Gardening Plans for this year We had a very mixed year in 2017. We did ok with most things and very well with leeks and potatoes but once again all our tomatoes fell to the blight, so we will not be bothering with them this year at all. We have also declared war on the dreaded cabbage whites. They decimated …
The garden in December
The garden in December After all the snow our garden is looking fairly tatty. We are still harvesting leeks, carrots and a few other bits and pieces, but this year is not a patch on last year. Our sprouts are pathetic. They were well and truly attacked earlier by the dreaded cabbage white and never really recovered. Last year we …
Beginners Guide to Starting a Vegetable Garden
Growing your own vegetables is one of the most rewarding parts of gardening. Yet planning and creating a garden can be a daunting prospect for beginners. Here on A Life in the Forest of Dean we have discussed our vegetable garden in June. In this post we look at some top tips to help you start your own vegetable garden. Start Small …
Memorial to freeminers killed at Forest of Dean
Image captionThe memorial made of steel and stone stands next to Pan Tod beacon on Ruardean Hill A new memorial has been unveiled to remember freeminers who died in mining accidents in the Forest of Dean. The 7ft (2.13m) monument made of steel and stone stands next to Pan Tod beacon on Ruardean Hill, Gloucestershire and records the names of …
The end of the summer garden
Summer garden nearly over Not quite of course, but you can see the changes. We are still eating beans. The runner beans are producing bumper harvests. We also tried some french climbing beans. The purple ones are delicious and grow well, but the white and yellow are just not as nice, so I’ll give them a miss next year. Other …
Growing your own vegetables
Growing your own vegetables Last year we moved into our little cottage here in the forest of dean. About half the garden was down to a scruffy lawn. We rotovated the lawn, felled a large horrid pine tree and created 4 deep beds. As we only started planting in the 3rd week of July we didn’t expect much at all, …
Enjoying the summer harvest
The summer harvest We have had a very good year so far. We are eating strawberries new potatoes peas carrots and beetroot. The rewards for growing your own are many and various. It is a great hobby, saves you money and promotes feelings of peace and tranquility. Yesterday I sowed winter vegetable seeds like parsnips swedes turnips and kale. Last …
The vegetable Garden
The Vegetable Garden in June Despite the peculiar weather the vegetable garden is doing very well. We have been eating lettuce, new potatoes, strawberries, spring onions and carrots for the last few weeks. Today I have planted aubergines and sown 3 rows of swedes and some turnips. The tomatoes are now flowering well. This year as an experiment we have …
Planting more greens and root veg
New Planting I have been planning to plant more this weekend, but I need a bit of space. We had already planned to start digging up the new potatoes and after last nights winds here in the forest of dean they are looking a mite dishevelled so we will be starting on Friday to harvest them. We have broccoli ready …