Gather Your Tools: Before you start, gather the necessary tools for weeding. Common tools include a garden hoe, hand trowel or fork, gloves, and a bucket or wheelbarrow for collecting weeds.
Choose the Right Time: It’s best to weed when the soil is slightly moist but not overly wet. Weeding after rainfall or watering can make it easier to remove weeds, as the soil will be softer and less compacted.
Identify Weeds: Take some time to identify the weeds growing in your bed. Some weeds may have shallow roots and can be easily pulled by hand, while others may have deeper roots and require more effort to remove.
Start Weeding: Begin by removing weeds from the edges of the bed and work your way inward. Use a hand trowel or fork to loosen the soil around the base of the weeds, making it easier to pull them out without disturbing nearby plants.
Pull Weeds: Grasp the base of each weed firmly and pull it out from the soil, ensuring you remove the entire root system. Be careful not to damage nearby plants or seedlings while weeding.
Use a Hoe: For larger areas or densely populated weed patches, use a garden hoe to cut weeds at the soil surface. Push the hoe back and forth just below the soil surface to sever weed roots from their base. This method is particularly effective for annual weeds.
Dispose of Weeds: Collect pulled weeds in a bucket, wheelbarrow, or compost bin for disposal. Avoid leaving weeds on the soil surface, as they can re-root and continue growing.
Monitor Regularly: Keep an eye on your allotment beds and monitor for new weed growth regularly. It’s easier to remove weeds when they are small and before they have a chance to become established.
Mulch Beds: After weeding, consider applying a layer of organic mulch, such as straw, wood chips, or compost, to the bed. Mulch helps suppress weed growth, retain soil moisture, and improve soil structure over time.
Preventive Measures: To minimize future weed growth, practice good garden hygiene by keeping pathways clear, rotating crops, and avoiding soil compaction. Consider using landscape fabric or cardboard mulch to smother weeds in areas where you don’t plan to plant.
By following these steps and staying proactive with weed management, you can maintain healthy and productive allotment beds throughout the growing season.
Cleaning a greenhouse is an essential task to maintain a healthy growing environment for plants. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to clean a greenhouse effectively:
1. **Remove Plants and Debris**: Start by removing all plants, pots, tools, and any other items from the greenhouse. This allows you to clean every surface thoroughly without obstruction.
2. **Sweep or Vacuum**: Use a broom or vacuum cleaner to remove loose dirt, debris, and cobwebs from the floors, benches, and walls. Pay attention to corners and crevices where dirt tends to accumulate.
3. **Wash Surfaces**: Mix a solution of mild soap or detergent with water in a bucket. Use a sponge or cloth soaked in the soapy water to wash all surfaces, including glass, plastic, metal, and wood. Pay particular attention to areas with visible dirt, algae, or mold.
4. **Disinfect**: After washing, disinfect surfaces to kill any remaining pathogens, pests, or fungal spores. You can use a commercial greenhouse disinfectant or make your own using a solution of diluted bleach (1 part bleach to 9 parts water). Apply the disinfectant with a spray bottle or sponge, ensuring thorough coverage. Allow the disinfectant to sit for the recommended contact time before rinsing with clean water.
5. **Clean Windows and Glazing**: Clean the greenhouse windows and glazing both inside and outside to allow maximum sunlight penetration. Use a glass cleaner or a solution of vinegar and water for a streak-free finish. For hard-to-reach areas, consider using a long-handled squeegee or a pressure washer (if appropriate for your greenhouse structure).
6. **Inspect and Repair**: While cleaning, inspect the greenhouse structure for any damage or wear and tear. Check for broken glass panes, damaged seals, leaks, or loose hardware. Repair or replace any damaged parts to ensure the greenhouse remains structurally sound and weather-tight.
7. **Clean Equipment and Tools**: Clean and disinfect all gardening tools, pots, trays, and other equipment before returning them to the greenhouse. This helps prevent the spread of pests and diseases between plants.
8. **Ventilation and Air Circulation**: Ensure that ventilation systems, louvers, and fans are clean and in good working order. Clean air vents and ensure they open and close properly to maintain proper airflow and prevent overheating.
9. **Replace Growing Medium**: If necessary, replace or top up the growing medium in planting beds or containers to refresh nutrients and improve soil structure.
10. **Preventive Maintenance**: Develop a regular cleaning schedule to keep the greenhouse clean and well-maintained throughout the growing season. Regularly remove weeds, monitor for pests and diseases, and address any issues promptly to prevent problems from escalating.
By following these steps and maintaining a clean greenhouse environment, you can create an optimal growing space for your plants and promote healthy growth and productivity.
Carrots can sometimes be challenging to grow due to several reasons:
1. **Soil Conditions**: Carrots prefer loose, well-drained soil. Heavy or compacted soil can cause the roots to become stunted or forked.
2. **Thinning**: Proper spacing is crucial for carrot growth. If carrots are not thinned out appropriately after germination, they may become overcrowded, resulting in smaller or misshapen roots.
3. **Pests and Diseases**: Carrots can be susceptible to pests like carrot rust fly larvae and diseases such as carrot root rot. These can damage the roots and reduce yield.
4. **Weed Competition**: Weeds compete with carrots for nutrients, water, and sunlight. If weeds are not adequately controlled, they can inhibit carrot growth.
5. **Inconsistent Watering**: Carrots require consistent moisture to develop properly. Irregular watering can lead to issues like cracked or split roots.
To improve carrot growth, gardeners can take several steps:
1. **Prepare the Soil**: Before planting, ensure the soil is loose, well-drained, and free of rocks and debris. Adding compost or well-rotted manure can improve soil structure and fertility.
2. **Thinning**: Thin out carrot seedlings to the recommended spacing once they’ve reached a few inches in height. This allows each carrot to have enough space to develop properly.
3. **Pest and Disease Management**: Monitor for pests and diseases regularly. Use organic pest control methods when possible, such as row covers to protect against carrot rust flies. Practice crop rotation to reduce the buildup of diseases in the soil.
4. **Weed Control**: Keep the area around carrot plants weed-free through mulching or hand weeding. This reduces competition for resources and promotes healthier carrot growth.
5. **Watering**: Water carrots consistently, aiming to keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to water deeply and avoid wetting the foliage, which can increase the risk of diseases.
6. **Variety Selection**: Choose carrot varieties that are well-suited to your growing conditions and desired characteristics. Some varieties are more tolerant of specific soil types or environmental conditions.
7. **Succession Planting**: Plant carrots in successive batches every few weeks to ensure a continuous harvest and reduce the risk of pest and disease pressure affecting the entire crop at once.
By addressing these factors and providing proper care, gardeners can improve their chances of successfully growing carrots.
Soil preparation is probably the most important point!
I get contacted as the allotment site secretary about allotments. People ask in all sorts of different ways for an allotment plot. Some of them have an idea there might be a long wait, or a list and some expect – or even demand – to be allocated a plot instantly.
I ask them where they live and then share with them a map of the allotments in our borough, pointing out ones they will literally drive past to get to our site. I always suggest they apply to those closest to where they live but make it clear they are welcome to visit our site and go on our waiting list.
The visit to our allotment is a great tool to help weed out the allotment-unready. People who don’t want to pop down and have a look are not keen. I can’t imagine turning down a visit to an allotment site and have been known to spend holidays peering through fences and over walls at allotment sites to see what happens in other parts of the country.
I keep the details in a spreadsheet so I can contact them when they reach the top of the list. Sadly, getting to the top of the list takes time and often by the time I contact them their circumstances have changed or the desire for an allotment has gone off. Sometimes I wonder if that’s because it’s a rainy day and if I waited until the sun was shining, they’d be full of enthusiasm for the great outdoors again.
We get contacts from all over the borough. Some people live 6 or 7 miles away and still think it’s feasible to put their name on our list.
The reality is that driving 7 miles here and 7 miles home to water your tomatoes is actually both time consuming and expensive in terms of fuel costs. Google Directions tells me exactly how long it’ll take and where the traffic jams are.
One of the problems where we live is we’re at the low end of the county and many people higher up will experience different weather and not bother coming to our allotment site even though the sun will be out and it’ll be a couple of degrees warmer down here.
I try to discourage people from committing to long journeys not just because of the weather differences but because of traffic. I have had one lady bring the key back on her second visit after the traffic jam took her 40 minutes to get here. Another person visited once in two months and didn’t get past their probationary period. It’s not always the distance. Sometimes it’s just not the right time for people to take on an allotment. I’m always happy to skip over someone if the time isn’t right – and come back to them when another plot comes up. But I need to know.
I refresh this data list annually to check I have people’s correct details still, that they’ve not moved and that they’re still interested in an allotment here. This is the interesting bit.
I phrase the words carefully to elicit a reply. Those people who reply quickly are eager and desperate for an allotment. I know they’ll respond quickly when I actually have a plot for them to come and view.
Sometimes people will have found an alternative site. Sometimes people don’t reply to my email to tell me – and I’m forced into a position where I’m almost harassing people to get a response from them.
I once had someone come back to me 20 weeks after I’d sent him messages asking if he was interested in an allotment. He was keen but again failed to respond to any messages when it was his turn for a plot.
And then there’s the stickiest conundrum of just how persistent should I be in chasing people when they’re at the top of the list? A phone call, email and a text over a couple of days should be sufficient. Very few people go completely off grid for any length of time these days.
I once left it ten days and several messages – only getting an answer service, so I assumed they were on holiday and had left the phones at home. But no, it turned out they just didn’t want an allotment any more and responding to a text with a simple no thanks for just too much.
I get that most people don’t answer the phone to unknown callers and my number will show up in most people’s phones as just a number. But it’s just plain rude and frustrating when people don’t respond to emails, texts or calls.
And yes, you could probably guess from my rant, I have a plot to let and have made contact three times with someone and they’ve not responded. The next person on the list has also had their data check email and hasn’t responded to that.
Spring has sprung and the weeds are growing every day – let me let this plot soon. I know it’s not an emergency to get someone on the plot but every day that does past is a day someone isn’t starting to sow seeds for spring.
Composting: The process of turning organic waste, such as food scraps and yard trimmings, into nutrient-rich soil through decomposition.
Recycling: The practice of processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful resources.
Organic materials: Substances that are derived from living organisms and are biodegradable, such as leaves, fruit and vegetable peels, and coffee grounds.
How can you get good compost?
1. **Start with the Right Ingredients**: Begin your compost heap with a balanced mix of green (nitrogen-rich) and brown (carbon-rich) materials. Green materials include fruit and vegetable scraps, grass clippings, and coffee grounds, while brown materials include dry leaves, straw, and shredded cardboard.
Some people stockpile materials separately until they have enough to make a good pile. A well built pile will generate heat more quickly, but if you’re going to be waiting a long time to get lots of materials then just pile things in as you go. In the middle of summer you can add grass cuttings regularly along with other materials from the browns pile. Too much grass at a time goes slimey!
2. **Layering Technique**: Alternate layers of green and brown materials to create a well-balanced compost pile. Aim for a ratio of roughly 3 parts brown to 1 part green.
3. **Aeration is Key**: Ensure good airflow within the compost heap by turning it regularly. This aerates the pile and helps accelerate the decomposition process. Use a pitchfork or compost aerator to turn the pile every couple of weeks.
4. **Moisture Control**: Keep the compost heap moist, like a wrung-out sponge. If it’s too dry, decomposition slows down, and if it’s too wet, it can become anaerobic and smelly. Water the pile occasionally, especially during dry spells, but avoid overwatering.
5. **Size Matters**: Aim for a compost heap that’s at least 3 feet tall and wide. A larger pile retains heat better, which speeds up decomposition. However, make sure it’s manageable and doesn’t become too large to turn.
6. **Addition of Activators**: Consider adding compost activators like manure, compost starter, or finished compost from a previous batch. These introduce beneficial microorganisms that speed up decomposition.
Geoff Hamilton used to swear by homemade compost accelerator delivered directly to the heap.
7. **Patience is a Virtue**: Composting is a natural process that takes time. Depending on various factors such as temperature, moisture, and the mix of materials, it can take anywhere from a few months to a year for compost to mature. Be patient and consistent with maintenance.
8. **Covering the Pile**: Covering the compost heap with a tarp or a layer of straw helps retain moisture and heat, especially during colder months. This encourages microbial activity and speeds up decomposition.
9. **Avoid Certain Materials**: Avoid adding meat, dairy, or oily foods to your compost heap, as they can attract pests and create unpleasant odors. Similarly, avoid adding diseased plants or weeds that have gone to seed to prevent spreading pests and diseases.
10. **Use Compost Wisely**: Once your compost is ready, use it to enrich the soil in your allotment. Mix it into planting beds or use it as mulch around plants to improve soil structure, fertility, and moisture retention.
If your compost is not really fine then it will still make a wonderful mulch! The worms will thank you for it!
An outstanding cordon cherry tomato for glasshouse or outdoor culture. Tomato ‘Sungold’ has an exceptionally high sugar content, which easily rivals ‘Gardeners Delight’, making its attractive, golden-orange fruit irresistibly sweet and juicy. The high yields of delicious thin-skinned fruit (each approximately 13g) are ideal for salads or as a tasty snack. This popular variety also has good resistance to tobacco mosaic virus and fusarium wilt. A hardy nature ensures this vigorous performer will crop well into winter in a cool greenhouse. Height: 200cm (79″). Spread: 50cm (20″).
These are my favourite cherry tomatoes to grow. They ripen quickly and produce huge amounts of fruit, You need to pick regularly though else they’ll over ripen and split – but they are so delicious you’ll be happy to put the time in every day to collect the ripe ones!
Utterly lovely fresh and can be roasted too for sauces.
It’s the end of March today, so I’m looking ahead to tomorrow!
The clocks have gone forward, so it’s lighter later which is always a bonus for anyone who works!
April is the month when hopefully the weather turns from constant rain to warm and sunny. The ground is saturated and we don’t need more rain to add to the problem.
Some better temperatures would be good too, although you’ll note the weeds are growing already.
Weeding now is easier as the soil is damp and the weeds are coming out fairly intact. You do need to give them a proper shake else you end up composting half the garden! If the soil was dryer you could hoe, but when the soil is damp I find weeds are as likely to reroot where you leave them. If it’s warm and dry the weeds you hoe off dry.
I’ve not used a solar wax extractor but we have one built ready, but we need replacement glass for the top as this got broken.
I’ve just watched this excellent video that offers some great hints on how to maximise the wax you get out of brood frames. It’s often said you don’t get much wax from brood combs, but this video explains how you might ensure you get more.
Quite a short video but well worth while watching.
