I keep a gardening log, it’s been going since 2009. Here are my notes/log.
About my Garden
2021
I chose Tomatoes and Basil, the tomatoes are Marmande, the Basil is Basil. Here’s how to prune the tomatoes.
So I have some Basil in, and just bought myself a kentia palm. Let’s see if I can look after it this time.
A ZZ plant would be fun, if i can find one and want to cope with its toxicity. Maybe make some space with an indoor vertical garden.
On Basil
And pruning it!
Wouldn’t it be great?
2020
This going to be tricky as I am on lockdown but here’s two thoughts; let’s have another go at avocado, and garlic. My experiments with avocado have not worked well, this article claims some insight. Garlic worked well last time I tried it and this video suggests it’ll work indoors.
I planted some potatoes. I have kept the potted Basil alive for a month or so.
I’d like to try Ginger, but this suggests that both temperature and light will be a problem.
I might like some lighting although friends suggest opening the curtains.
2019
I tried a window box of tomatoes which sadly didn’t work. I tried some Plum and Marmande, bought as shoots in Deptford Market and & High Street.
I need to think about what went wrong and see if I can find some ugly, no really, shoots next year. Actually, it wasn’t very successful, the coriander, from seed, & cornflower’s both failed, although the latter is not really an indoor plant. I also tried some ginger, which also failed.
2017
Two lines of potatoes in the left bed 23 Apr 2017
Another line of potatoes in the right bed, corn & beans in the left bed above the fire 16 Apr 2017
Four drills of carrots in the middle bed. Right bed, beyond the Strawberries, more Onions, white, red, red, and the first potatoes. 2 Apr 2017
Onions are in. Middle bed, from Garlic to fence, white, white, red, shallots. 26 Mar 2017
Garlic is in. Middle bed, from wall to fence, Picardy, Spring, Mersey, Mersey. 19 Mar 2017
2016
Spring Cabbages
Winter Cabbage
- http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/cabbage/growing-winter-cabbage-plants.htm, planted a bit later, may survive the slugs
Other winter vegetables
- http://www.thompson-morgan.com/top-10-winter-vegetables, planting in Autumn
- Winter Onions, plant in the Autumn
Stringing and Storing Garlic
Or this page at rural gardener, and , and here’s an alternative way from youtube.
Planning
I have been shopping at country market; and picked up some leaflets
2015
I moved in October 2015, so a new garden, the focus will now be on the allotment.
The “for dummies” have got into it, here’s two references from them. They may help at the house.
At the allotment there’s a lot of nettles, I might get a sickle, there is one for Sale at “my allotment plot”
- Ginger Part Deux, see http://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/growing-ginger.html
- Late Vegetable Plantings , parsnips, carrots, cauliflower and cabbage
- 10 best herbs grow containers
2014
Ginger would be fun, but indoors or green house needed, again; advice is to buy root from specialist food shop. The guardian writes about it here.
2013
I put some Fennel in two weeks ago, the slugs have had one, so I put down some pellets; we’ll see. Perhaps it needs to go in earlier to beat the slugs, but I don’t think you can. Also got bollocked for using the pellets. 5 August 2013
Meuvens wrote last week and among other things offered some bluebell bulbs for delivery in September to November; they need planting dry in the Autumn. Over the last two weekend’s I have been down the Garden Centre for inspiration, most of this is for next year now. Although I bought two agapanthus plants. I reckon one of these wooden planters and two of the trellis below would be good for salads and beans and sweet peas. 4 August 2013
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Some plants took my fancy, some Red Hot Pokers, Kniphofgia, Verbenia and some Veronicium Fascinatrium. What is that black leaved bush we have in the back bed? 4 August 2013
The planter is out of control, the rosemary and curry plants need replacing. 6 July 2013
2012
I need to keep this up to date, but some ideas from last weekend
- Put some trellis/spires in for the sweet peas and beans
- Weed the trumpet plants and the edges, some of the grass clover has invaded the bed
- Cut back the Rosemary, Lavender, Curry Plants & Planters
- Scatter the Lavender, Alium and Garlic Seeds
- Get some more Garlic Bulbs and sow
- Plan something behind the trees
- Cut back the planters and gibbet plants, especially the new clematis
2011
This web site was unavailable during the summer of 2010, and it wasn’t a good year for my gardening.
This year I bought a new cover for the green house and had a go at some Corn (again), Basil (risky), Marmande & Cosutoluto Fiorentino tomatos and
some Chilli’s including Lombardo, all from seed.The Corn and Basil are coming though, the others are not, probably because of the age of the seeds. I originally brought them from Gardening Express, and its almost certainly caused by the age of the seeds and my storage technique. I have a couple of Apache Chilli plants which are surving, but the Jalepeno died of thirst in the greenhouse. Perhaps I’ll try next year!
I put in some Field Scabious and if I start earlier next year I should consider some more flowers. There are some great blue cornflowers in the street on the way to the bus stop and I tried some bluebells, which should be a weed, but we’ll see, they might be something best started from seed.
I tried to seed some english meadow,and fancy grasses under the trees.
I need to prune the black leafed shrub & the pieris in the autumn.
Maybe I should try some raspberries in the back (sunny) corner.
2009
I moved the original text to the comments.
2006
In the autumn of 2006, I decided to have my garden done over. I have a photo blog both on flickr and a page on the old static site, which if you go and look at, you’ll see why I felt I had to do it. Garden Design has become very accessible since the launch of Alan Titchmarsh’s “Ground Force”, but it shows that you need both talent and enormous knowledge. I sold my last house to a garden designer, who is no longer pursuing that business and she recommended Susie Bower, of Susie Bower Gardens.
In 2013, I moved the static pages documenting the transformation to the blog, in articles called “Ground Forcing the Garden” and “Transforming my Garden, a picture blog”. Some of the text below, is repeated there.
The flickr set, shows that we discovered a drainage problem during the hard landscaping stage and we decided to get some galvanised metal containers to ensure that the soil did not become water logged. They were supplied by “Cedar Nursery”, whose General Manager, Andy Clark was exceptionally helpful in meeting our time-scales.
The third member of the team was the hard landscaping contractor. I used a local company, “Sue Newman Landscapes”. This team’s (Sue, Matt, Dean & Chris) effort and professionalism allowed them to transform the garden. We had some poor weather but they managed to complete the work in time for the planting and turfing to happen at the right time. The flickr set shows the laying of the patio, the finished round deck, the new lawn and the new circular planter.
5th November 2006
I bought some Garlic, solent wight, purple wight & elephant garlic and planted the solent wight in the brown pot with the leaves and some purple wight in the off white glazed pot. I now need to plant out the elephant garlic. The advice is to plant it out after the first frost and by the 21st December.
I caught a few useful links today using the “gardening” tag.
Last Summer, the Rosemary was attacked by something leaving white spittle on some of the branches, these then browned and died, and the grass in the planter doesn’t look that healthy either. I checked on Google and got the following links
I used a google on words, “rosemary blight plant spit”, but maybe should have tried pest.
This was copied across from v3 on 18th June 2013 and the Projects page was copied from the static site, http://davelevy.info to this page.
I didn’t do much gardening in 2012, nor much in the winter and spring of 2013.
The wiki has an article on preparing for 2012, this can probably go.
Spuds next week, plan for strawberries, corn and beetroot? Tomatoes at the house as well. Don’t forget Ginger!
I copied across the 2012 comments which were in a separate article
The spuds and garlic are doing well. We’re just planting out the tomatoes. The ginger didn’t take, perhaps I should take the advice of bringing it on indoors, and buying from a speciality shop; they won’t muck around with it so much. The later planted corns, which have been well watered have also been moved on. I put two raspberry plants in this weekend. The basil is coming on too, obviously, a green house and watering helps. Ash stops slugs.
Hi Dave,
I’m Ronald from Iflreview.
So I was searching for quality articles about growing ginger to study when I came across your post. I noticed that you mentioned this guide (http://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/growing-ginger.html) which was once my favorite in your post.
However, this seems out of date and lacks few important factors. So I’ve created a similar one but with more updated info and a simple infographic so that everyone can understand – https://iflreview.com/growing-ginger-at-home/
Thought you might interest and want to mention it on your site.
Thanks,
Ronald:
I made a 2019 paragraph. Not the greatest success, but I can try again next year.
The lockkdown has put the mockers on this project for this year.
2020 was a washout. Seeds were hard to get and the plant shops weren’t considered essential. But, I shan’t be trying Avocado or Ginger again. Perhaps I’ll get some bamboo.
Over the last day or so, I have amended this page for 2021, and added a photo of Costoluto Fiorentino Tomatoes which are not coming, although Marmande are.