Tag: grow your own

Grow with the Pros

Grow with the Pros: Ragmans Lane Market Garden

Craig and Becky grow at Ragmans Lane Market Garden in Gloucestershire and supply shops, markets and restaurants with a fantastic range of staples and seasonal speciality crops.  Ragmans Lane Market Garden covers 1.6 acres and is based at Ragmans Farm, a 60-acre organic farm in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire. The market garden is under no-dig cultivation and is in operation for around 10 months of the year.  Craig and Becky … Continue reading Grow with the Pros: Ragmans Lane Market Garden

Unknown's avatarDrew SwainstonLeave a comment
Walled Garden

Walled Garden Diaries: Getting Ready for the Season

It has been a relatively slow start to the year for the walled garden, hence why there was no update for February and I decided the include two months for the price of one in this post. The planning for the year ahead was completed in January and, bar keeping on top of weeds, it wasn’t until March that the sowing for the garden really … Continue reading Walled Garden Diaries: Getting Ready for the Season

Unknown's avatarDrew SwainstonLeave a comment
Advice, allotment

How to Deal With a Waterlogged Allotment

It is miserable to see your plot sitting waterlogged after periods of heavy rain. This is something we are faced with now after a prolonged period of wet weather, but there are ways to successfully manage a plot with such drainage issues. The weather so far this year has been cold and wintry, with the UK Met Office saying January 2021 was the coldest January on record for … Continue reading How to Deal With a Waterlogged Allotment

Unknown's avatarDrew Swainston4 Comments
Advice, allotment, Gardening at home, growing, Walled Garden

Importance of a Seed Sowing Plan

Sowing seeds and growing your own vegetables is one of the most satisfying things you can do.  A sowing plan will help organise your propagation and ensure seeds are sown at the right time, plants are strong and healthy, and you’re not having to bin straggly plants or lose out on harvests. It often pays to be patient and not rush. You will see all … Continue reading Importance of a Seed Sowing Plan

Unknown's avatarDrew Swainston2 Comments
Advice, allotment, Gardening at home, growing

Enjoyable January Gardening Jobs

The first month of the year can be difficult for gardeners. It is likely to be cold, wet and maybe even snowy, but there are some very productive and enjoyable tasks that can sit atop your list of gardening jobs for January. I will be doing many of these tasks over the next few weeks and recommend other gardeners to do the same, if they … Continue reading Enjoyable January Gardening Jobs

Unknown's avatarDrew SwainstonLeave a comment
Projects, Writing

Garden Writing Service Launches

For a new year I am introducing a new services section of Perennial Nerd, where I offer writing services to the horticulture and gardening sector. It is a new venture which combines my main skill-sets, and essentially my two careers, into one package. To quickly surmise, I passed my National Council for the Training of Journalists professional qualification in Newspaper Journalism back in 2007. I … Continue reading Garden Writing Service Launches

Unknown's avatarDrew Swainston2 Comments
allotment, Gardening at home, growing

Allotment Year in pics

It’s been quite a year for a first foray into being allotmenteers. But it’s been a fantastic experience and one that’s been full of challenges, rewards and fun. I plan to write a longer blog post about the 12 months, covering all the successes and failures, very shortly. But I thought I’d start with a quick photo journey of the year, from the weedy field … Continue reading Allotment Year in pics

Unknown's avatarDrew Swainston1 Comment