Tag: gardens
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Unexpected Pollinators
Did you know that flies help with hundreds of crops including cacao (chocolate) and a variety of wildflowers? They’re crucial pollinators, second only to bees, with Syrphid flies (hoverflies) being the most significant group, known for mimicking bees and pollinating numerous crops and wildflowers, alongside others like blowflies (Calliphoridae), bee flies (Bombyliidae), and tachinid flies. Flies can be found in harsh weather…
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Peas
Peas – always fun to grow, always decimated by snails in my experience. Every year, I race to do a slug pub, but it always ends up being too late. This year I’m determined to get my peas through the season, uneaten by anything other than myself. Interestingly, they say that one person needs 10-30…
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New Seeds Prepped And At The Ready!
Had family visiting recently, including a teething, cold-ridden 10 month old baby. After three nights of no sleep, I retreated to the garden to do some more seeds. It turns out, garden time is exactly what the kid needed! Soothed him to sleep with no problem! And it soothed me too. God knows I needed…
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Garlic & Potatoes
My second potato patch was paired with garlic over the past winter, and now I’ve got a sea of both. It’s quite beautiful, and honestly, incredibly reassuring, given the state of world affairs and the news these days. Potatoes and garlic are both things I would struggle to go without, but now they’re both on…
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Potatoes & Broccoli
Guess what I grew overwinter? Potatoes and broccoli! I grew the broccoli for the seeds, and this is just one of three potato patches in my garden currently. I think there’s even a garlic plant or two in there. I’m starting to appreciate the plants that grow during the worst times of the year, and…
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Mystery Plant!
While a lot of my seeds haven’t been taking, I’m so glad to see that these ones have. The only downside: I have no clue what they are. They could be tomatoes, chillies, lemons, aubergines, peppers, or so many other things. I know a lot of plants look like this at this stage, but whatcha…
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Goddamn, Why Won’t They Take?
I have a few seed trays where a) I have no clue what I put in there, and b) none of it’s even growing… It’s a little rage inducing. I was trying to overwinter these, goddamn it. I truly hate when these garden fails hit. But it’s something important for all preppers out there to…
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Am I Actively Growing Nettles? Hell Yes!
Funnily enough, my grow beds are the only place in my garden where the stinging nettles grow. You’d think I’d be ripping them out from the get-go, but I love nettles! They feed your garden, and if you use them right, they feed you. Pick the leaves, fry ’em up in some butter with some…
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My Grow Beds!
Finding grow beds can be such a pain in the backside. They end up being expensive and just die on you after a year half the time. So last year, desperate to have a decent growing section in our garden, I decided to make a couple of them from scrap wood. Don’t get me wrong,…
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Daisy Tea
Spring is finally here! And the first thing I’ve done? Pick and dry daisies for tea! They smell gorgeous, but they’re also great in that they: Even better: they’re everywhere! So make them into a tea or a poultice, or whatever else takes your fancy! Stick them in a salad, or make a nice lip…
