A blog about creating a homestead with gardening and home crafts.
Time to read 2 mins We use a lot of herbs in our cooking and drinks. To save space in the greenhouse and the garden, I use this vertical herb planter (Amazon affiliate link which means I receive a small percentage of any items purchased through my link). It attaches to any wall and can... Continue Reading →
I detail here how I save money when I fill my raised beds, but I also grow things like fruit trees and potatoes in large 50l containers and if you have a few of those, buying in bags of compost or potting mixes can get really expensive. Here are some different ways to fill your containers economically and still keep your plants healthy and get maximum yield.
I found out about a new, UK-based company Wool Pots through Instagram and did some research. As a gardener, and knitter who works almost exclusively with wool, I was immediately drawn to the idea of also using wool in the garden.
The potager, kitchen garden, or even the veggie patch is finally ready to receive some of the first set of vegetables that were started at various times in the greenhouse, since February. Preparing the beds In my previous videos Step 1 and Step 2, I detail how I prepare the patch from last year and... Continue Reading →
I like to have a few dahlias in pots around my veggie patch as they are great as cut flowers, are a tortoise favourite and are great for wildlife, especially amphibians. There are 3 gardens surrounding us that have ponds. Amphibians such as frogs however, seem to seek refuge in my garden in one of... Continue Reading →
Mint is a useful household staple. Is has strong, robust roots which can get a little invasive so is best grown in its own pot rather than in the ground or in beds with other plants. In this video, I divide and repot my mint plants. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8_v2jdmtt0
Time to read 6 minutes The basic No Dig Gardening Method is a method of gardening I can definitely get behind. Pioneered by British gardener Charles Dowding for 40 years, it is a regenerative gardening method that is efficient, accessible and low maintenance once you get the basic principles right. What is No Dig? The... Continue Reading →
I have been growing lemon, limes and oranges in my greenhouse in the UK (USDA hardiness zone 9a) for a few years now. If you have the right set up, you can have highly productive citrus trees that produce fruit all year round. Here are some of my care tips. Lemon and lime trees Purchase... Continue Reading →
Time to read 2 minutes So we had some garlic in the pantry which had started to sprout- the organic kind naturally tend to do that in Spring. So rather than rush to use them up, compromising the taste - garlic tends to lose flavour once they begin to sprout, I decided to plant them.... Continue Reading →
When I lived in Spain, my husband and I attended a Spanish cooking class. The chef told us something that really piqued my interest in saffron. He said that saffron is the most valuable- and expensive spice in the world. I went home and investigated and found it to be true. What is saffron and... Continue Reading →
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