Time for a change in the garden

We have been in this garden now for over 6 years it was a complete jungle when we moved in the first year was spent just clearing levelling and digging out unwanted shrubs.

The only bit of clear ground was a small square lawn 3mx3m and a path around the outside which you had to fight your way down until you got to the back of the garden. Where it was not so overgrown it took a lot of work to clear it all the only original plants that survive are a conifer more out of laziness as the one that was next to it nearly killed me trying to dig out the tump so I thought it will be happy where it is. There was also a miss shaped Bay tree this has romped away since it was freed from the shrubs around it that where slowly strangling the poor bay tree.

But like lots of gardens they become due for a change as plants grow out of their allocated space or as the use of the space changes over time. When we moved in our girls loved there slides, swing ball and paddling pools so a large lawn was needed to fit everything on it but now they are teenagers they no longer want their slides and paddling pools. They really venture outside as the Wi-Fi only reaches 6ft into the garden at this point they go into panic mood and retreat back to the safety of the house.

 I neglected the garden last year for various reasons so this year not only do I want to get it back to a nice tidy garden I also want to make a few big changes to the place. It is always fun to be able to make a change to the garden whether big or small every so often it keeps you keen.

Do keep on popping back to see what changes we have made to the garden and how we get on making the changes through the coming year.

2017 the year we go No Dig

I have grown in many different styles over the years but I have always been a big believer in feeding the soil and not the plants. Every winter I cover the borders with good garden compost or well rotted manure letting the rain and worms take it down into the soil beneath witch is basically No Dig Gardening.  

With out calling it such but I would always get the spade out to dig over the soil it has been drummed into me since a young age you always dig the soil. I remember the first day at Horticultural Collage it was all about the many types of digging single, double or Bastard trenching if it takes your fancy. So it is very difficult to resist the urge to put the spade in the soil but resist I must I have always noticed beds that have not been dig and just had good compost placed on top. Always grow the best crops with the least weeds and more healthier plants. Also what could be better than not having to do any more digging though the winter so should get a bit more time on my hands to do some more writing. Do pop back to see how we are getting on with our No Dig Gardening this year and hopefully we too can inspire you to take up this method as well.

Selfsufficient update

At the beginning of the year I set my self the challenge of going self sufficient and producing at least one piece of food every day of the year. Well how has it been going, very well especially now we are producing more than we can eat so there is lots of freezing and jamming taking place. Usually late into the night don't no why but Jam making always seems to start at about 9 o'clock at night. Probably because it is dark outside so no gardening and the girls are in bed so peace and quiet. We spent the spring building raised beds and levelling up the slope in the garden to make it much easier for us to garden. We filled them up with lots of compost, manure and soil from the levelling of the slope which has made a great growing medium for our vegetables to grow in.

One of the problem crops this year has been onions they have not performed well at all lots have gone to seed or not reached a very good size. Which is a shame as last year not one went to seed and it was the best crop I have had for a long time they also lasted until late June which is great. The other problem I have had is the peppers and aubergines just have not wanted to grow as the nights have been so cold. The other night it dropped as low as 4oC which is ridiculous for the end of July and no surprise that the more tender crops are struggling to grow.

 

But forgetting all the problems as it would be very boring if everything went well every year and gardeners do like something to moan about other than the weather. When growing your own it is always difficult to get the right balance of quantity's of each crop not having too much all at once. Yet again I have far too many courgettes than I know what to do with. The problem is I always end up with lots of good plants at the beginning of the year and never want to put them on the compost heap. But there are always lots of friends and family who are always happy to take a bag home with them.



So the challenge is going very well but to carry on the challenge on in to the autumn, winter and beyond. So we have been constantly sowing every time we clear an area a new crop is sown in that space so there is never any bare soil. which also means a constant supply of vegetables I have learnt that it is better to have lots of different vegetables in small quantity's rather than large quantity's of a few vegetables. Except vegetables that can store well such as onions, garlic, shallots etc. also there are some crops that stand well in the ground such as leeks, celery, parsnips and carrots etc. You can harvest them as you need them especially through the winter if they have a bit of protection. All in all it is has been a success and we will defiantly be carrying on with the experiment it next year.



World Naked Gardening Day

Today is World Naked Gardening Day Where every one is being encouraged to shed there cloths and strut around there garden as nature intended.

So what could be more natural than stepping out the house in your birth day suit and doing a bit of gardening. After all the first ever gardeners Adam and Eve had nothing more than a fig leaf to protect there modesty while tending to there Apple trees. So why not get out there as nature intended just avoid power tools, weeding Nettles and pruning roses. oh and make sure the neighbour's can not see you well unless you can encourage them to get naked with you that is, you would certainly get to know them a bit more than before.

 

Happy Naked Gardening

Gardening TV in 2015

We are nearing the end of 2014 and looking forward to a new year and growing season in 2015. There have been some great new gardening programmes in 2014 it started off with The Great British Garden Revival. Which was a great new program each episode looking at a different part of gardening from greenhouse's to rockery's. Then it was time to show off the Allotment, The Big Allotment Challenge this was a take on the Great British bake off where allotmenters go head to head to for the best in show rosette.  

 

In 2015 we see some old favourites as well as some new gardening programmes to wet our appetite these are some of the best to look out for.  

 

Britain's Best Back Gardens

 

Alan Titchmarsh has spent the past year searching for Britain's best back garden over 600 gardens applied. But only 30 have made it on to the program each week Alan travels up and down the UK and shows us 10 of these gardens in each episode.

 

Starts 6th Jan 8pm ITV1

 

Show Me Your Garden

 

This is a new gardening programme and is a bit like come dine with me. Each week three gardeners visit and judge each others gardens to see who get judges the best episode 1 starts in London.

 

watch a preview of the show

 

  http://www.sky.com/tv/show/show-me-your-garden/video/preview 

 

Starts 2nd Jan 8pm Sky 1

 

The Great British Garden Revival

 

This returns for a second series after it's success last year another 10 episodes each week covering one of the following subjects knot gardens, peonies, daffodils, bog gardens, lavender, wildlife gardens, climbers and creepers, soft fruit, and irises. Each week presented by a different presenter Carol Klein, Joe Swift, Rachel de Thame, James Wong, Tom Hart Dyke, Chris Beardshaw, Alys Fowler, Charlie Dimmock, Diarmuid Gavin, Christine Walkden and Toby Buckland.

 

Starts 6th Jan 7pm BBC2

 

The Big Allotment Challenge

 

Again another successful series from last year returns again to BBC2 but with a few changes to last year. It is going to be a lot more practically based after viewers feed back from last year another big change is there are no couples any more it is just individual Allotmenters battling it out for best in show. 

 

Starts 2nd Jan 9pm BBC2

 

As well as all your regular gardening TV favourites Beechgrove Garden and Gardeners world BBC2 are all back  back in the spring. So January is defiantly set to be a great month for gardening on TV.