Pembroke Pocket Garden

Saturday, 15 October 2011

Feed the soil, not the plant!

09:30 | Posted by Pembroke Pocket Garden |

Understanding Soil and Soil Life, Plus Mulches and Leaf Mould

Capital Growth course at Regent’s Park Allotment Garden 15^th October 2011

Our new mantra:

Feed the soil, not the plant!

Soil is surprisingly rare on the planet; what with the sea taking up so much and mountains being about, there is only about 10% of the earth's surface that is covered in usable soil, and this is the same bit we keep building cities on!

To grow plants soil must be kept:

Moist
Warm
Aerated
Fed

Soil should be fed with:

Humus – this is what we are making in our compost heap
Vermicompost and Worm Juice– we could make this with a wormery

The pH balance of the soil is very important and for most plants should be kept at a neutral pH of about 7.

Soil should be tested regularly and the balance altered to keep it in the most fertile range. If it is too acid, we can add lime. If it is too alkaline, we can add more compost or manure.

Corrugated cardboard is good to add to compost heaps as it contains lime, used in its manufacture, it also adds carbon and allows for air to circulate the heap more easily so the bacteria can breath and compost our compost for us.

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Wednesday, 12 October 2011

Strawberries & Magic Beans

15:28 | Posted by Pembroke Pocket Garden |

Alpine strawberry runners potted up for next year

old marigolds

Garlic chives

Three magic beans

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Out with the old, in with the new

11:53 | Posted by Pembroke Pocket Garden |

The harvest is still coming, but much of the garden is settling down for winter now.

We dug up the mint and comfrey that had Powdery Mildew and planted Clover as Green Manure in the vacant boxes.

We have also planted tulip bulbs and broad beans ready for the spring.

As many strawberry runners as we could pot up have been placed in the greenhouse to over winter. We should have plenty of strawberries for Strawberries and Cream in the garden next summer.

Aphids are enjoying our Mustard plants! The affected parts of the plant have been removed and disposed of.

Beautiful white 'Margo' Runner Beans were harvested for planting next year.

The Sweet Peppers were harvested and the rest of the plant removed.

(These were lovely roasted for my dinner!)

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Saturday, 8 October 2011

Harvest 8th October

07:44 | Posted by Pembroke Pocket Garden |

Bulbs are already sprouting!

Another juicy Snozcumber is on it's way.

These carrots are starting to look delicious!

But green tomatoes are starting to fall from the plants!

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Cause for concern?

07:37 | Posted by Pembroke Pocket Garden |

We seem to have developed some Powdery Mildew. This can be caused by lack of air circulation which we had previously thought might be a problem in the garden.

We should destroy these plants!

Powdery Mildew on mint.

This Sage plant seems to have had it...

Uh oh! Is this Tomato Blight?

Sweet Peppers are crinkling up on the plant. Should we harvest them while they are nice plump green peppers?

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Seed heads and runners

07:26 | Posted by Pembroke Pocket Garden |

Saturday 8th October, beginning to prepare for next year! Seeds are ripening all over the garden.

Radish seeds? These are nearly ready to gather.

Fennel seeds: don't eat these unless you really love the taste of aniseed!

All the ripe, dry seed heads were gathered and stored for the winter.

Mint seed heads.

Plenty more mint seeds still to ripen.

Basil seeds need to be gathered up....

...although bees are still pollinating some of them!

Strawberry runners were pegged out in pots of soil-based compost. Once the runners have rooted in to the pots they can be cut from the mother plant and moved to the greenhouse for the winter.