At this time of the year the garden needs consistent feeding to keep everything healthy and productive. A regular feeding schedule will really help to keep your flowers blooming and aid a bumper harvest. With so much on the market, it can be quite baffling and lead to a shed full of products and an empty purse.
Making your own feeds is simple, effective and fun. I first made the decision to make my own because so many garden products come in plastic packaging. I wanted to reduce the amount of plastic I was bringing into my home and garden and limit my environmental impact as much as I possibly could This was an easy way to start doing that
By Karen Stewart-Russell @rakeexpectations
make three main types, Nettle, Banana and Comfrey. I do not use any weedkiller in my garden so always have a plentiful supply of ettles, I grow comfrey for the dainty flowers s well as the foliage that goes into my feed, a very hard-working plant indeed and having dual purpose is a real bonus in my small garden Banana peels normally go into my Bokashi bin but when it is in its two-week fermenting period I use them in my homemade feed so they do not go to waste
The liquid from a bokashi bin can also be used as feed diluted 1:100 The exact nutrition it provides is hard to quantify as it varies depending on what you are adding to your Bokashi bin l l
method for making Nettle, Banana and Comfrey liquid feeds is ame for each and very simple I chop up the Nettles, Banana s or Comfrey leaves, push them into an old milk carton and top ith water Remember to label them as once the leaves and have brewed for a while they all look quite similar Once this ne, leave them in a cool dark place like a shed or garage for weeks You can strain out the bits if you feel the need but I it simple and just remove them from the watering can as I am ng the feed ready for use
useful to know which nutrients are in any feed that you use and enefits they have as well as the ratio they should be diluted by ater. Nettle feed contains Nitrogen (N) which helps to tain overall plant health and encourage leafy growth and is t for crops such as lettuce, cabbage and kale. It needs to be ed 1 part of feed in 10 of water.
ana feed contains Phosphorous (P) which is beneficial for hy root growth and improves quality of fruit and vegetable s. I use this on my tomato and blueberry plants. I dilute this Comfrey feed contains Potassium (K) which aids formation of ers and fruit and should be diluted 1:10 I must admit when ets busy, I am less scientific and add a splash to a full ring can It may be a little weak at times but the plants still get ost I am always cautious as over feeding can cause harm to s I feed once a week on ‘Feed Friday’ so it is easy for me to mber
e you decide to give making your own feeds a go and have whilst saving money and reducing plastic waste
Writing a book was a dream I carried for many years I had countless ideas and stories living in my heart and mind and I felt the time had come to bring them to life on paper By the end of last year, I embarked on this scary but exciting journey In this story, I combine my love for fantasy stories with my passion for gardening and wildlife This blend of interests became the foundation for my fantasy series. The process of nurturing a garden and nature, witnessing the cycles of growth, decay, and rebirth, seamlessly translated into the development of my story’s world, magical system and characters. For example, one of the magical factions draw their power from nature. These characters can make plants and flowers grow, use them to heal, and attract wildlife. The main character in my story shares these powers. This concept is directly inspired by my experiences in the garden and to bring it to life, I drew from my own reverence and love for the natural world.
Familiars play a pivotal role in my story, drawing inspiration directly from wildlife Throughout the narrative, I interweave practical wildlife insights Whether it's describing a hedgehog nestled in a cosy wooden house made of twigs, straw, and leaves, highlighting which flowers attract bees, or portraying birds delighting in rosehips and seed heads during autumn, these details serve as subtle pieces of advice woven into the storyline.
Gardening and nature also play crucial roles in the healing journey of my main character, both physically and mentally. Being immersed in nature has always provided me with a sense of peace and fulfilment. This deep and personal connection to gardening and nature translates into my writing, where themes of healing, growth, and harmony with nature play a significant role. Writing about these themes not only helped me in creating this world and my story but it also serves as a therapeutic outlet for me
Gardening has provided me with a keen sense of the passage of time and the importance of place In my story, I incorporate the cycles of nature, using the growth of plants and the changing seasons to ground the reader in the story’s world Descriptions of landscapes, weather patterns, and natural phenomena are drawn from my observations in the garden to try and make my fantasy world feel real and lived in
Over the last few months, gardening and writing have become intertwined in my life, each enriching the other Our garden has been an incredible source of inspiration, providing thematic elements for my fantasy series and a grounding sense of time and place The therapeutic benefits of gardening have supported and improved my creativity and mental health.
Tending to my garden allows me to clear my mind, find peace, and draw inspiration from the beauty and intricacies of nature, which in turn I incorporate in my writing. I would like to encourage everyone to find inspiration in their passions, to use it as the growing ground to let other parts of yourself grow, as you never know where they might lead you.
If you are curious and want to learn more about my writing journey, I've recently launched a new page where I share my experiences From insights into my inspiration to navigating writing and reading with dyslexia, the evolution of my story, and so much more You can follow along on this adventure @meltriestowriteastory
By Mel Heris @meltriestowriteastory
It's the first of September 2017, and my new neighbour introduced me to the allotment warden for the allotments behind my house. I was offered a Chance to take on a half plot, freshly ploughed for £7 50 a year
A blank canvas is the dream when it comes to taking over any allotment, so I was very fortunate. On the first day of having my very own plot, I took the time to plan out my paths and beds, I had everything up to the greenhouse and I was dreaming big On the Second day, I reclaimed some wood from a Burn pile and proceeded to make beds I started my journey with 9 Beds, six smaller ones and three larger ones By the end of October, I took over the Half plot by mine, which again had been freshly ploughed
By the middle of December, I had reclaimed some windows and crudely made a cold frame on my new half (which fell down a few times in the winds we had in the winter of 2018 Later that year my partner built it a new sturdy frame. There was no stopping me; in the January of 2018 I began to sow bits in the ground and by the middle of February 2018 I had gained a greenhouse on my allotment. In February, I used tent poles to make a fruit cage.
The first six months I spent planning, building and making my allotment mine by sourcing things heading for the bin, or freebies on Freecycle Then came the Beast from the East, covering my allotment in 6 inches of snow, with plants in the ground, no glass in my greenhouse and a crudely made cold frame – but I was excited and happy It wasn’t until the end of March I got the glass in my greenhouse and I could start sowing my seeds, 8 months after taking on the plot
The first year on the plot was not all about growing it was more about setting the area up, making grass paths, understanding what weeds grew and sourcing what I could for as little as I could. It was also the year I discovered I hated Little Gem lettuces after I spilt a packet of seeds and they all germinated.
The Second year of my plot was challenging mentally for me, again I had big dreams however I was now in parttime distance learning trying to complete my AAT Qualification. We had a month of storms; every weekend in February we were hit by a different storm, which popped my greenhouse four times. This is also when I discovered the Instagram community of gardeners I kept on top of the mowing of the lawn, however, my beds did get a bit overgrown We also found ourselves having to move house (admittedly 2 doors down) but that did not help
It used to be called my organised chaos stage, I kept it accessible however a little overgrown but I kept at it I didn’t want to lose it, and many times I would find myself crying, after dark, in my greenhouse because I would feel guilty about not keeping on top of it and then when I was out there, I would feel guilty about not studying This is when I learnt I needed to balance them both if I wanted to achieve my qualifications as well as enjoy my hobbies.
Around this time, Instagram introduced me to Green Manure, which I sowed in my beds in the winter of 2019/20. This is also the winter I discovered how important the Instagram community would be for me, my head and my gardening. As all well know, Covid hit. I lost my job, and was unemployed for about six weeks which gave me a chance to really get on top of my allotment. I would spend the morning job hunting and the rest of the day on the plot During in this time, I truly loved my space I didn’t have to travel anywhere as it was outside my back gate, and I could spend hours out there getting jobs done
Little did I know that this would be my last growing season on my allotment In May 2020, I got a glass greenhouse for my garden to help me garden in short sharp bursts After a few months of the greenhouse in the garden, I stopped enjoying the allotment I found it a chore, and to be honest I wanted space from some of the other allotment holders At the end of 2020, I gave up my allotment and started focusing on what I could grow in pots in the garden. In April 2021 we ended up moving over an hour away from the allotment and this was the start of my garden allotment.
I went through every emotion possible with this allotment and it will always have a place in my heart but it was not easy. It was a large plot, time-consuming, draining, rewarding, exhausting and exciting. The only thing I still have from this allotment to this day is my rhubarb I rescued from a burn pile on that very first day It has moved house with me many times and now is happy in its new forever home in my current garden allotment
Three questions to ask yourself before getting an allotment:
Do I have 5-6 hours a week at minimum to spend on it?
What do I want out of it?
Am I happy to spend money where it is needed?
Nestled in a quiet area of Suffolk, Santon Downham throws every possible curve ball at its gardening folk. This bijou village of 250, is surrounded by a colossal 80 square miles (take a moment to picture that) of trees, planted post WW1 as a commission by the government for pit props. The mines no longer exist, but the trees are their legacy and they’ve impacted the village in a unique and remarkable way by creating a microclimate that dictates the most extremes of weather It singularly boasts being the hottest, coldest, wettest and driest place in England! A challenge for the most experienced and daring of gardeners but I know a gardener there who has risen to the challenge
I’m on my way to visit the garden of Radio Garden Royalty, Barry Gayton; long time gardening expert for Gardener’s Question Time among various Radio shows. Although I have been aware (and in awe) of Barry for many years, he first came into my life’s sphere when I was commissioned by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire last year to appear alongside him on The Garden Hour and currently The Garden Party. With his amiable nature and extensive passion for gardening, we quickly hit it off and now I’m hurtling towards his home, eagerly anticipating a tour of his beloved garden
By Kim O’Brien
On a leafy lane, I am greeted by a great arching sign that reads ‘Desert World Gardens’, a nod to it’s extreme weather conditions and difficult, sandy soil I’m greeted by Barry, who, sprightly at 74 years of age, lives and breathes gardening 24/7 His enthusiasm for plants eclipsed only by his tremendous knowledge about them ‘Welcome to my paradise in the forest’ he grins broadly
@dahliafarmerrama
Barry and Kim in the Desert World Garden.
Barry showing off the magnificent Bamboo.
At 1.5 acres, 44 years ago, Desert World was a scrag of wasteland with just 3 oak trees and an impossible tangle of bramble, gorse and broom. Today, it is sculpted into a paradise landscape with a bamboo forest, a collection of tall trees from monkey puzzles to Acers, to Barry’s pride and joy, a Magnolia grandiflora that he grumbles has blooms that are just too far out of reach to fully appreciate their fragrance There is a trail through the garden which passes budding dahlia beds (I’ll be back), hydrangeas (Barry has more than 350 varieties), a fernery, a sizeable wildlife pond and a Jurassic tree fern jungle
But it’s Barry’s glasshouses that house his lifelong collection of 13,500 succulents that are his absolute pride and joy. He informs me he could easily hold the National collection but chooses not to, explaining that he wouldn’t want to be held captive by the rules and regulations this would impose on his growing He’s not a maverick, but he clearly grows by his own book and that’s how he wants to keep it, and good for him, I say His obsession with succulents started when at age 7, he purchased a mixed packet of Agave Parryi seeds from Woolworths, sowed them, and the rest is history Incredibly, Barry still has the first plant he ever sowed from that seed packet and it’s now 67 years old! His eyes light up when he catches sight of it It is truly stunning to behold
Barry and the first cactus he ever sowed...67 years later!
Barry’s glasshouse contains a staggering 13,500 succulents.
Being led around the glasshouses is an experience of twists, turns, and tight manoeuvres around plants with spikes the size of cocktail sticks and flowers that look like they are straight out of paradise itself. I’ve visited botanical gardens all over the world and even with their extensive glass houses and collections, they would be hard pushed to match up to Barry’s treasure trove of cacti. Some trail, some hang, other creep and many stand tall. All are remarkable. All have a story to tell It’s very humbling to witness such a passion for these extraordinary plants and Barry knows every single one intimately
I ask Barry what the best piece of gardening advice he’s ever been given is He tells me that it’s to have patience He says that he lives by that advice and is aware that he is growing plants that he will never see in flower, which I have to admit dumbfounds me I’m reminded of the proverb which talks about men planting trees whose shade they will never sit under Barry is the epitome of this Selflessly propagating and preserving a multitude of species for the next generation. Forward thinking. Forward acting. And simply adoring his life’s work.
What’s the best piece of gardening advice that Barry likes to give? He tells me that he vehemently advocates people taking on the challenge to start growing from seed and then growing on. ‘It’s the only way to overcome the cost of plants, so play the waiting game ’ , he says thoughtfully. ‘Whether it’s raising vegetables from seed, or nurturing trees, in time, you will see results ’ This ‘paradise in the forest’ is Barry’s testament to that Time is something many of us never seem to have any more, and patience, in our world of instant gratification, we probably have even less We could all learn a lesson or two if we took a leaf out of Barry Gayton’s book, and perhaps grow a tree or two along the way
Barry advocates patience and growing from seed.
The glasshouse is chockful of beautiful succulents and cacti.
An echinocereous in bloom.
Ellen Mary @ellenmarygardening
My allotment is my haven It’s not just a place where I grow food, herbs and cut flowers but a place I go to where I can be alone to clear my mind and connect with the earth After a gardening session on the allotment no matter what it might be, from weeding to mulching, sowing to harvesting I always leave feeling happy and full of inspiration and creativity
What the allotment gives me is priceless and so I give back to the space by taking care of the soil with no dig gardening, encouraging pollinators and as much wildlife as possible with biodiverse planting and allowing nature to do what nature does best - grow.
I’m very lucky to be able to have enough space to grow in my back garden, its not huge but the space is perfect for me: i have 3, 6 x1metre beds and a greenhouse but i can pack a lot in!
I work full time at a busy vet practice and it can be pretty hectic and my garden is such a tonic mentally and physically to counteract that busy day and give me that down time, it quietens my mind. To come home, away from screens, away from the noise to a quiet peaceful space really grounds me, it's a powerful remedy and one which i am hugely grateful for.
What i love about my space is having fresh food at your fingertips whenever you need it. I love connecting with nature, getting my hands in the soil, my garden is full of veggies but also stacked with flowers too, they are fabulous for companion planting and i fill all of my growing spaces with them including inside the greenhouse, i‘m very much one for bringing all those pollinators in so the more flowers the better and in turn that hopefully makes my space a healthy happy habitat
That home grown taste cant be beaten and I try to grow food all year round by sowing little and often and it means that i am pretty much self sufficuent for most of the year and i can skip buying supermarket food as much as possible There's less waste too, i can just go pick a few lettuce leaves, or a spring onion and i know that it's slow grown, it’s not travelled miles to get here, not been sprayed with chemicals and of course tastes fantastic I grow enough food for me and my family and any surplus goes to my roadside table outside my house where i have all sorts from seedings and propagated plants to home-grown veggies. It's become quite popular over the years with the local community, it gives me such a wonderful feeling knowing i have loyal customers that return time and time again.
I also save vegetable and flowers seeds from my garden for my seed subscriptions, I adore saving seeds and often have racks of drying seeds hung round the house I run a seed subscription service where subscribers receive my seeds each month at the right time to sow them It’s aimed at helping people structure their sowing so they don’t get overwhelmed and sow everything all at once I break it down and keep sowing super simple to help people grow food all year round It helps people sow little and often and it’s fun getting seeds delivered each month too!
When i do manage to sit still ( i don't do that very often ha ha ) but when i do put down the trowl and just sit well it's peaceful, the birds flit about, i love to watch the birds and feeding their young and there's the most amazing varieties of insects dotting about their own business I’ve made it a thing to sit more often, on a Sunday morning with my breakfast outside, life feels very sweet, especially with a fresh tomato picked straight from the vine.”
It's no exaggeration to say my garden allotment has been life changing Not always in the ways I expected but certainly for the better We moved back to rural Wales from Aylesbury in 2019, I was struggling with eco anxiety and finally experienced the longing for home that everyone who grows up in West Wales seems to get eventually I wanted the children to see growing food as normal and to have the skills to do it for themselves one day By some miracle we found a beautiful house with an established veg patch and an acre of woodland and we moved into our home a matter of weeks before lockdown I cannot understate how grateful I was for my garden that first year I became a childminder and am determined to pass on the joy of Growing Stuff to my little tribe of toddler garden minions. I talk continuously to anyone who'll listen about how the garden is my teacher. It has taught me the long game. It has taught me about seasons both in nature and in life. I have learned to notice with patient-ish curiosity. I have learned that things will always pass, cycles come back round and there will always be an opportunity to try again. I have learned that perfectionism is suffocating and will get me nowhere. That there is freedom and joy in 'good enough' and that the meaning of 'enough' changes from day to day I've learned my gardening style can be best described as 'chaos gardening' or 'anarchy veg', there is very little maths, science or even thinking involved I garden with my heart in the unpredictable stretches of time life with many children and a horse allows I don't do straight lines and I have an unhealthy obsession with dandelions I like to play games against myself and pick a 'Nemesis veg' for the season to see if I can beat it Last year it was parsnips, this year it's aubergines I learn a lot about whatever the chosen nemesis is even if I don't come out victorious in the end My veg patch may be messy, chaotic and often underneath the ebb and flow of tidal weeds, but it has seen me through times of grief, times of stress and a global pandemic quietly and without judgement.
Helen
The allotment for me is a place I can get lost in for hours, the fact that it’s only 10mx10m doesn’t seem to matter I’ll have just told the other half I was popping up to do a plot check and several hours later he calls me asking if I’m still up there and that nothing’s happened to me!
There’s something so soothing and hopeful about being surrounded by nature that you ’ ve helped shape and grow The mix of flowers and veg, as well as the small pond has brought so much wildlife to this little patch, opening the gate and being welcomed by buzzing and fluttering is always such a treat.
James
Hi, I am James and I love to share what I get up to on our allotment with my two children, Imogen and Oscar. This is our third year on the plot and each year it gets better and better.
We started off by using it as a place where we could just get outside as a family and mess about, but over the last couple of years it also became a place of sanctuary while having to go through an intense battle with Oscar and his leukemia
Probably one of my biggest passions down there is teaching them how to grow their own food There's nothing more rewarding than watching them harvest some homegrown produce after seeing them sow the seeds and nurture them until they are ready to eat
Children aren't always taught about growing food and where it comes from, so that's why I think it's fundamental in their early learning as it's a skill most adults seem to have lost
Over the last year I've really upped our game down at the plot, investing in a new polytunnel, two greenhouses and an irrigation system that any garden center would be proud of.
With the threat of food shortages, due to the weather and the lack of bees, in my opinion it's more important than ever to start growing your own produce, something we are trying to do in abundance. You really can't beat the taste of homegrown
Shannon
I owe a lot to my allotment, a little piece of land which has completely changed my life over the course of 6 years. Back in 2018, I was given an allotment for Christmas and I had no idea where to start. I had barely kept two trees in planters out the front of our house alive and wasn’t the biggest fan of the great outdoors. I was set to climb the career ladder and work in the corporate world forever But, 6 months into growing veg on my new plot, I was hooked Flash forward 6 years and I’ve had the most amazing experiences and opportunities from a community allotment at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2022 to launching a podcast and quitting my corporate job to start a gardening not-for-profit (The Gardeners Co CIC)
Beyond the life-changing projects along the way, the allotment has produced such a bounty of crops, including my sister's wedding flowers, hundreds of beets and potatoes and the tastiest corn there ever was It’s such a happy place whether I visit alone or with friends and family and we ’ ve made so many important memories there over the years Don’t get me wrong, the plot is A LOT of work, but the satisfaction that comes with clearing patches of weeds, harvesting your own crops that you ’ ve cared for from seed and getting creative with new ideas makes it all worthwhile. Through gardening, I’ve found a confidence I have never had before, a way to connect with my community in a meaningful way, both online and locally and a place to challenge myself and not worry when things go horribly wrong. Garden fails are all part of the fun!
Leanne
My little patch of earth was born in March 2021 with our very first starter plot. A friend had taken on a small space down the local allotments and she seemed to be having such fun. I decided to pop our names down on the waiting list. Next day I had plot number 1! Three years later we have plots 1, 2 and 3!
It has been one of the best decisions It’s not only a place to grow produce but has provided many learning experiences for myself and my children We’ve become part of a fantastic community that is so supportive It’s a space to share and nurture, welcoming all sorts of biodiversity We’ve cared for this space and in turn it’s given us opportunities to ground ourselves, providing an escape and time to reconnect with nature We’ve trailed, succeeded and many a time failed with growing our own but it’s been the best fun!
The man with no name
What I love about having my allotment is what I’ve learnt along the way Learning by doing, growing and nurturing plants from seed, working with nature and the changing seasons as much as I can. Also learning about myself in terms of putting in the hard work required to (try to!) keep on top of the never ending to-do list that goes with keeping a plot.
Most importantly it has taught me to be patient. Crops will fail, slugs will eat and sometimes you will drop that tray of seedlings that you have been nurturing for months…but all of that just goes into making your home grown allotment veg taste even better!
Young Folk Elsie’s Allotment
Our Allotment is a nice place for people to relax. If you don’t want to waste money on buying food at the shops, get an allotment to grow fruit and veggies. On my allotment we grow potatoes, carrots, apples, herbs, flowers and pumpkins! It’s a place of wonder and curiosity.
At my allotment there are beds for different things. My favourite bed is the herb bed (it always smells really nice) My favourite thing to grow is strawberries, whenever one is ripe, I take it and nibble it.
At Teehey Allotments we hold a plant swap, and everyone brings cakes. We also have a breakfast BBQ. Sometimes there are other kids there and we play together, and I bring toys.
Once, mum was in the polytunnel and a frog jumped at her and she screamed (she does it with spiders too). The first time she saw one, Dad came to get it and put it in the pond but when he opened his hands it was gone! We were all worried it had hopped off into the car park and got squished or stepped on, but it was still in the polytunnel. Mum saw it again. Dad caught it again. He said, “Oh its going mad!” and he opened his hands and it swam away. That’s all from me, bye now!
Imogen, our Young Folk Champion says:
‘Your rhubarb looks amazing Poppy and it’s so cool that you grew it from seed. We have rhubarb too so I’m definitely going to try your crumble recipe!’
By Charlotte Blackman @plants and gin
There's something very satisfying about having your own little slice of land to tend to, which doesn’t have to function as anything other than a vessel to grow things My garden at home is a social space, a sanctuary and a circus of chaos for my many animals (wanted and unwanted - I’m looking at you slugs) The allotment is none of that, but it is a place where I can quiet my mind and grow the food my family enjoys
Growing at the allotment versus at home presents a unique set of strengths and weaknesses At the plot, plants generally grow stronger and more resilient because they receive less babying from me They adapt to the conditions and become more robust. They certainly get by with far less watering! Surprisingly (or perhaps not if you ’ ve seen my instagram slug hunts) the slug population is lower at the allotment, which is a relief. But this is offset by the presence of pigeons, who love my brassicas, and rodents, who annihilated last year ’ s corn crop.
One of the biggest challenges I face at the allotment is the relentless invasion of weeds. They're a constant presence, and managing them feels like a neverending battle. The best decision I made this year was to cover one particularly weedy bed and let it rest for a season.
This not only reduced my workload but has also hopefully improved the soil health, making future planting in that bed more successful It was a simple yet effective strategy that took a lot of pressure off me
Although most allotment associations have cultivation rules about how much space is dedicated to growing food, you don’t have to grow just vegetables at an allotment, flowers can thrive there too. All my sunflowers at home were lovingly potted on in the greenhouse multiple times, only to be destroyed by slugs each time I planted them out. In a last-ditch effort, I sprinkled two packs of seeds in a patch at the allotment, and now I have a thriving sunflower patch.
Similarly, my cosmos at home is fine but not spectacular (thanks again, slugs) whereas the cosmos from the plot has just won prizes at our local garden show Because of the work I’ve put into nurturing the soil, the allotment has proven to be a fertile ground for both vegetables and beautiful flowers, adding to its charm!
Despite the hard work and the challenges, I love my allotment Initially, it was overwhelming, with a mountain of work needed I struggled to see past the endless jobs and found it hard to actually enjoy the plot However, I’ve been challenging that mindset, focusing more on the joys of gardening and less on the chores This shift has allowed me to have more fun and appreciate the beauty of my little piece of nature with its gorgeous view of Canterbury Cathedral It's a labour of love that rewards me with fresh produce, a sense of accomplishment, and a connection to the earth. Whether I'm battling weeds, fighting pests, or harvesting the fruits of my labour, I really enjoy the allotment life. It's hard work, but it's worth every bit of effort - could someone remind me of that next time I go down for a weeding session?
By Laura Whiskens @lottieonthehill
Hori Hori Knife
Every allotment owner needs a Hori Hori knife They are the perfect tool for cutting, weeding, planting and they even have their own measuring guide Japeto Tools - £32 95
The allotment can be a weedy place and if the brambles have invaded your plot you are going to want a good sturdy glove for the job Marshalls Garden - £15.99
Holiday Gardening
Anjee’s Top Tips for keeping your plants alive and thriving while you are away.
Heading off on holiday at this time of year can be a nail biting experience for the gardener can’t it? Will it rain and will the people I have doing the watering do it right? Will the courgettes become marrows? Will everything have been eaten by various bugs and beasties by the time I get home or will the weeds have completely taken over jungle style?
Here’s how I get my allotment holiday ready:
Harvest everything that is ready and preserve what you can’t eat or give away. Do a thorough weeding of the whole plot/garden. Chop back everything that has gone feral (comfrey, hedges etc)
Pot on any seedlings currently in teeny pots so they don’t dry out so easily and put the pots on capillary matting in trays to hold the water for longer (folded tea-towels do the job if you don’t have the special matting).
Add netting to any plants such as soft fruits or brassicas that might come under insect or bird attack. Feed everything with a homemade or seaweed feed ( I use @shropshireseaweed. You can get a 10% discount by using the code ANJEE at checkout).
Tie in anything in that looks like it even might go floppy or blow over.
Thoroughly water everything!
Then it’s just a case of crossing everything and hoping your neighbour/ the rain does a great job of watering your plant babies while you ’ re away!
After the success of ‘The Apothecary’ from last year ’ s RHS Tatton Flower Show, I returned as an award winning designer, to showcase the wonderful world of orchids.
The Orchid Garden showcased native British orchids from the Dactylorhiza family such as Fuchii, Majalis and Maculata but also referenced the more exotic species, specifically from Colombia, like Odontoglossum and Epidendrum
I am The British ambassador for ‘Protect the Andes’. The garden uses orchids to demonstrate the sensitivities of flora and fauna when deforestation is apparent and the global biodiversity crisis hits home. I have spent extensive time on expeditions in the Cocora Valley in Colombia supporting ‘Protect the Andes’. In the cloud forests I have spent time recording and analysing the rare flora and fauna, helping to inform academic reports to help conserve areas of the wild Rewilding being the intention to help all species, including orchids, to thrive
By
The garden itself sat within a dry-stone wall and included a drystone based greenhouse to house the orchids from Colombia. Orchids from the tropics often grow in deep shade, in this case, within the cloud forests of the Andes, and so there was the ability to use magnetic blinds to create the right conditions.
The dry-stone walling is something that runs close to my heart as a resident of the Peak District and having grown up in the Lake District, so it was important to showcase local craftsmanship.
Orchids are often the first plant to respond to climate change and the human impact on the environment and are indeed rare here and becoming endangered in South America and Europe.
Thomas Cave Saunders @skylarkgd
The exotic orchids were displayed not only in the greenhouse but also outside in pots dotted around the garden – it was good for the plants to have some fresh air and also gave the garden a different dimension of styling and colour
As well as the orchids, the garden had dense planting of wildflowers, used as ornamentals within the borders. A drystone spiral border was specifically enhanced using the native orchids and wildflowers.
We wanted visitors to the show to see what can be achieved within a small space – seating areas, sculpture, dense borders and greenhouse all within a small, typical terraced house garden/yard space We even managed to include bog orchids within a bog garden set within shade near a muti stem hawthorn tree
As was referenced about ‘The Orchid Garden’ during the filming of Gardeners World, with climate change apparent, going back to these wildflowers and using them in gardens, from orchids to mallows and verbascums, we need to plant our gardens in this more sustainable way. I hope this garden helped to inspire people to consider sustainability (and orchids) in their own gardens
The weather so far this year has been incredibly challenging as a flower farmer so I’m pinning my hopes on August for the summer of my dreams! No pressure! But whatever the weather is doing outside, it doesn’t take away from the fact that the jobs still tick on just as they would any other year!
August for me is time to get sowing those Hardy Annuals I like to get the Hardy Annuals started early so I can split my workload over August and September. Plus, the real trick to getting Hardy Annuals right is to get a good root system established before the cold really sets in.
Here is a little timeline of my Hardy Annuals journey…
August – First Sowings
September – Second Sowings/Potting On
October – Planting Out
Anything big enough will be planted out in October ready to get itself established in the soil before the temps and light really drop This is when your plants will have a bit of a rest before they put on more growth during spring Don’t worry about any frost – hardy annuals laugh in the face of such things!
By Jen Howarth @life on the lot
Corncockle
Calendula Salvia Poppies Cornflowers
Ammi Majus Nigella Orlaya
Gardening in August can be a real joy as so many plants are at their peak and harvest are plentiful. Be sure to enjoy soaking it all in but also tend to plants that may be needing some TLC by now and start to look a ahead to the months to come
Things to sow
Flowers
Calendula
Cornflowers
Poppies
Hollyhocks
Californian Poppies
Lavender
Larkspur
August is a month of nurturing- both us tending to the plants we have grown and the garden rewarding us with bountiful harvests and abundant blooms
Tie in and support floppy plants.
Edibles
Oriental Greens Lettuce Soinach Turnips
Kohl rabi Chicory
Come and join the @gardenfolkmag team for live garden updates throughout the month over on Instagram.
Explore how to create a garden bursting with colour and harvests with Sarah and her guests including regular features from Arthur Parkinson
Feed plants in pots for a boost
.
Harvest those courgettes regularly before they turn into marrows!
Prune back spent flowering plants.
Stop harvesting rhubarb and let the plants rest.
Remember to water and feed tomatoes little and often for the best chance of great harvests. Preserve. preserve, preserve to enjoy those hard won harvests in the months to come
Smell the flowers.
Prune plum trees and trained apples and pears.
Leave seed heads to form for future food for the birds
Sow hardy annuals and biennials
Cut back summer fruiting raspberries.
It has to be peas fo raspberries for fru nasturtiums for flo @starof 72
Peas and French be hardly ever make it b house ���� @amys allotment a
Peas! @sophs.mae.garden
Has to be tomatoes or for me @strawbs allotme
This month we asked you:
“What is your favourite garden snack?”
Tomatoes, peas, strawberries - 3 cos I cant pick just one! @donnas lottie diaries
s favourite snack are es. I think I've lost half est to her She pinches m off the trug ���� y.allotment.escape
picked peas, cherry raspberries… it’s too ard to choose! @staceygrows
beat fleshly picked peas rom the pod! @lottieonthehill
More raspberries go in my mouth than in the collecting tub �� @a falling of fingers
Oooh it’s gotta be homemade warm no kneed sourdough bread with tomato leaf pesto topped with one of my favourite tomatoes, Brads Atomic Grape @karenogrows
Next month we want to know: “ How do you preserve the harvest?” Send us a message on Instagram or email us your answers to info@gardenfolkmag.com
@soulblueprinted @aprils allotment
and gin
@staceygrows
grows stuff
accidental gardener @flowers food garden
bloomingplot
@volkstuin familie
thequietplace
Summer Photography Challenge
Do you enjoying taking snaps of your garden and the natural world almost as much as you enjoy being in it?
This Summer, Garden folk Mag has just the competition for you! Over the past few issues we ’ ve been bringing you expert photography tips from Tayla Mac With all her tips and tricks in mind, we’d love you to share some of your summer gardening highlights with us and really show off your beautiful pics! There is a little prize bundle on offer for the winner of each category too
Nature’s Magic
Fantastic Floral
TO ENTER: You can enter via social media by tagging @gardenfolkmag and the judge of the category you wish to enter while also using the hashtag #GardenFolkSummer.
Those entering via Facebook please make sure you tag the Garden Folk Mag Page so we can find your post. You can also enter via email just send us your image and let us know which category you would like to enter.
The competition will run from 6th July to 5th September. You can enter as many categories as you like, as many times as you like!
Bountiful Harvest
This category, judged by our photography contributor Tay ,will be looking for images which show off the true beauty of nature in your growing space. We are looking for simple photos which have an animal focus. This could be a bee on a flower or bats flying at night. Showcase the power of gardening and how we can live alongside animals in harmony
Fantastic florals will be judged by the wonderful Luke @man about gardening who will use his love of all things floral to assess your floriferous entries. It is all about the flowers and showing off what you have grown this year. They could be arranged in a vase or just simply an image of a flower you love the most
This category is all about the food you have grown and will be judged by the wonderful and very experienced Steve @snewland97. He’ll be looking for your best and most favourite summer harvest, be that vegetables, fruit, herbs or edible flowers. We want to see a jam packed basket full of deliciousness
...and help us keep making the Garden Folk Mag
We appreciate all the support given to the magazine by all the Garden Folkour readers, writers, industry supporters and anyone else who cheers us on Running the magazine each month does incur financial costs though, so if you are able to contribute, either with a one off payment or by becoming a member, it would really help to keep the magazine going... and growing.
There are currently three membership tiers to choose from, all with great benefits
