A blog about creating a homestead with gardening and home crafts.
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.
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 →
Following on from Step 1 in preparing the beds for spring, here is a quick summary and video showing what I did to set up the second phase of preparation.
Time to read 10 mins I review some commonly found peat-free multi-purpose composts and give you the scoop on some other peat/free alternatives below. What is Peat? Peat is an unsustainable growing medium that has provided the base of commercially supplied garden composts (soil) in the UK for decades. It is mostly made up of... Continue Reading →
The veg bed hasn't been touched since my last harvesting of mange tout and French beans in November. With No Dig, there isn't much to do until the beds are ready to receive their first seeds and seedlings, but feels good to make a start.
Time to read 9 minutes As we near to winter's close, it is the perfect time to reflect on what worked well in the garden and what needs improvement as we look towards this year’s growing season. At the end of January in USDA Plant Hardiness zone of 9a, UK, and before the garden wakes... Continue Reading →
Time to read 9 minutes Gardening brings so much value and joy so it would be a mistake to believe you need a large garden and full sun to be able to do so effectively. I currently live in USDA Zone 9a and while I don't have a lot of vegetable growing space, my garden... Continue Reading →
All Homesteading 