Welcome to a new giveaway, courtesy of Greenhouse Sensations. I'm giving away a brilliant Quadgrow Planter worth £42.90, which is perfect for taking the hassle out of plant watering. If you grow plants in a greenhouse of any size, you'll be familiar with the task of regular watering. I've had a greenhouse on my allotment for a couple of years now, and I've learned the hard way that it only takes a day or two to create drought conditions in ...
1. A grow-your-own photographic diary with Baby Bio Outdoor
Do you grow any fruit and vegetables? If the answer is 'yes' and you're anything like me, you've probably had varying levels of success with some crops, either because of weather conditions, pests, or just not knowing what you were doing!I've had my allotment for a few years now, and like any new venture it's been a real learning curve. I think the biggest lesson I've learned is that you can't just put a plant into the ground, and expect it ...
Savings on grow your own with grow2eat.com
If you grow your own fruit and vegetables you’ll already be saving lots of money compared to buying the same crops from a shop - as well as enjoying much fresher, tastier produce. I’ve recently discovered you can also find lots of savings and special offers on grow your own at grow2eat.com.Whether you’re a member of an allotment association or gardening club, or just an individual who loves to grow their own food, you can join the grow2eat ...
An unruly Summer allotment
It's been a while since I shared any pictures of our allotment. This hasn't been deliberate, I just haven't got myself organised!I feel like I've been behind the whole way with the allotment this year. Last year I had the plot rotavated in early Spring, which meant I was good to go with the planting nice and early. This year however there's a greenhouse slap bang in the middle of the plot, a few raised beds and some permanent fruit canes, ...
The oldest allotments in Britain
I bet the word ‘allotment’ conjures up an image in your mind something like this: a small-ish site, plots laid out in rectangles, each one completely visible, lots of sheds, greenhouses and compost bins. St Anns Allotments are nothing like this.St Anns allotments are the oldest detached town gardens in Britain, possibly the world; it’s history goes back over 600 years. The Grade 2 listed site is huge - 75 acres with 700 plots. 550 ...
Review: Ego Power+ Cordless String Trimmer
Even if you're not battling hay fever at this time of year, grass can pose something of a challenge. Lawns seem to be growing before your eyes, creating a need for frequent mowing, and those hard-to-reach areas can quickly get out of hand. This is where garden strimmers come into their own, making a tricky job so much easier and neater.This week I’ve been testing a strimmer which boasts the latest technology on the garden tools market - the ...
Digging, Sowing, Dodging the Rain
This week the reinforcements arrived at the allotment, and I don't mean Lily with her tiny trowel - dad arrived with his big spade!Gardening and my dad have gone together for as long as I can remember. He had an allotment when I was little and still has a vegetable plot in his immaculate garden. I love it when he comes down to give me a hand at the allotment, I always learn loads and it’s great to spend some time gardening peacefully side ...
How Does Your Community Garden Grow?
This week we’ve been exploring the Arkwright Meadows Community Garden in Nottingham. Situated very close to the city centre, this previously unloved playing field has been completely transformed into a fabulous outdoor space that the local community now cherish. My kids love to come here because there’s lots to explore and they like comparing the crops with our own at the allotment.Here it really is all about bringing local ...
The planting begins…
My seed order arrived this week. Do you think I’ve overdone it a little?!In my defence I fully intend to plant everything I’ve ordered, but I can already tell we’re going to struggle to find room for everything. It’s the same every year, I always end up juggling what goes where - you’d think I’d learn but apparently not! I’d rather this than not have enough plants though, I can’t handle the idea of big patches of ground that aren’t ...
Help! We’ve Got An Allotment
Getting that phone call or email telling you that you’ve reached the top of the allotment waiting list can be a bit of a surprise. If you’re anything like me, you’ll have put your name down ages ago, been warned it could be a few years before you hear anything, then promptly got on with raising a young family and almost forgot all about it. Then comes the call or email and before you know it, you’re being shown your new plot and quizzed on what ...