It takes a real humble person to give a tour of a "catalogue of disasters." Charles you are my mentor and a true inspiration to all gardeners. Kudos sir!
@miramirez3574
Жыл бұрын
Agreed.
@smas3256
Жыл бұрын
Go Gracefully. Charles said many more frost and unusual. I told him he is getting all my frosty weather from East Coast USA.
@kayreynolds3801
Жыл бұрын
It helps to inspire others as nothing is ever perfect and this has been a tricky winter with plant losses.
@afriendtoo6971
Жыл бұрын
Zone 6 Kentucky last year and it was a disaster. Many neighbors said the same thing. Fruit trees were very disappointing too. Praying for a better year this year.
@MikesAllotment
Жыл бұрын
I'm so glad I'm not the only one to have lost things like Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Cauliflowers & Celeriac due to the hard frosts - if the Great "CD" loses crops then there's still hope for the likes of me 😉
@Alonsel3
Ай бұрын
The more I watch Charles the less I feel bad about the mistakes I seem to keep making. Thank you once again.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Ай бұрын
That is nice!
@dwighthires3163
Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for showing some discouraging beds. It really does give us hope when we are miles behind you on this no dig gardening. We need not give up because there are less than stellar attempts.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
`Yes keep going! 🌱
@spritzpistol
Жыл бұрын
This man is such a kind and caring person, thank you Charles for sharing. Ps my better half brought me your recent book , I’m part way through and it’s brilliant. 🎉
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
How nice thanks 💚
@walbiramurray5762
Жыл бұрын
I have had a bad summer in Central Australia, more rain than usual meant an explosion of every pest and I was so unprepared for them as I had never faced them in such numbers. But as you say, I learned a lot from it. I learn more from my failures than my successes. Thanks for another great video.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Sorry to hear that, hope you all have enough to eat. I feel sure it's engineered weather, happening a lot to you :( and I hope autumn goes better
@inguracka
Жыл бұрын
Those disasters are so refreshing to see in times where people only share successes, that puts enormous pressure on those on the other side that are not familiar with reality. 2023 is the first season for me and the other day I realized how instead of joy that is was supposed to be i felt nothing more than anxiety from overwhelming expectations starting from setting beds, getting compost, planning plans, reading books about the topic in time, growing healthy things, keeping them alive when you are away, and even eating them all before it goes to waste. Unrealistic, I know and I now started working on my expectations :)) Thank you for sharing these fails!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing that. I also start every spring with low expectations! And don't believe everything you hear / read, some failures is normal.
@afriendtoo6971
Жыл бұрын
70 year old gardener here and still learning. Plus we learn from our mistakes.
@veganpowergirl
Жыл бұрын
In started 2022 and had the same pressure! This year, I’m keeping expectations low and surprise myself with the results ❤ Still feeling some pressure though - my perfectionist brain just can’t help itself. But I have to say: it’s much better than at this time last year. Good luck for your gardening 😊👍
@JanHooten
Жыл бұрын
Nice to see a bit of humility
@michelleadams2997
Жыл бұрын
Hey Charles, loving your CD 60s, thank you
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Glad you like them Michelle!
@damien884
Жыл бұрын
Got 3000 seed out to the greenhouse today and needed this after a hard but joyous day :) cheers! Hi from Sweden Charles
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Wonderful job Damien
@xSunshinex4206
Жыл бұрын
One of the best YT-channels, and you should have millions of subscribers imo 💚
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Thankyou!
@veemcg3682
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing this great tour Charles especially the things that didn't go to plan. I've been subscribed for years and work from your books and am still learning every time I watch and listen to you on one of your videos. ❤
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Awesome and nice to hear
@PartTimePermies
Жыл бұрын
We have had temps down to single digits Farenheit and our kholrabi was left in the snow. We've harvested half since then and have half still growing!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Amazing!
@hobbiegardengirl9162
Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for sharing your failures as well as successes. It encourages me.
@waynesell3681
8 ай бұрын
Truly year round gardening! After having mulched with leaves in the fall six beds are covered here in Michigan USA. New to no till, no dig. Hoping to remove the mulched leaves and be able to rake bed even and take off. Of course weeding .... opening up the beds will be exciting. Thank you for the direction to a new method.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
8 ай бұрын
Sounds great Wayne
@waynesell3681
8 ай бұрын
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you Charles!
@cheesyisgod
Жыл бұрын
My Welsh Onions are still producing nicely even through the cold snaps, I live in a rural area just outside Glasgow
@nancyword5804
Жыл бұрын
Your actions speak volumes in the garden walk abouts!! These visits to the garden are the best!! Thank you!!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Nancy 💚
@ancagafencu6946
Жыл бұрын
My garden looks really sad too. But hopefully spring will start and make it better
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Yay!
@dralexmedmd
Жыл бұрын
"a catalogue of disaster" - winter tour! I love this video and how a master gardener humbly admits to his lessons :)
@MeusPaisMeusAmores
Жыл бұрын
❤ Everything is always wonderful! My deepest Thank You, Charles and his Team Working Together. All your work that we can see, all your courses, all your videos, explanations, tables, calendars, books are marvellous! One of the greatest pleasures I've felt and still have the opportunity to feel in my life. Feel completely grateful to Charles and his Team for this unique experience.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much Miguel 💚
@stevendowden2579
Жыл бұрын
really enjoyed that charles
@mwmingram
Жыл бұрын
Great tour. Thank you.
@lyndaturner6686
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Charles for showing the good and the bad, I nearly chopped my purple sprouting broccoli it had got quite tall and no sign of cropping but two weeks on the purple shoot are starting to form the florets, it’s your , let’s see what happens approach that I find so inspiring and it has worked on many things in the past
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
😂 that is so good ‼️ Enjoy
@turtle2212
Жыл бұрын
Strange enough, it is encouraging that you also have failures and not everything goes to plan. Because we 'simple homegardeners' know now that failure is not necessarily our fault and can even happen to Sir Charles. It helps us to not give up and carry on experimenting. This is nature! Each year another crop thrives or fails and yet there is always something to harvest.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
💚
@sandrinefresne6575
Жыл бұрын
I managed to grow beautiful purple sprouting broccolis this year , they grew tall with lush leaves … I was sooo looking forward to eating the sprouts… and then the frosts arrived … 1 frost wouldn’t have killed them but 3 , 4 , finished them off , they turned mushy … such a shame ! I think that’s why you have lost your cauliflowers too . Constant frost has done it . Thanks for showing us around . Hot bed in the making here too . 😊
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Good luck with that Sandrine. It's bad about the weather :(
@RebeccaInNorway
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Charles! finally at 41 years I have my lifelong dream of my own garden, and last summer was the first time in my life I have grown some of my own food. Almost all of it thanks to you and your videos! your Veg Journal book is a useful companion. I'm obviously not a master yet, so these kinds of videos are very encouraging.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Great job Rebecca, I'm happy to imagine your successes
@Imjetta7
Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much. I learn something with every video.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Nice to hear
@SmallholdingUK
Жыл бұрын
It got down to about -12 on my Smallholding, I’ve lost almost everything I had including kale Brussels and most my spinage, I always thought Brussels were bulletproof Only thing that came through untouched was the garlic, here’s looking forward to a good growing year this year, happy growing everyone
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Yes indeed and thanks
@SteveRichards
Жыл бұрын
What a difference between our two systems Charles, especially this year. I can’t afford failures and have a fraction of your space but that allows me to be more resilient at a bit higher up front cost. Almost all of my beds survived, I harvested every week through winter and they are mostly now replanted with spring crops. We were slightly colder than you too, so I lost my broad beans, but my Jan sown ones are a little ahead of yours now. I’ve taken 14 harvests off my Giant Winter spinach, but we are relay planting into it right now and we have our spring spinach plants just coming into harvest for salads, but large leaves in march. I don’t plant my cauliflower and calabrese out until Feb, so it’s not ready until May, but it looks lovely now and didn’t take any bed space over winter. My Lila is looking lovely, I’ve been harvesting it for about a month. Also my lambs lettuce is way further on than yours and we have harvested 1/2 of it now during January and early Feb, but I sow much earlier than you do. My claret is all fine too , but the early varieties took a hit. Thanks so much for showing us this unusual year, as you say, humbling for all of us and very instructive : all the best - Steve
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
That is amazing Steve, many congratulations, anyone would be happy with those results 💚
@SteveRichards
Жыл бұрын
@@CharlesDowding1nodig always plenty to improve though, I still loose more lettuces to stem rot than you do, it's an ongoing challenge. I think your home saved Grenoble Red lettuce seed is a lot stronger than commercial alternatives now
@davidletellier9995
Жыл бұрын
Hi there, most of my cauliflower, Aalsmeer and 'All the year round' Cauli sown late summer has also really suffered from the cold and I've lost most of them. The Leamington cauli, however, sown in June, is looking really good, not lost a single one. Not cropped yet but looking promising, was very good last year too.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
A nice tip, thanks David
@homegardens7682
Жыл бұрын
I agree with the comment about the weather Charles. Here in Essex we got down to about minus six. It did seem to be a "different" and far more damaging cold this year than the temperature suggested. Interesting.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
More than ‼️ Needs this www.daniellebryant.co.uk/2019/12/30/710/
@peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo7920
Жыл бұрын
Hi Charles, I finally got my first thousand subscribers so I can only imagine ever getting to 600 K👍 I hope you get to that goal soon🎉 We are expecting 80's to 90° this week and lots of 🌞 Happy Gardening, My Friend 💚🥦💚
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Peggy! Sounds good temp and congratulations 💚
@bernadette6211
Жыл бұрын
Thankyou so much for donating to our community garden in Kerry last year. The money went towards putting in a herb bed and laying woodchip on a pathway by a wild life pond.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Lovely to hear Bernadette!
@067captain
Жыл бұрын
Don’t take this the wrong way Charles, but so pleased to see your swedes! Mine did exactly the same. It is reassuring to see the problems I have on the allotment are not unique to me! Really entertaining and informative - as always! Thanks, from up the road in Chepstow!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Good to know, and not good, that so many are suffering this!
@alisonkirton8377
Жыл бұрын
Here in the US (Virginia) we had a very cold spell just before Christmas, and we lost all our winter greens that were in a greenhouse, some even covered by fleece and plastic row covers. Even our "winter" varieties of lettuce, bok choi's kale etc. It was very disheartening. It got down to zero Fahrenheit for a few nights. Even with our best efforts, things can go awry! Thank you for sharing.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Sorry to hear this and that is man made I'm beginning to think, so abnormal. Fingers crossed for spring...
@alisonkirton8377
Жыл бұрын
@@CharlesDowding1nodig yes, I'm thinking the same thing. It was unnatural.
@stephenrobb8759
Жыл бұрын
I have noticed over the years, that extra mineral support.. be it seaweed or azomite... really helps plants survive the extra hard cold spells.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
It's a good point, but I feel increasingly now that we have new issues to cope with such as whatever falls out of the trails, which are suddenly so common in the skies
@sydneygardener540
Жыл бұрын
I am willing to bet that they have a very similar chipper. One keeps his blades sharp and the other doesn’t bother too much. Hence the difference!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
That is so interesting. The guy making big chips has many employees, the small chip guy is a one man band!
@stuckinthemudgarden7726
Жыл бұрын
Once again thank for the video. Last year I did a trial on breaking down wood chips. I took a 24 foot bed 4 foot wide. Put down cardboard on top of weeding ground. Put down a 2 inch layer of wood chips big wood chips. Then a layer of straw and some wine cap mushroom spawn. I then topped it with 2 feet of wood chips. By fall the wood chip were mostly gone and the bed was only 3 inches tall . The mushrooms were very delicious. This year I plan on trying to put some spawn on a larger pile. To see if I can break down an entire truck load Thanks
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Sounds amazing. I imagine the chips were very fresh and therefor had no other fungal spores?
@stuckinthemudgarden7726
Жыл бұрын
@@CharlesDowding1nodig No they were about a year old stropharia rugosoannulata is from my reading a more dominant species. My main goal was to see if they would compost wood chips quicker. I adopted this crazy gardening method. I learned is from this man in the uk . It’s the greatest thing ever. If you want to grow amazing vegetables u put compost on the ground plant in to it a next thing you know the best vegetables appear. So I need a lot of compost. I can get wood chips but compost is a bit difficult. I can only produce so much. So if wood chips can be composted in a season or two with a edible mushroom it’s a double win for me thanks again I love no dig
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Amazing to hear this!
@sarahtrew9331
Жыл бұрын
I live not too far from you Charles with an allotment in Street & had the exact same issues with my brassicas - I think it’s because it was warm and wet then freezing then warm and wet then freezing; rather than one or the other which is more typical. I think they can cope with a steady amount of weather of either freezing or wet/warmer but this winter has been all over the place in very short time spans! Hoping spring is a bit more steady so my seedlings don’t suffer too much🤞
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Cheers Sarah - yes the fluctuations :(
@sanjikaspinoni8396
Жыл бұрын
Yes Sarah I agree.Its the fluctuating temperatures. I'm nearby also, a little closer to Bridgwater.
@patjoyce7247
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Charles, as always. Third time I’ve watched this one. So much useful information for a self taught novice like me, in my 3rd year as an allotmenteer. I’m enjoying reading your new book No Dig, so useful. Please don’t stop your free KZitem vids. I learn a lot from reading but nothing beats being shown visually how to do things and what they should look like. Always so comprehensive. Thank you Charles. Kind Regards Pat Joyce
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Lovely comment, Pat! Thanks for your appreciation, it helps to keep me motivated!
@jamesf3283
Жыл бұрын
Quite relieved in a way to see the problems you've had with some of your crops over the winter. I've lost about half of my PSB, I assume because of the cold nights. The stalks went brown and rotted. Many of my cabbages have struggled. A huge proportion of my broad beans and a fair number of field beans (planted as ground cover as much as anything) also failed to make it despite being under fleece. Even the fleece froze solid. Two years ago I had fantastic garlic outdoors. Last year all of it suffered badly from rust and even removing the affected leaves didn't stop it spreading very fast. For this year I've planted all of it in the polytunnel and greenhouse to try to keep it under control. I was aware that tomatoes could be propagated from shoots and tried it for the first time two years ago without success, but following your short covering it I decided to have another go, growing eight new plants from each of the five varieties I grew last year -- not all F1, but as much for the practice and learning as having the plants available this year. They've done quite well indoors in a cool bay window though they are now quite leggy. Once you've over-wintered the plants do you use them directly for that year's crop, or do you take off shoots once again and grow those on into your cropping plants?
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Winter brassicas have been tragic! Yes you can either use original plants if not too tall, or take more shoots now to root again. A versatile method!
@Dragons_Novel
Жыл бұрын
Thank you. I was in the garden today pruning and taking cuttings from my plum tree and grape vines. It's way too early to do much more than that here in Nova Scotia. We expect -17C Friday evening, but I feel it will be an early spring, which means early gardening. Cheers.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Wonderful optimism!
@thatgirlthatgrows
Жыл бұрын
Loved this tour, little bit of everything 👍👍 thanks for showing us round!
@josysteinbach4097
Жыл бұрын
great great tour of your wonderful garden again and makes us think of the planning of the year ahead merci beaucoup et à bientôt .
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Many thanks, chouette
@RalfyCustoms
Жыл бұрын
Hi Charles, here's to a wonderful spring time, I've thoroughly enjoyed a year of learning with you, best wishes from the Midlands
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much 🌱
@Triv91
Жыл бұрын
This man is a great asset
@victoriagolmehdi8506
Жыл бұрын
I am heartened that you have the odd failure or damage as well. I am in the 5th year of my allotment and hopefully this season I will avoid some of the mistakes I have made over that time and produce vegetables that I want to eat and to share. I love everything about your garden and am grateful that you share your knowledge so graciously. Here's to 2023 x
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Fingers crossed Victoria and thankyou 💚
@wjs5773
Жыл бұрын
Marvellous and insightful as always. I do feel that one of the problems with our climate is the fluctuations. Over the last year, in London , we’ve had drought , then water logging, then a very cold snap and unusual warmth for the winter too. No wonder some plants just curl up their toes.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
‼️ yes indeed
@pegmountney2708
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing your challenges! So many of us struggle & scratch our heads trying to sort what went wrong in what should otherwise have been a good season. With your expertise & track record, it's encouraging to me for you to share that you have struggles & head scratches too. Cheers to Spring & a new season
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
You are so welcome Peg, and thanks
@AllderHouse
Жыл бұрын
Wish I could subscribe 1,000 more times. Love the content, Charles!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much 💚
@fourdayhomestead2839
Жыл бұрын
Great tour. As always, your channel is a spark of hope for gardening where ever we live. Blessings from USA (Wisconsin).
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
💚💚
@thelightlysgardenallotment8050
Жыл бұрын
I don't feel so bad about losing my broad beans to the frost now I've seen even yours succumbed 😁
@mike1968442
Жыл бұрын
Congrats on reaching 600k!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much Mike 😀
@NanasWorms
Жыл бұрын
I've had good success with the inground garden worm buckets in a very similar climate (zone 9b, southern Vancouver island). I kept thinking as you surveyed the frost damage on your rutabaga and spinach "oh, the worms would love that!" The buckets are sunk into the beds and all you have to do is lift the lid to throw in some organic matter. ~ Sandra
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Great tip Nana thanks
@pascalxus
Жыл бұрын
gosh, i wish i could get beet roots that big!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
‼️ this year!
@fletchybabe6172
Жыл бұрын
Food for thought, thank you Mr Dowding 😁🌱☀️
@irenesmith5676
Жыл бұрын
Hi Charles loved the video I think everyone has had disasters this winter ❄️ it’s been a very very hard frost ! I’ve lost hardy plants I was so surprised 😮 had for years (gone) 😱 ! Never mind start again that’s what gardenings all about love it lv Irene 😘 xx
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Sorry to hear this Irene!
@lezleyneill
Жыл бұрын
I always appreciate your sharing, especially when things don't go according to how you'd hoped. This was my first year growing right throughout the year including Winter and I lost a few cauliflower, broccoli. Leeks (Blue Soleil) celery and beetroot even the yellow were on the other hand really hardy and are still in the ground (sowed too many beets but thankfully we love them😋). Also good to see your planning, going to try this, my problem is unfamiliarity with the growing length, from seed to harvest, must tuck into your books further and do some reading! 😁
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
I'm happy to hear this, and that you are doing some research! It is really necessary to get the most out of your plot, for those timings in summer. For a first year, it sounds like you've done okay this winter because it was not easy! In fact, more cold weather is forecast in March.. And we have aerial pollution.
@tonyr7393
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the winter tour update. I was shocked when my large mature Taunton Deane plant was badly damaged by the frost in December (and again in January). I'm leaving it alone for now in the hope that it recovers in the spring, but it's possible it's a gonner! Thankfully i have plenty of cuttings so can easily replace it, but this just goes to show how harsh a winter we've had. I think i spotted that your TD in the small garden was looking a bit leafless as well, but that you might have had some cuttings sitting outside the greenhouse for insurance purposes.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Cheers Tony and same here. And I'm worried what happens next.
@tonyr7393
Жыл бұрын
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thanks Charles. I'm in the south east and it seems to me as though we're in the middle of a drought. In February! I can see this summer being a real challenge if it's as dry again. Your pond could be a real godsend if you can keep it filled up. On the small plus side for you, all those lettuce leaves you've got will be worth a fortune soon if the UK supply issue continues. I'm off to sow a tray now!!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Cheers Tony, and yes it's crazy times. My pond actually is quite empty already!
@johndpeel
Жыл бұрын
I'm experiencing the same 'disproportional' effect of the winter CD. I too have lost half my claret PSB, quite a few Japanese onions, a few garlic, and just last week 5/6 cauliflowers which were protected by a polycarbonate cloche. In the case of the PSB I suspect a combination of cold and wind as the lost ones were all to the south west of the bed. So pleased to see I'm not the only one!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
‼️
@johndpeel
Жыл бұрын
@@CharlesDowding1nodig It's not just the veg either - bay trees, choisya, hebes all showing signs of frost damage not seen before and like you it's only got down to -9
@whatsworthonearth8700
Жыл бұрын
It's a good time to do some fencing, too. I put the first posts in the ground. Dear deer, no munching on cale here! Although they are playing and they eat all they want outside the fence.
@nicholasnarcowich9163
Жыл бұрын
I will agree, it is fun to try things to see what may work :-) & find out if what we wanted to work,... didn't :-( but we tried. I feel the older I get, the more I like plants. Thank you so much for your time & videos.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Exactly! thanks
@stevenbp101
Жыл бұрын
Morning Charles, It’s always a pleasure to get to look around your place. Love how big your compost sheds are. I’ve got my tomatoes started now and that’s about it. We still have Garlic, a few onions and some carrots still out in the garden. Not anything like yours. Thanks for sharing. 🇺🇸
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Hi Steven, hope you can start a few more soon & AK weather is ok!
@jennyjohnson9012
Жыл бұрын
Gosh Charles this has given me so much hope. I lost all my autumn planted Broad Beans to the -17 deg we had up here one night in Scotland. Also my Spring cabbages and a lot of Kale froze, melted then turned to slush . Never known anything like it. I really hope this is the end of Winter now. Thankyou so much for showing us around Homeacres. Cant wait to see it all sprout into action again!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Sorry to hear that, new spring new hope. 💚
@georgecarlin2656
Жыл бұрын
15:58 I'd suggest using charcoal (biochar) to deal with garlic fungus issues. Charcoal is known to help with this better than compost. I already planted my garlic this way, waiting for my first harvest in July. You should do an experiment - do a very small plot with 20% biochar deep enough and plant garlic in it.
@soniasarina
Жыл бұрын
That’s really interesting, do you have an idea why biochar helps combat fungus? I use mine as an add on in compost…
@georgecarlin2656
Жыл бұрын
@@soniasarina I imagine superior biodiversity, because in short compost is food + microbes while biochar is homes + microbes, and not just any homes, ones that will stay forever, whose walls adsorb various foods and water and are deep enough to hide in them. Afaik garlic doesn't like excessive N in the soil and biochar takes care of that too. Though biochar is known to help specifically against Rust fungus, the old timers reported that in times of Rust decease where old charcoal pits were burned the wheat never gets infected by it.
@paorahekenui6616
Жыл бұрын
Take the good with the bad. We done
@alanchamberlain4173
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Charles. Echo the last two comments. Two things: at the end there's a slip of the tongue which might need a caption over - 10 March not May for tomatoes! Secondly the disproportionate damage by frost has been the same here in Norfolk. Broad beans Aquadulce Claudia: 1 survivor. Spinach Medania: wiped out. Tatsoi outside looking very rough, inside something's eating it (of course). Best survivor outside: kale, 100% OK. Broccoli 50% like yours. But lifting the last parsnips last week, they were great (though the spade was needed). My real disaster though: using some compost from an open sack to sow seeds ten days ago to save money. Totally false economy. About to resow everything...
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much Alan. Gulp, May!! Open sack should be fine, I do that
@irishcottagerenovation9900
Жыл бұрын
Great tour. Glad to see the problems here in wet west of Ireland are similar. Minus 7 here at times but biggest problem here during winter is condensation at my works poly tunnel as I have to lock it up, my home one is fine because I can open doors although mould did effect lettuce and some of the kale inside. Had wonderful harvest from kale,purple sprouting,carrots,leeks,celery and spinach(winter giant) in poly over winter. You’ve always been my inspiration. Thank you.
@alanchamberlain4173
Жыл бұрын
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Yes... maybe you dont have three cats, when there's -6 frosty ground, so nowhere to... Yes, I'm afraid one of them probably did. I was totally stupid and lazy, smelt a bit of an ammonia smell and just carried on. Still, it's good to support nice seed companies... and, as you always say, in spring you can catch up, from July onwards you can't.
@odette8905
Жыл бұрын
Loved it. What a beautiful tour. Learn something every time! As a relatively new gardener I hadn't realised that F1 crops don't produce viable seeds. Thank you for the teachings. Am enjoying your books. Much to learn. 😄
@philipwilson4025
Жыл бұрын
I’m so impressed with your skill and to see how well you cope with a very difficult winter just like you I’m disappointed with colly in December I had 20 colly naw I have only 4 but as a gardener I will definitely try something different next time…thank you very much for the tireless effort to help us all out with veggies
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Cheers Philip, a pleasure
@Beefyfarmer
Жыл бұрын
Charles, you should get your local farmer with his tractor mower and cut the rest of that field off and build a mound in the field and then when it regrows think of all that extra compost you can make.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
😀
@sualleron3001
Жыл бұрын
Excellent video, as always! I am so relieved to see that I am not the only one having lost so much this winter! My garden here in the Lot et Garonne looks very similar...problems with spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, etc... thank you for showing that gardening is never a perfect science!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Seems so widespread, thanks for sharing 💚
@smas3256
Жыл бұрын
Hi Charles. I think you are getting all my frosty weather. Connecticut Valley U.S.A. We don't have a green house and don't want to sterilize our green compost, just kitchen waste, in our oven to avoid bugs. Others do, Stinks. So we need to buy planting medium to start our seeds to get an early start. Bottom water. After they sprout under basic grow lights we bottom water with a compost tea we made last fall. Onions off to a good start from seeds. First time. Garlic cloves we planted last fall is under compost, leaves, and a tarp. Time will tell how that works out. See you next time. Have fun.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
You sound well sorted! Thanks for sharing
@kittyskid1
Жыл бұрын
I just joined yesterday and all I have to say is: Where have you been all my life? I love gardeninng and never heard of no dig. I'm looking forward to applying your techniques in my new home garden.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Welcome and thanks, you will enjoy these methods!
@johnrimmer7426
Жыл бұрын
The only time of the year my small plot looks anything like Charles'!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
😂😂🌱
@amandar7719
Жыл бұрын
😆
@whatifitnt
Жыл бұрын
Mr Charles, have you considered having some of the odd dead plants tested for chemical poisoning or anything like that... Chemtrails or residues from plants/trees that have been poisoned...? Hope these problems are temporary ... I’ve had similar problems with plants I’ve never had problems with before... 😐 Thank You for sharing your wisdom with us 💝
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Food for thought thanks
@maryd4726
Жыл бұрын
Living not far away and having at least three hard frost with milder periods between, I think it was the freeze/defrost three times which certainly helped the damage.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Yup!
@paulhulley5969
Жыл бұрын
Think normally after a frost we have nice sunny morning with the temperatures above zero so the plants recover but we have had a week or more with extreme night time temperatures and zero degrees during the day so the plants can’t recover
@mamazeeto623
Жыл бұрын
Wonderful to see. Thank you for sharing 🙏🏼
@simonminnican
Жыл бұрын
Wonderful tour as usual Charles thank you. Weirdly reassuring to see so much frost damage, it's not just me!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it Simon
@soniasarina
Жыл бұрын
Wonderful video as always. Loved the planning bit. 😊
@tinkeringinthailand8147
Жыл бұрын
Excellent tour Charles. I can't believe the size of those beets, mine only got to the size of cricket balls :)
@Kittykatkw2000
Жыл бұрын
I tried no dig last year but had to order the garden/compost mix to be delivered. Over all I was pretty let down with the mix. It didn't seem to hold moisture or have much nutrients. So recently, I bought bagged garden soil and turned it into my no dig beds to try to revive them and plan to never dig again. It just needed saving from what appeared to be dead soil. To be continued.....
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
It sounds like compost, which was sold too fresh! Actually the same stuff a year later should be good
@Kittykatkw2000
Жыл бұрын
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thanks for the input. It seemed really heavy. It seemed to me it had to much sand. Hoping I helped it. Time will tell. :) Love your videos!!! I've learned so much!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Thanks, and I see! Sounds like a con :( and good luck with new compost. Mushroom compost is good.
@bexmountford1656
Жыл бұрын
I’ve had some shrubs and things that have lived for years without issue get killed off this year. It was so bitterly cold for several weeks on end. 🤷♀️
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
😒 maddening
@joelwells2169
Жыл бұрын
Hey Charles since we know you're into copper tools, have you ever looked into making a copper sieve? You can find copper hardware cloth online - technology companies use to create Faraday cages to block out EMF's.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Wow, had not! Think that investment might not be worth it compared to tools in soil, intriguing thought
@joelwells2169
Жыл бұрын
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Yeah good point we haven't bit the bullet on something like that yet, just after all the research on copper in soil i have a hard time using any sort of steel in the soil, but also one doesn't necessarily ever need to sieve soil if its broken down enough.
@ThatBritishHomestead
Жыл бұрын
we ahve had such a hard winter. i lost a load of carrots and potatoes! its been a hard year completely! every year is different
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Is so true. Wet weather now!!
@Jreichh
Жыл бұрын
Simply the best
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
😀
@GreenJimll
Жыл бұрын
My over wintering spinach beet has struggled this winter. I transplanted small self sown seedlings in late December and they're staying green but not yet bursting into growth, and the older plants that I usually crop throughout winter have frost burnt leaves like some of the plants Charles showed us. Also noticed some of the chard had rotted in a similar way to the swede in this video. I suspect in my case it was the heavy snow followed by a week of icy sub zero temperatures back in early December that did for them, along with all my brassicas.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Yes indeed. Spring more precious 🌱
@FunnySurpriseToys
Жыл бұрын
Very nice video my friend!👍
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Cheers!
@sharonphelps
Жыл бұрын
I'm finding the wall planner/calendar really useful. I have just planted broad beans in pots under cover in my grow house. The White Lisbon spring onions and lettuce that I thought would survive winter under cloches have disappeared. Phacelia sown as green manure in autumn has either disappeared or failed to grow. My plot is in the northern part of Hampshire, England, and we have had similar freezing winter temperatures after months of torrential rain. I have just completed my first year of growing on an allotment and have been following your methods. Overall, it was a really good year.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Nice to hear Sharon, keep sowing! :)
@anngahagen1370
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for showing the successes and struggles of gardening, and even mentioning aphids in the greenhouse. Do you experience fungus gnats as well?
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Ann, and no. Compost was perhaps too fresh, is sold like that, should not be. Buy earlier next time perhaps
@yvonnejackson1696
Жыл бұрын
I live in the southeastern United States and surprisingly we have a very similar climate to yours in spite of the difference in latitude. After a very hard freeze (17 degrees F) I too lost the cabbage, radishes, fava beans, mustard and turnips-crops mostly known for being cold hardy. But what has concerned me most this year is a weed known as Spanish needle produced stunted deformed seed. This is true everywhere I’ve been and I’ve never seen it happen before.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Oooh I don't like the sound of this deformed seedt! I have an uncomfortable feeling that the trails we see so commonly now contain stuff which is not good for soil and plants. It's in the rain I guess. Hope I'm wrong!
@amandar7719
Жыл бұрын
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Comment caught my eye, Charles. Not sure if the Far East virus and bugs of onions has crept to Turkey or even across Europe. Hard to get onions in Turkey atm. Could be a succession of poor seed quality allowed to infiltrate the markets during Covid home growing demands or various other factors converging, including in the atmosphere. And last year (UK) I had terrible germination/survival except for 2014 seeds from France found in my late mother’s collection. This year I’m getting poor/intermittent onion germination AGAIN with Beds Champ and another (Fothergills and Premier Seeds) but Sturon ok. Trying Walla Walla from Suttons sown few days ago: Only UK major seed supplier selling them after quick google and was surprised they were on offer from £3 something to c80p per 150seeds packet. Seemed odd. Also left some onions and shallots mixture of bulbs and starts in a “leftover bed” that failed to sprout properly in last year’s drought/heat. But started to show signs of recovery in autumn. These have all survived the two freezing snaps we’ve had this winter. Leaving them put to monitor harvest/go to seed depending on how they fair v-a-v rest of onions this year. Btw, spraying garlic with diluted real coffee helped with rust for me two years running now. I also have a permanent little garlic bed experiment going. This will be my 5 year. Produces a mixture of flowering seeds and side cloves. I just leave it be and use fresh green growth for garlic flavouring during spring/early summer. Sorry about long comment. Just thought you might be interested in the world onion and onion seed issues from a UK home veg grower. 😃🧅🧄🥕🥔
@yvonnejackson1696
Жыл бұрын
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thanks for the reply. You could be right. Spanish needle is a very hardy plant that can thrive in difficult environments. I’m keeping an eye out.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Nice to hear of coffee on garlic! Onion seed does not store well and there is a lot of old seed sold.
@Joey18083
Жыл бұрын
The size of a man's chipper can be quite person, Our Charles...
@paullittle5200
Жыл бұрын
I've had similar problems with my swedes as you,with rotting bottoms,I've usually find them to be very Hardy,was wondering if it's to do with more rainfall that we had before the frosts,I'm in the next county,Wiltshire not far from you. Thanks for such an informative video.
@geraldhinde681
Жыл бұрын
Me and my brother have an allotment in Canterbury. we have just finished double digging the final.plot, we get loads of horse manure, which we have dug in we have the best allotment in the area we don't believe in no dig its a lazy way of growing vegetables all the digging is completed before Christmas ara soil is very good full.of worms because of the amount of horse manure we apply green compost goes into the areas where manure is not needed this also is dug in
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Sounds great Gerald that you are happy doing that. As it happens I follow your line of thinking and don't believe in double digging 😀 No dig is clever not lazy. Makes more growth from the same amount of organic matter added, for less effort.
@geraldhinde681
Жыл бұрын
Your forgetting when we have done double digging horse manure has been applied to the sub soil. We have no trouble in the ground getting water logged because of what we have done
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
That is thorough. I also found with no dig on clay soil in my previous gardens, that drainage was excellent. And I can walk on the beds if necessary.
@geraldhinde681
Жыл бұрын
Nothing personal about no dig each to is own Charles
@ali88881
Жыл бұрын
Great video, Charles. Fantastic tip about saving suckers off F1 tomatoes! Ive been lucky, my Durham spring cabbages are still chugging away lovely. They had no protection at all. Your spring showings looking great too. Did you mean 10th March for sowing tomatoes? Surely not 10th may?
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Great news on your cabbage! Yes 10th March :)
@franksinatra1070
Жыл бұрын
Always love seeing what's going on in your gardens Charles. I have actually been able to harvest spinach a couple times this month under my mini poly tunnels in my zone 6/7 garden (right on the border). Accept for two brief but very cold snaps it's been very mild this winter here. The cold snaps did kill my arugula and parsley though. Also still pulling carrots out of the ground. I have onions going under my lights I'm hoping to get out in a few weeks and maybe planting some lettuce, radish and arugula weather permitting. Can't wait to get going!
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Good stuff Frank
@woodworks2123
Жыл бұрын
I normally just chuck my woodchip down but throwing it through a screen like that would let me just have the larger parts on the path and the finer stuff although not quite compost would make a great bulking ingredient to add to the compost esp as alot of people struggle to get enough carbon materials to add to their compost. I love that old metal shed in the small garden. Needs a little lick of paint.😉
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Good to hear. And I like it unpainted!
@TheLivingstons
Жыл бұрын
I always enjoy the garden tours, what a treat. I have to ask - how do you keep the edges of the garden so neat and perfectly square? I am constantly struggling with grass creeping in. Do you use an edger?
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
We use a half moon edger twice a year and keep the grass short to reduce its vigour. Plus we use long handled shears in the summer and autumn
@billybowen3023
Жыл бұрын
Nice one. This is what happens over winter. Some you win some you loose 🤷♂️. I recon it will fly when when warm spring shows up. Charles have you ever thought of make a garden record book? For people to write up sowing dates, bed planning, bed sowing info etc. I ask because in get one from free with a seed company and I find it very useful and easy to look back on and compare results etc?
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Cheers Billy - I use computer :)
@chrisscott-pi5ox
Жыл бұрын
Great video thanks very much for continuing to share. Please could you post a link for where to find the woodchip sieve? That is a fantastic idea but I can't find anything online for it. Thanks.
@CharlesDowding1nodig
Жыл бұрын
Here you are www.vidaxl.co.uk/e/vidaxl-garden-sieve-galvanised-steel/8719883834511.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAmJGgBhAZEiwA1JZoloNvFxDG_Pb9DPp49KuUdHBQNtOZKQCdvS46VAD3Vm4_clCR6BoISxoCmVoQAvD_BwE
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