with weeds and other bi-products. Liquid Manure or Black Jack I found this recipe for black jack in Joy Larkom’s excellent book Grow Your Own [...]
Mulching
Mulching is a simple technique of covering bare soil to; protect it from erosion and compression and to suppress weeds and retain moisture. Soil can be mulched with hard materials such as plastics or stone but better still are materials that are degradable because they also add nutrients, humus and improve the condition of the [...]
Seed List 2009
This is my list of the varieties to grow for 2009. It takes years, a life time probably, to find the very best varieties to suit your growing location and the taste of the cook. I grow a large selection, in small amounts, trying new things and continuing with the crops that really work for [...]
Harvesting and Storing Onions
Onions, garlic and leeks can all be harvested as soon as they are big enough to eat. The whole plant is edible so they are a real treat pulled young and eaten fresh; bulbs, greens, flower buds the lot. However if you want to store onions or garlic you need to wait for the right [...]
Seed List 2008
My seed list is now finalised for 2008. I have to admit it is getting a bit out of hand this year with 33 tomato varieties, 18 lettuces and 32 varieties of capsicum, but they are what I like eating the most so there is reason to this madness. It will be a miracle if [...]
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