Make a Garden Cold Frame for Free

Do You Need a Cold Frame in the Garden? It all depends on the weather, how much you raise from seed and how much you garden. Oh and whether you already have a greenhouse or poly-tunnel! In dry or windy climates it can be very difficult to get seed trays to remain moist enough for the seeds to germinate. In cold climates a cold frame can give you a head-start at germinating plants which the soil outside is too cold or frost prone for. In very wet climates a cold frame can provide somewhere tranquil where seeds won’t be disturbed […]

Onions Sprouting in Store?

Lots of people seem to worry about their onions.  Onions have a terrible habit of sprouting in store when the temperature changes.  Even bought onions may start to sprout green shoots in your kitchen cupboard or refrigerator. This is nothing to worry about the onion is a biennial plant and it wants to get growing again in its second year even though it has been pulled out of the ground. Are Sprouting Onions Safe? Yes, Sprouting Onions are Safe! Firstly sprouting onions are fine to eat.  Basically the green shoot is just the beginning of a scallion so you can […]

How To Grow Potato Plants

The simple Potato. A staple part of many peoples Diet with endless varieties and an almost infinite way of cooking them. Also a very important part of becoming more Self Sufficient when it comes to food. Here we will look at he best way to grow Potato Plants, the conditions needed, and many of the other aspects of growing Potatoes. When To Plant Potatoes For the majority of us the best time to plant Potatoes is in late Spring once the last chances of a Frost have disappeared. The tender shoots that appear on chitting Potatoes can easily be damaged […]

How Big Should The Vegetable Garden Be?

For all those interested in self sufficiency the size of the Veg Garden is an important question. Many people looking to grow their own Veg are unsure of how much space it requires to become independent of any Suppliers for their Vegetables. Here you can learn how much Veg to grow to feed a Family of three or four easily. To begin with there is one very important factor if you want to become Self Sufficient in Vegetables. You Must Eat Seasonal Vegetables If you wish to become your own Supplier of Vegetables throughout the year you will be eating […]

The Casa Dirty Boots 4 Year Crop Rotation System

This is the 4 Year Crop Rotation System we follow. Year One Apply lots of muck and plant potatoes. When the potatoes are lifted we plant brassicas which will all be harvested by very early the following spring. Year Two Sow peas and beans along with some spring sown brassicas for harvesting in summer-autumn Traditionally you would apply lime to the soil before sowing. Year Three This is time for the miscellaneous crops (anything not included elsewhere).  Melon, cucumber, peppers, aubergine, tomatoes, lettuce and onions are all included in our miscellaneous crops. We apply a mulch of well rotted compost […]

Getting the Most from the Veg Plot – Crop Rotation

What is Crop Rotation? Crop Rotation is simply the moving of crops from one plot to another over the years.  So rather than keep a bed for planting potatoes in for ever, each year we plant potatoes in a different plot.  The easiest way to think of, and record crop rotation is to assign a type of crop for each year of your crop rotation cycle.  There are numerous systems but perhaps the most common is the 4 Year Crop Rotation system. You break up the crops into four distinct groups and assign them a year.  For example potatoes and […]

Everyone Can Plant A Few Potatoes

Whether you say Potato or Potatoe one thing is certain, everyone can have a few fresh Potatoes wherever they live. From a Field full of this most delicious of crops to a single Potato planted in a Container, we can all do it. You may have been Chitting your Seed Potatoes for Weeks, getting ready to Plant them out when the little Shoots have grown a few centimetres, or you may have not thought about Planting any Potatoes at all. Trust me, however much space you have, planting even a mini crop is worth it. Can I Plant A Single […]