Homeacres small garden of 25sqm/270sqft, no dig and compost-mulched.
There are limiting factors such as paving slabs in the soil, the neighbour’s shrubs with moisture-sucking roots, slugs in the edges, and shade from buildings. See episode (1) for those details https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUMbt6tLAd0
Harvests are coming from plantings made in August and September. As they finish, I twist out the remaining plants and spread 3-4cm/1.5in compost on beds, then they are ready for plantings in early spring. The no dig method means preparation is quick and easy, plus there are only a few weeds you need to pull.
I aim to harvest a diverse range of veg, say three daily from late April to November. The thumbnail is 19th December 2017, three days before we filmed.
I am writing this in May 2018: since filming and over the winter months we enjoyed harvests of fennel, radicchio, spinach, salad leaves of many kinds, kale, leek and parsley. Now the garden is planted for spring, though not quite according to plan – see the third video filmed in April, coming out in late May.
This was filmed at Homeacres 22.12.17 and edited in Edinburgh by Edward Dowding, see http://edowdingfilms.onfabrik.com/por…
More about veg growing and no dig on my website https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/
I have two online courses which include hundreds of photos and exclusive video content, for more information go to https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product-category/online-courses/
Follow me on Twitter @charlesdowding and Instagram charles_dowding
See me on BBC TV Beechgrove Garden, Scotland.
I have written many books on easier + quicker ways to grow vegetables, and you can buy signed copies from my website shop https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/prod…, discounted price.
thanks 4 giving both C° and F°!
You are a wonderful gardening resource Charles, even for folks like me living in Melbourne.Aus (a warm temperate zone). Thank you very much.
I also found that Chard came through winter OK and has given several meals in April and early May. Spinach plants persisted but did not thrive in spring this year. Sorrel has been very good also, growing happily in poor soil where little else will grow. I have a tree cabbage equivalent to your Taunton Deane and it supplied leaves as a 10 month old plant from early April. Next year it could be all winter……
one of the nice things that i like about gardening even in my tiny garden is that every time you go into the garden you come away with something to use in your meal.keeping you encourage to continue gardening. in my neck of the woods where there is only two season wet and dry. managing excess water or none at all is the key . my garden is my escape. so happy gardening enroute to freedom.
I feel so calm watching your videos. So unique voice and informative videos great garden. Peace
Please make a video about growing the Brassica family plzzzz!
Charles a big congratulations on being featured on the Beechgrove Garden show!! It's a show my husband and I really enjoy, and learn more than watching Gardeners World. We like that they visit 'real' people's gardens and have folks like you come on to share your knowledge, I wish they had talked about your books and youtube channel.
Hi Charles, I love this new series as well as your How To Grow series. In fact I saw your video on growing radishes from seed to harvest just recently. Unfortunately I can’t seem to locate it now. Would you please provide me a link to that video so I can review it again. I look forward to receiving your help and reply.
Hi, absolutely love your channel. I am a newbie when it comes to gardening but want to learn how to grow my own food to provide to my family. I have purchased a few of your books and can’t wait to dig in or ‘not’! I’ve watched a few of your videos and you mention a zone of 8b. How can I find out mine? I live in Jersey- Channel Islands. Thank you so much for your informative channel.
Great series Charles
Can you tell me a little more about your perennial Kale please as your book is quite brief Also do you sell cuttings or ( rare) seeds? many thanks
Always interested in everything you do. I love to follow what you grow and interplant with your veg. Looking forward to what December brings from Home Farm.
Thanks a lot!
A very instructive vid to watch at the the equinox. Thanks, Charles.
Hello Charles. Thank you for this interesting series. Did you try to use some green manure on the beds by sowing a mix of alfalfa, vetch, clover, barley, faba, mustard during autumn. The aim is to let them grow throughout the winter until the early spring for mowing them in place at that time before starting the season ? It will fertilize the soil with nitrogen.
I discovered that I was getting slugs from the pottings of my Christmas poinsettias & Easter lilies. The eggs look like little brown fertilizer balls.
Ever have issues with root knot nematodes?
Bit of a noob here. But what is meant by term underplanting???
Kolrabi very underestimated crop loves those roasted
Hi Charles have you used coffee grounds to ward off slugs and snails? At first I dismissed it but I made a slurry and dropped in a few critters and they died within a few minutes, it seems that caffeine is toxic to them, as an experiment I sprayed under a board where they hide, several months have passed and it's still slug free. I have raised beds and trickled it along the edges and it's definitely made a difference. A word of caution though I used it around strawberries and I noticed some plants have died although the slugs stay away. Maybe some plants are affected by caffeine.
What an amazing series. I have been following and learning from you for a year now and hadn't realised that you had a small garden series! I am preparing for the new garden season and thanks to u will be adding tree kale to my balcony garden. I have had the seeds for a few months and was wondering if it was worth it. Also thank you for the kalbroc broccoli. So awesome. Bedankt (thank you) from the Netherlands on the 9th floor.
Cool. I never see a video where people mention a failed crop, yet we all get them.
I've found something that will completely ruin a garden, no matter what you plant, when or how. Children leaving the gate open so the sheep can enter. Lol
What is the square footage of the beds?
I am doing some thing for my new no dig garden what do you recommend to grow
I’ve read that salt will get rid of your slugs.
Where is east and west on your property? I have a delicious leek soup recipe!