Life on Pig Row

Planting Fruit in the Forest Garden

We have over the years tried to make the lawned area an orchard, a wildflower garden and a Covid allotment (a return to Dig for Victory) to keep our wellbeing during lockdown. It has always been a problem area. Too expensive to landscape into a lawn, too exposed to leave alone. So, taking a leaf out of permaculture, we decided that the best way forward was to integrate the remaining orchard into an edible forest garden. See the first phase here.

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Mar

Get Your Chit On!

I daren't think how many times I have spoken about chitting potatoes on this blog. A quick search brings up films on how to chit, step by step, or spud by spud. I have written posts about the arguments that swirl around chitting - to chit or not chit? That's the question that Shakespeare missed.

Mar

How to Prune Hydrangeas

With spring tantalisingly close and the winter being relatively mild, we encourage gardeners to check over their hydrangeas which may have sprung into life, as our's have. It's time to prune them if that is the case. We are worried that a job once done in spring is now creeping earlier and earlier with climate change but gardeners must adapt. Learn how to prune hydrangeas here.

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Mar

Planting a Forest Garden

Last Friday, we showed you here our plans for a forest garden. If you're unfamiliar with the concept of a forest garden then it's time to delve into the outskirts of permaculture. Permaculture has had a massive impact on the way I grow over the years. It has made me question what is a weed and more importantly, what is a garden.

Feb

Starting A Forest Garden

This week's film goes to the farthest end of our garden, right at the top of the hill and we will be revisiting this very soon to show you some of the bones of the garden to come, planted. Until then, Andrew takes you through the plants ready to go in the ground and getting the old lawn ready, and why we are not keeping the lawn here.

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Feb

Type 2 Diabetes: The Low Carb Option

Before I start, please always consult with your doctor. What works for me, may not work for you and if you have underlying health issues are going through the menopause, my weight loss may not be your weight loss. Basically, remember that we are all unique - there is no one else like us - and that means we all have to learn what works for us.

Feb

Planting Raspberries in Pots

You may not have enough space, you may be waiting to clear space but you can grow raspberries in pots and Andrew shows you how to here in the latest Friday film.

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Feb

Bricks! Bricks! Bricks! Bricks!

Suffice to say I love an old Victorian brick, keep your modern muck, your fancy engineered brick that doesn't know nowt about cold winters and coal fires. Aye, I am talking about a reet real brick, the kind that can be lobbed onto the soil without fear of it shattering. I am talking something old that feels great in your hand and requires painstaking removal of old mortar that is blacker than a Goth in a midnight forest in the middle of nowhere (with no street lighting!). These are my bricks.

Feb

Storing Seed

It's time for the Friday film and bring you solutions to storage for your seeds. Find the latest film here and enjoy!

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Feb

Anywhere I Hang My Hat Must Be Steady

Don't worry, I am not going all Paul Young and for those of you reading this, who somehow missed the 80s due to when you were born or the copious amount of alcohol, drugs and leg warmers that pervaded that decade, don't worry. He was a pop star and in hindsight, and in comparison to many new 'pop stars' a bloody good one. I mean, we are talking Rick Astley territory. Calm down.

Life on Pig Row

A garden and kitchen full of joy