Tag Archives: mulching

An elaborate bird table

Posted on May 25, 2020 by Helen

This morning, I noticed that the birds had been fussing with the straw over the beans I’d sown yesterday. I wasn’t sure if they were after the one or the other, but as we were off out I kicked the … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture, Social, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Spongy

Posted on May 17, 2019 by Helen

I felt a new sensation when planting out the globe artichoke the other day. Unfortunately, I needed to step on the bed in front of the intended planting space to get to it and the ground was springy. I’m hoping … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

All because of four beans

Posted on February 15, 2019 by Helen

I’m doing a little experiment: four broad bean seeds have been planted straight into the raised bed. Will they germinate? Who knows – but with a large packet of seeds, there is nothing to lose by finding out. As it … Continue reading →

Posted in forest garden, Gardening, perennials | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

Gardening fest

Posted on April 22, 2018 by Helen

My daughter is on an extended sleepover at a friend’s house, which gives me ample time to focus on the latest MOOC I am doing. However, I need to take regular breaks in order to process all the information. Which … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Different kinds of mulch

Posted on April 20, 2018 by Helen

Yesterday, I reported on the pine mulch round the rhubarb. Today, the post is about a less successful kind of mulch: homemade compost. When I moved the compost bin from the patch where I planted this year’s garlic, I left … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , , | 13 Comments

The crowning glory

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Helen

Today has apparently been the hottest day in April for 70 years. Irrespective of statistics, it has certainly felt more like high summer than the rainy season. In fact, my soil is now bone dry. Never mind, the compost heap … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

Christmas decorations

Posted on March 24, 2018 by Helen

Instead of going to my Knit and Natter group yesterday, it was a trip to the dentist’s, which afforded me the opportunity to drop in on a friend who lives nearby. She has been most generous in passing the ash … Continue reading →

Posted in Permaculture, presents, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 25 Comments

Dampness no barrier

Posted on March 15, 2018 by Helen

I recently reported that the phacelia seeds I’d been storing in the shed were damp and I’d therefore been concerned that they would fail to germinate. However, this week has been warmer and I’ve seen the first stirrings in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

The novelty of working at three degrees

Posted on December 8, 2017 by Helen

It was so cold today, the secateurs were like ice cubes in my hands. Likewise, it was not comfortable holding the spade. However, I was pleased to get a few small jobs out of the way in the garden this … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Perennial chard – A sequel

Posted on August 19, 2017 by Helen

In 2015, I published a blog post entitled ‘Perennial chard’, which has had more hits than any other. Now, I don’t know why precisely people are searching this topic, except from the occasional search term suggesting they are curious to … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , , | 13 Comments