Yesterday, I was excited to discover three tiny volunteers in one of my vegetable beds. They’re definitely some kind of squash, but the rest of their identity is a mystery, so I’ll need to wait until they’ve produced fruit to know for sure. I am looking forward to the surprise. Volunteer plants are one of…
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My south-facing kitchen window is packed with seedlings, and I’m bracing for the cold snap that’s arriving tonight. It should last the week, which means there will be very little garden progress for the next few days. I’ve saved up a couple of episodes of Gardner’s World to tide me over. I’ve been growing vegetables…
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I’ve taken the decision to grow all of my berries in pots. Originally, I was going to use a bed, but the soil requirements are so varied that I think each bush will be happier in its own home. So I’ll be moving two honey berry plants and potting up a couple of blueberries. I…
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While goofing about on TikTok last night, I was shown a clip about perennial kale. I’ve grown kale as an annual, but had no idea there was a perennial variety that produces leaves throughout the year – multiple years, in fact. We eat a lot of kale, so I immediately began searching for seeds so…
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Off grid. It’s a scary concept for some, but for people like me, it’s an aspiration. Imagine living a self-sufficient life and no longer being beholden to ‘the man’. It sounds quite hippy-trippy-60s anti-establishment, but there is great appeal in disentangling oneself from the clutches of societal expectations. To truly live off grid means digging…
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In my quest to become more self-sufficient and rely a bit less on the outside world, I’ve begun to look into options for fresh produce. It’s abundant at the moment, but winter is coming, and with Brexit on the horizon, I can’t be sure the supermarket shelves will be stocked. What can I grow in…
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This beautiful plant came bursting out of our garden wall a couple of years ago. It’s quintupled in size since I first noticed it, and it’s looking quite pretty this year. It’s fragile, though, and I’ve been unable to get at the roots to transplant it. Each attempt has led to my tearing it out…
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Fig and Pen 