Summer no dig garden, why this method conserves moisture. Results of starting no dig, five months earlier.
When to harvest potatoes and onions, how to protect from insects, birds and rabbits.
Tips for making great compost, ways to pick tomatoes.
12th July 2022 at Homeacres, Somerset in SW England, 51st parallel, temperate climate and 30 miles from Atlantic Ocean. Filmed by Nicola Smith.
The garden is 1300 m2, one third of an acre.
It’s no dig since 2013, except for one bed of a trial.
00:00 Introduction, and why no dig helps conserve moisture in the soil
00:46 A look at an area that was grassy meadow 5 month previously, now growing potatoes (Estima) and squash (Kuri, Crown Prince and butternut) through plastic cover on soil and compost.
02:38 Celeriac and rye grain – not watered so far
02:51 Potatoes close to point of harvest
03:24 Borlotti climbing plants for dry beans, not watered
04:01 Onions, not watered and I give reasons why
04:31 Beetroot, and deer damage to leaves
05:04 Cabbage, and info on Bacillus thuringiensis (see below)
05:31 Cracking soil at the edge of the bed, and another reason for not digging
06:09 Onions, how to know when they’re ready to harvest, and how to dry them
08:41 A brand new no dig bed, 3 months old
09:15 A look at one of my compost heaps, the pallet three-bay system
10:34 Salad plants example of speed of growth at this time of year
11:29 Peas (Tall Sugar) – for pods and dry beans
13:03 More lettuce, then peas and French beans, which need plenty of water
13:41 Spinach going to seed
13:55 Cucumbers in the polytunnel, also need plenty of water
14:45 The greenhouse with seedlings of chicory / endive, plus brassicas (purple sprouting), watermelon and loofah
15:56 Tomatoes, including an oxheart variety called Sgt. Pepper (see below)
16:48 Two varieties of melon – Emir and Minnesota Midget
17:37 Some tomatoes just harvested, and some info on harvesting times (Joe Lamp’l’s advice – see below))
18:53 My No Dig t-shirt from Teemill, see below
More on watering and harvesting in this online courses module from my Skills for Growing course:
https://charlesdowding.co.uk/product/skills-for-growing-online-course-module-4-watering-and-harvesting/
Videos on compost for propagation trials:
https://youtu.be/jt4azBLuJrc
https://youtube.com/shorts/lkLSmILhsV0
Sgt. Pepper tomatoes from Tomato Revolution: https://tomatorevolution.co.uk
Picking tomatoes at ‘breaking stage’ of ripeness, see Joe Lampl https://www.youtube.com/user/joegardenerTV?app=desktop
Sellers of Bt against caterpillar damage:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275388991028?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338268676&toolid=10044&customid=Cj0KCQjw_viWBhD8ARIsAH1mCd7T5bwn08lrfAXK_DGFQrsanIIbWsw2NY_g6lSRCHt9swERSfe8hi4aAk48EALw_wcB
You can subscribe to my weekly advice email, the What, When and How, where I give details on all aspects of growing veg for the week ahead – £5/month, with one week’s free trial.
https://manage.campaignzee.com/sAxSigxfrC
No Dig t-shirts and other clothing of my own design from Teemill: https://charlesdowding.teemill.com/
The propagation trays I use are https://containerwise.co.uk/charles-dowding-propagation-trays/
You can join this channel by paying a monthly fee, to support our work with helping gardeners grow better, and to receive monthly videos made only for members:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB1J6siDdmhwah7q0O2WJBg/join
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