So there I was feeling all smug about having a real patch of actual grass that worms could tunnel underneath, that GarlicBoy could feel between his toes, that I could feel good about. And then I cut the grass a couple of times and came to the conclusion that I couldn’t ignore it any more. […]
Read MoreSo having sowed some more carrots to spread the harvest a little and divided up the last of my shadier raised beds, it occurred to me that I should fill the gaps and plant the last of the square foot plots I’ve marked out. I have chosen two of my favourite winter vegetables, parsnips and […]
Read MoreThe garden decked out in Easter colours ready for an egg hunt This is obviously enormously after the fact, but I was thinking the other day about all of the ways in which our garden makes us as a family happy. And one of the ways has to be how we basically use it as […]
Read MoreWay back in the mists of time (2014), I planted up my then brand new raised beds for the first time with a wide variety of expensive plants, all of which were doomed to die and be replaced within two years. All, except my Marjorie’s seedling plum tree. Since then I have loved it, I […]
Read MoreCarrots have an inherent flaw in their space requirements. Yes, you can plant teeny “Paris market” spherical carrots, but if you want normal long rooted carrots the planting directions generally require about 30cm between the rows. So if, like me, you have a tiny urban garden with a paltry four raised beds, what are you […]
Read MorePlanting out seedlings, as long as they’re relatively robust, is something that even young children can get involved in. At two years old GarlicBoy already loves raking the soil smooth and watering it with his little watering can before using a dibbler to make holes and gently lower the seedlings inside and coving them with […]
Read MoreSetting everything out before we starts ensures the two year old is interested I always feel so brutal when I have to thin out seedlings and I really have to force myself to do it. I spur myself on with memories of the Great Garlic Failure of 2015 and try to remind myself that life […]
Read MoreI wonder if I’m being a bit too ambitious with all of the unusual plants that I’m taking on this year? First the hanging raspberry (which has admittedly keeled over as promised but has yet to produce any fruiting fronds), and now this, a climbing strawberry. I’m trying the perennial “Mount Everest” climbing strawberry plant. […]
Read MoreWhen gardening with a toddler you’ve got to consider various factors that maybe wouldn’t apply were you just trying to grow edible food for adults. You have to consider planting as much variety as you can, planting things that all look very different so that he learns to harvest various different crops, and also what […]
Read MoreA while ago, toddler GarlicBoy and I sowed some carrot and beetroot seeds in one of our shadier raised beds. I have to admit, I have been seriously worried about them. I had to cover the seeds with a cloche tunnel because the cats kept lying on the raised bed but I think that stopped […]
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London to Land Girl 