Hello and Welcome to a blog about allotment fruit and vegetable growing, sustainable GYO, and more.
I’m an organic gardener based in North Manchester, and I grow a wide range of fruit and vegetables, as well as a fair few flowers, on Plot #59 at Langley Allotments, Prestwich. I’m also one of the custodians of the Plot #79 orchard: see OrchardNotes.com for more about my interest in orchard growing and top fruit care and management.
Latest Blog Posts and Updates
- Water-Rooted Mint CuttingsStarting new mint plants off in water is a really quick and easy way to multiply your stock.
- Seed Sowing Now in Full SwingMay is the month when it really gets busy in the greenhouse as the warmth-loving seeds are finally sown.
- Greenhouse Update, late April 2020It’s getting busy in the greenhouse as the seedling production line speeds up for spring.
- How To: Prick Out SeedlingsHopefully this handy how-to guide will help anyone who’s wondering how to go about pricking out their new seedlings.
- Plot #59 Update, 07.04.20Today I cycled down to the plot for my hour outside. The sun was shining, the lightest of breezes was blowing, and if circumstances had been different then I would have stayed all day.
- Plot #59 Update, 04.04.20Jo and I invested our State Authorised Exercise Hour in a work session down on the plot today.
- 2019/20 Green Manure Trial – Winter UpdateMixed results so far from the two green manure cover crop tests that I set up back in September 2019.
- Soft Fruit Re-Vamp, phase twoOne job I definitely wanted to get done this winter was to finish the reorganisation of the soft-fruit section of plot #59.
- Bring on the SummerThe winter months are no time to be tramping back and forth across your soil, but it’s an ideal time for catching up on your maintenance jobs…
- New Year, New SeedsI’ve been carrying out my annual seed audit. I was planning an epic spending spree on new seeds, but it didn’t quite work out that way…
- The Rhubarb – and the Growing Season – Is OverOur rhubarb keeps going right through the summer and into the first few weeks of autumn. When it starts to go over it’s a sure sign that our main growing season is done for the year…
- Growbag Trial Update – The Harvest Results Are InThis year I’ve been trialling the new SylvaGrow Peat-Free Planter vs a bog-standard peat-based growbag, and now I’m pleased to report the results of the trial.
Latest Comments and Discussion
Thank you for sharing the spreadsheet Darren. Interesting stuff
I reckon it’s the new normal, Mal 🙂
Three courgette varieties. Brave man.
Cheers Darren
Hi Andrew – I was using Green Future Organic Tomato Fertiliser, with an NPK rating of 4:1:6
Hiya Darren, as I know you are an organic grower, I am interested to know what feed you used, which…
That sounds like an excellent method to me, Andrew. I checked on the field bean patch yesterday and a lot…
Tag Cloud
2019 trials apple asparagus blackcurrant broad bean brussels sprout carrot cauliflower chilli clearing compost composting courgette Dahlia digging French bean Garden Organic garlic gooseberry green manure harvesting kale leek onion pea planning planting out potato potting on pruning raspberry redcurrant rhubarb runner bean seed sowing soilfixer soilfixer trial soil preparation squash strawberry sweetcorn Swiss chard tomato turnip weeding
You’re welcome, Andrew. Last year’s data should be on there as well on a separate tab. I think I forgot…