Organic gardeners are always trying to work in harmony with nature, continually looking to conserve the nutrients in the earth and replenishing those that have been used as our plants grow. In earlier times, all gardening and agriculture was essentially organic as there were no artificial chemical fertilizers easily or widely available. This began to change in the mid 1800’s… Read more »
My poor little daughter has been home sick from school, recovering from a nasty case of the flu. Don’t you love it when people you know, when hearing of a person suffering from such an illness, instantly say, “yes, there is something going around, isn’t there?” Well if that was ever true, it certainly wasn’t on this occasion. My unfortunate… Read more »
Of Cabbages and Corn Husks – We Dip Into the Mail Bag Question for your blog: It looks as if I have been infested with cabbage rootfly maggots. The only good thing is that this is contained to three large planters. Can I use that soil again for next year, or should I bin it? Timothy, Devon, UK Yes and… Read more »
September is the month to sow green manures. Novice gardeners might think they need to head down to a local farm and kindly ask the farmer if he has fed the cows lately, but this is not exactly what green manures are. Green manures are cover crops that become part of the soil– plants grown off-season and tilled in to… Read more »
I had a lovely luncheon with a dear friend of my mother’s just this past weekend in Earl’s Court. Our friend gave up her large home years ago after the death of her husband and moved back into the heart of London, which some might say is the reverse of what you are meant to do when retired. I suppose… Read more »
Soon it will be time to think about mulching. As you indeed are aware, mulch will: • Reduce soil moisture evaporation • Suppress weeds and prevent weed germination • Insulate soil from extreme temperature changes • Reduce soil erosion and compaction • Gradually decompose, adding valuable organic material to the soil • Make your garden more attractive A reader contacted… Read more »
Is it hot where you are? Dear readers, it has been pleasant if not changeable here in England for the last few weeks, but August always has a mind of its own. My prediction is heat, and a lot of it, in the coming weeks, so, let’s prepare! Mid-August through early September is the time to plant fall greens and… Read more »
Dear Top Gardening Friends Quite naturally, when you first start your organic garden, you will want to see results as quickly as possible, and as easily as possible as well. So, once you have worked with your soil to make sure that it is in prime condition to start growing, I have listed a few different types of vegetables that… Read more »
So here are some suggestions for you: In cooking – an obvious place to start: Basil, Chives, Mint, Rosemary, Tarragon, Chervil, Marjoram, Thyme, Fennel, Coriander, Bay and Rockett – are all wonderful additions to a wide variety of dishes. My absolute favourite is Coriander which I find excuses to use frequently In making Pot Pourri Bergamot, Camomile Flowers, Rosemary, Lavender… Read more »
Dear Top Gardening Friends My last post talked about creating a cottage garden, which can include a range of herbs. Many of us will grow herbs for their culinary use, however they can be grown for pot-pourri, medicinal or even ornamental reasons.If you have children and a small space in the garden, then encourage them to plant and look after… Read more »