For the first time in 15 years the garden has not produced a single tomato. Welcome to climate change gardening. The conditions this year have been the worst on record. The combination of incessant rain and little sunshine or heat has made the summer seem more like fall. These damp wet conditions in a sheltered …Read More about September: Empty beds
Posts relating to slugs
July: Turbulent times
The regular downpours of June look set to continue well into July. While the frequent rain is helpful for seeding out new crops, lettuce etc, it can be problematic for tomatoes. These need some protection from heavy downpours and good support. A basic overhead cover provides “weather shielding” both from heavy downpours and from heatwave …Read More about July: Turbulent times
Summer Chard
With the summer heatwave resumed, following cool wet conditions, it is understandable garden plants are confused and distressed. While tomatoes are flourishing, summer salads are struggling, particularly those grown in containers, going to seed or becoming tough and unpalatable. Thank goodness for the chards which suffer the conditions far better. Kitchen gardeners love the daily …Read More about Summer Chard
Summer lull
The busyness of spring has passed and summer garden crops are now established and growing. Now is gentle maintenance time, tying up tomatoes, tidying beans and cucumbers and using up salad crops. The weather has been very changeable with cool wet days and now some extra warm days. Keeping an eye on the weather forecast …Read More about Summer lull
Change in the weather
After 2 weeks of heatwave conditions the weather has now plunged into rain and overcast conditions and looks set to stay that way for next 2 weeks. While this is good for direct sowing lettuce seed in beds and containers, it is not so good for planting out young plants. Those already out will take …Read More about Change in the weather
Starting city beans
Beans are an ideal crop for growing in cities. While many think of beans growing in wigwams in open ground, in cities they work well growing on walls and stairwells or on netting over spaces. Climbing beans and bush varieties also work well growing in containers on balconies or rooftops. With many varieties to choose …Read More about Starting city beans