No Dig

I know that older gardeners are fans of  digging but is it really the best way to go for our soils or our backs, for that matter? 

There are many reasons for digging, new plot, farmyard manure to name just a few! However in the main there is another way and that is the “ No Dig “ way 

 Why We Dig

It is a sort of attitude and an old tradition on allotments keeping a grower active and busy  in the cold winter months. 

Digging helps against compaction, which is something we do not want because heavily compacted soils will not have space between soil particles, which will  give you poor drainage in the compacted layer. 

 Where as what you want is good drainage which is so  important to prevent soil saturation and water run-off which could end up with  flooding.

Digging can help to:

 Aerate Soil. 

Soil needs aeration to allow oxygen into the soil. 

 Vital nutrients to efficiently reach plants’ roots.

 

Beneficial micro-organisms found in soil. 

 

Needs air for respiration and metabolism.

However, and this is the point:  over digging can put too much air into the soil which gives an unstable footing for plant roots. 

Over digging may also damage soil structure and may disrupt the balance of particles and space already in the soil.

The  ‘no dig’ way of relieving compaction or aerating soil could be by using plants like annuals and biennials with deep tap roots are perfect for this. 

Teasel produces a large tap root that will grow deep into the most compacted soil and as the the root dies, it shrinks creating air pockets.

Vegetables also  are great to go to delve deep into the soil. 

All I do with my beds is to spread compost on the top and hoe in, as well as hoeing every week to control weeds

My Kale

 My Kale have been under water for the last ten days. Old Father Thames has bust the banks again.

My Taunton Dean Kale looks a bit worse for wear, as does my thousand-headed Kale.

Both of them are suppose to be frost hardy, but it looks like the few frost we have had of -10, has lain them low.

Th only Kale that seems to stand it is Pentland Curly Kale   

War Time Mincemeat for these hard times

 Mincemeat

1⁄2 – 3⁄4 lb. mixed dried fruit
4 oz. apples or 2 oz. dried apple rings 3-4 oz. sugar
2-4 oz. suet or melted margarine
2 level tablespoons marmalade

1⁄2 level teaspoon cinnamon

1 level teaspoon grated nutmeg

1⁄4 level teaspoon salt

4-6 tablespoons, rum, sherry, stout or ale

A few drops of rum essence - if stout or ale is used

1⁄2 level teaspoon mixed spice
Mince the fruit and apples or chop finely. Add the other ingredients and mix very

thoroughly. Put into small jars and tie down securely. Store in a cool dry place. If the larger quantities of fruit, sugar and fat are used, this should keep 12 months, but will not keep more than 10 days with the smaller amounts

Ministry of Food

Making the mincemeat in advance reduces the Christmas workload and enables smaller batches of mince pies to be easily made so they are always fresh. Apples can be stored for quite some time but it is quite tricky unless you have the right place to store and know how to look after them. Those lucky enough to have an apple tree in the garden, or access to one, would dry apple rings in a very low oven for winter use or as a treat for the children.

1⁄2 – 3⁄4 lb. mixed dried fruit
4 oz. apples or 2 oz. dried apple rings 3-4 oz. sugar
2-4 oz. suet or melted margarine
2 level tablespoons marmalade

John Harrison - Rationed Christmas

What to do in December!

 

I do like December for gardening, which is a bit strange considering there's not a much you can do outdoors in the short days.  December is the month for reflecting on what went on last year and what  you think is to come, preferably indoors and warm by a fire.  I do find that gardening brings me closer to the seasons, the rhythms of the year. Although this is the darkest month with the shortest day of the winter solstice and the cold winter months of January and February are still to come, it's very much the time of renewal and starting rather than ending. After the shortest-day solstice on the 21st the days will be getting lighter again, which means spring isn't that far away. After two years of pandemic,  you would of thought 2022 was going to be a much better year. However it didn’t  turn out that way, Putin’s criminal invasion of Ukraine to expand his empire and the economic disruption that’s caused has made it a tough year for most of us. It is thought that the average family could save over £1,000 a year from a full allotment or a large garden. Even a small plot can make a significant contribution to the budget.  If you add hens, you would get a few eggs as well, which are not easy to come by because of Bird Flu

My best Crop every time.

 My best Crop every time.

Without fail, my best crop is Blackberries ........by that I mean: easy to grow/.big harvest /no pest/eat every day of the year.

In the winter I prune them and feed them with a bit of farm yard manure

In the spring I mulch them with a few wheel-borrows of wood chips

In the summer I feed them with chicken pellets and start to harvest

I freeze them and when I have no space left,I bottle them

I have enough to eat every morning with my smoothy.

I never water them.

A real dream crop.

Farm Yard Manure

 Farm Yard Manure

I buy a farm trailer of Farm Yard Manure ( FYM ) and store it in a compost bin for and year, before I dig it into my beds.

The way that I dig the FYM into my soil is to dig a trench and fill that up with the FYM and then cover it with the soil of the next trench.

This ensures that the FYM is where it is suppose to be, under the ground. If you just put the manure on the surface, in the summer it will dry out and in the winter, it will have all the goodness washed out of it.

Another tip: never put FYM where you are going to grow your next crop of cabbage. If you do this there is a danger of Club Root 

Home made rat bait

 I have a rat problem and I would think that most people who garden have the same problem.

I set traps, but most of the rats are too wise to touch them.

Poisons can become far too costly and so I make my own.

I use Plaster of Paris mixed with  bird seed, the rats do take it however I find that they take more of it if I add sugar.

The best way to get rid of rats is to, keep at them with various methods.