First organic garlic

After all thats gone on in my life and subsequently effecting the garden, I am very proud of this garlic. The other reason is that I try every year to grow garlic and it never produces anything, so it may be due to the fact that I have always tried to grow it from supermarket bought garlic, where as this season I ordered organic bulbs. I think that there must be some manipulation going on in the garlic from the supermarket, all the reason to go organic!

It’s not all quite ready at the moment but if the rest is as good as these then I’m on a winner. It’s a great crop for a small space as you can plant quite a lot which will keep you in garlic for ages, well unless you get a lot of vampires where you live.

when is it going to rain ?

Now coming from an english man it may seem that I’ve lost my mind. I’m not complaining the weather for the last few weeks has been amazing but the gardener in me is getting impatient. I have not been keeping a record but I know that it has not rained here in nearly 20 days as thats when I fixed the water butts so they are still sitting empty. I would also go as far as saying that it hasn’t rained for three weeks.

I’m not saying that this is a sign of global warming I’m just sick of having to use the tap to collect water for the plants and seedlings. The dry weather also means that I’m having to water the rest of the garden aswell causing me to use even more water than normal.

It does make me think about how we would cope if we relied on the rain for all our water or even just for crops without the tap I would have nothing left by now.

If it rains tomorrow don’t blame me for moaning about it and knowing my luck it will rain for the next three weeks non-stop, sorry.

april’s permaculture veg patch

What with coming back from Bulgaria and having my wisdom teeth out this years growing season has been a little behind but I’m almost back on track now. I managed to drag my puffy face down to my mothers and get some seeds in.

Here’s what went in.
Chard blue lights
Spinach beet- perpetual spinach
Beetroot bolthardy
Lettuce mixed
Leeks - forget which sort
Sugar snap peas
Pea kelvedon wonder

This is my experiment for this year to see if I can simply just push the pea seed through the paper mulch. I’m surethat it will be fine and also I hope that it will stop the pigeons from digging them all up but thats a long shot.

I was very pleased to find that the sandy soil under the mulch was quite moist which surprised me as it has not rained here for over two weeks. The only problem is that there was quite a number of slugs under there as well but I deal with that by just planting more seed one for me one for the slug.

My best victory has been between me and the cabbage white, last summer it totally decimated my cabbage and broccoli crop and although I lost all the cabbages and most of the broccoli the purple sprouting because of it’s long season has come back beautifully. All I need now is to be able to eat and I can enjoy it.

I’ll also be potting on most of the seedlings like tomato chilli pepper and the squashes in the next few days. My only problem is that I’ve lost a number of seed packets, I think I need a word with the little lad.

april’s garden photo’s

Here is is part of my tub crop raddish lettuce and garlic

this is the herb spiral looking a little healthier.

I proud of the thifty use of this old window that I’ve just put into the shed door. I just need to get the roof on the shed now! I’m hoping for something to turn up on freecyle as up to now all the materials have been free.

keep it dirty

I know that alot of others have posted this article on their blogs but I thought it was so interesting I’d post it for all those who may have missed it.

DIRT EXPOSURE ‘ BOOSTS HAPPINESS’

Exposure to dirt may be a way to lift mood as well as boost the immune system, UK scientists say.
Lung cancer patients treated with “friendly” bacteria normally found in the soil have anecdotally reported improvements in their quality of life.

Mice exposed to the same bacteria made more of the brain’s “happy” chemical serotonin, the Bristol University authors told the journal Neuroscience.

Common antidepressants work by boosting this brain chemical.

Dirty play

A lack of serotonin is linked with depression in people.

The scientists say more work is now needed to determine if the bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae has antidepressant properties through activation of serotonin neurons.

Lead researcher Dr Chris Lowry said: “These studies help us understand how the body communicates with the brain and why a healthy immune system is important for maintaining mental health.

“They also leave us wondering if we shouldn’t all spend more time playing in the dirt.”

The work could also help experts’ understanding of why an imbalance in the immune system leaves some individuals vulnerable to mood disorders like depression, he added.

Mood and immunity

Canadian researchers have also been exploring the links between serotonin, mood and immunity.

A team at Georgetown University Medical Center recently discovered serotonin is passed between key cells in the immune system, and that the chemical can activate an immune response.

This suggests that serotonin may restore a healthy immune function in people who are depressed and prone to infections.

On the flip side, it is also possible that serotonin, and serotonin-boosting antidepressants, end up bolstering immunity to the point that they trigger autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself.

Gerard Ahern, lead researcher on the study, explained: “At this point we just don’t know how these drugs might affect immunity, so we really need to clarify the normal role of serotonin in immune cell functioning.”

rain water harvesting

I had to do some repair work today on my water butt, as in the winter the bricks that it was sat on sank and it smashed through the fence. I’ve buit a new wooden frame for two butts as a single one fills really quickly in winter and emptys just as quick in the summer.

I hope that the wooden frame is stong enough, I’ve used all recycled wood from various sources and wanted to try it before building a concrete base. I think that it’s pretty sound as I tested it the usual way, by jumping up and down on it, although with my skinny arse I don’t know if that makes a difference.

If it had been at the top of the garden then I would have made it as high as possible so that I could use a hose pipe or drip feed but it’s at the bottom so I just left enough room for the watering can and to put plant pots under.

All I need now is to attach a connector, from one to the other so when one is full it then overflows into the other, I think that was part of the problem with having one on it’s own as in winter it was always overflowing and possibly caused the bricks to shift. I ‘ll post pictures when it collapses and causes a mini tidal wave.

back in britain

We are back from our Balkan adventure, I’ll post about it soon but I’m still tired from travelling.

As most obsessive gardeners do, when I got in I went straight to look at my seedlings and what a surprise. I did not expect that much growth in just over a week. I can get really stuck in now I’m back ready for the summer.

Anyway I must go and moan and mutter about British transport and the price of things over a proper cup of tea.

Permaculture video

I’ve been wanting to post some videos on the blog for a while as I still feel that they are a great way of explaining an idea. Next to seeing something first hand a video gives a greater insight into many principals of permaculture.

This one comes from “Peak Moment” a weekly half-hour TV series featuring conversations about local food, renewable energy, transportation alternatives, preparedness, economics and other areas of concern as we move into a period of declinging fossil fuels.

Give it a look and then check out the rest on you tube. This is my favourite as I love the chemistry between the presenter and the guy.

Suburban Renewal - One Backyard at a Time

fruits for the future

I went to the local garden centre yesterday as I’ve been wanting some fruit trees for a while to add to my permaculture/perennial garden. I have been trying to get hold of some local variets of apple tree but it’s been hard trying to track down where to get them from and I can’t wait any longer. I will still try and get some as I want to create an espallier wall at my mothers as she has the room.

After spending too long looking at each tree I decided on Malus domestica ‘Jupiter’ or ‘an apple tree’! It’s on a MM106 rootstock which is a little large for my garden but I’ll just keep it heavily pruned. I decided on this instead of the M27 that I was after simply because it looked the most healthy and had a good shape and amount of branches. More branches = more apples. It ripens in October so should be reay for my birthday and be a little addition to my cider enterprise. Oh and it cost £18.99.

I now just need to find a place to put it. I will try it infront of the summer house as even though directly infront of it there is a lot of shade, it’s tall enough to have it’s branches in the sun, if you get what I mean.

If it works it will mean that that area will be productice as at the moment it’s just used to store stuff or rubbish through the year.

Also like when you are in any shop I ended up with more than I went in for. I also bought three blueberry bushes,for £14.99 an early, middle and late. In theory that means fruit from July to September. I think I’ll try and grow these in pots but I’m new to fruit growing. I’m still waiting for a decent crop of Black currents after three years although the goseberries were brilliant last year but I guess that wasthe weather.

Brigg farmers’ market

Yesterday was Brigg farmers’ market, it’s been running for about 7 years now and yesterday was embarrassingly, the first time I have made it, even eco-warriors get lazy sometimes. This time I had no excuse as I was getting a lift from a friend. We got there about 12.30 and already it seemed as if some stalls had sold out, a much more popular event than I had allowed for.

All the produce was local and appart from a few naff sweet stalls most of the produce looked fresh and was worth taking a closer look. My favouite part is that most of the stalls have a try before you buy pollicy, which I like.

There were quite a few stallholders I recognised,

‘Bridge farm organic foods’ an organic farm near Gainsborough which I offered to volunteer at and was asked about a job there, but sadly it would mean two bus jorneys and a two mile walk to get there!

‘Mount pleasant windmill’ which is in Kirton and opposite my wifes aunties house. They produce organic flours and breads, all by traditional means.

I also saw Sue and Rob our friends and neighbours who produce some of the best cakes in the world. Also getting into conversation with them they told me about other events that they do like this and that I should get something together and get a stall. Possibly selling homebrew chilli brandy in wooden bottles turned on the polelathe? or something, but I will definatly consider it for the future.

A few people recognised me from the paper which was nice and in all the excitement I did not buy alot, perhaps a good thing. I did get some powerful chilli sauce from the Gringerly gringo stall. It does exactly what it says on the tin, it’s HOT ! I also got R a bath bomb, to try and encourage him to actually have one sometimes.

It was nice to spend time with my friend Colin and his daughter and it was also an eye opener that for vegans the farmers market is a little slim on produce.

Brigg also has some great shops, health food shops, Oxfam books, a rather cute grocers and a looking great deli, so if you live in the area you should deffinatly take a look. The farmers market is on the fourth Saturday of every month, so see you there next time.