The garden is quiet. In my mind’s eye, January is a dark, wet and bare month. However, I have learned that when you look or when you build a relationship with nature (as we do as gardeners) the reality is there is some colour to be found in the middle of winter and there is always life. Continue reading “Allotment Jobs for January”
In 2007 I wanted to grow vegetables for the first time but had nothing more than a concrete square for a garden. I know this is a common situation for many people.
It’s the end of the school summer holidays. Having an allotment is not just about growing food. It’s certainly a place to occupy children during the six-week break. However, if you embrace your plot and the community of people that come together at your allotment site you find they offer so much more.
(Note: There are some affiliate links in this post, which means you can click on them to buy. If you do, I may get a small fee. It doesn’t affect the price you pay.) Continue reading “Allotment jobs for September”
The memory of last July is seared into my mind. Recalled through a painful cringe.
I haven’t always been a gardener.
My good friend Andrew O’Brien recently invited me for a brief chat on the latest episode of his beautiful podcast and he asked me about my gardening. Has it always been there? When did it begin? Continue reading “When gardening took hold”
It’s May. The month us gardeners seem to pin our hope’s on. The last frosts (for me anyway) the warmer temperature. The sunny days and the promise of more to come. It’s also my birthday month and so as I grow another year older, I will forget the numbers and embrace the green shoots and early radishes instead. Continue reading “Allotment jobs for May”
I have a terrible memory.
One of the frustratingly common examples of this happens when I walk into the supermarket and forget the reasons for being there.
Continue reading “Allotment gardening and the power of to-do lists”
Despite my efforts to focus on sustainability when it comes to allotment gardening and within my broader life, I am not proud of the fact that I have not prioritised my purchasing of peat-free compost.
I love chillies. Some people think chillies are simply about heat but they have such a variety of fantastic flavour too. It’s the combination of the heat and the flavour of the fruit that makes them a welcome ingredient for the kitchen.
Continue reading “Chillies I’m growing in 2019 (and some resources)”
Last month, while wading through the gloom of January and wishing for an early spring, my spirits were raised when I received a message from a man named Fred. Continue reading “Incredible Crops I’m Growing in 2019: Vital Seeds”
