Mwillis

LATEST ARTICLES ( 1426 )

• A Carrot for Every Reason...

  

  They say that the onion is the heart of every good meal, and we use loads of them in our cooking, but next after onions I think carrots are the most versatile... Read more

  Posted on 29 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• End-of-season Cucumbers

  

  The cucumber is one of those vegetables that is always welcome in our house, and we eat them all the year round. During the Summer I do my best to keep us well... Read more

  Posted on 27 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Harvesting Squashes and Huauzontle

  

  I have been to the Courtmoor plot less frequently since the weather turned cooler. In the very hot dry spell I had to go at least every other day, in order to... Read more

  Posted on 25 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Some Colour in the Garden

  

  When people use that phrase - "some colour in the garden", they are usually referring to flowers. Not me though. As ever, my attention is fixed on the... Read more

  Posted on 23 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Biochar

  

  is a is a potent soil improver made with eco-friendly charcoal. It is designed to improve soil fertility and water retention – and so boost plant health and cro... Read more

  Posted on 21 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Not All Tomatoes Are Red

  

  As is my wont, this year I have been growing loads of different varieties of tomato - some big, some small, some cordons, some bushes, some red ones - and some... Read more

  Posted on 19 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• The Shelling Beans Are Shelled.

  

  Over the last week or so, my beans have been completing their drying - outside in the sunshine whenever possible.I'll remind you what types they were. The... Read more

  Posted on 17 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• A Couple of Firsts

  

  Having been away for a couple of days I went up to my Courtmoor plot today to see how things were doing - but thankfully not to water it, since there was a... Read more

  Posted on 15 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• On the Downward Trend

  

  My plot at Courtmoor Avenue is not looking as fully populated as it was a few weeks ago.There is quite a bit of bare soil, now that the onions, shallots and... Read more

  Posted on 13 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Sweet Chilli Sauce

  

  A couple of days ago I picked this year's first batch of ripe chillis.The large red ones are a type of "Cayenne", the small red ones are "Aji Benito" and the... Read more

  Posted on 11 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Shelling-beans

  

  By the term "shelling-beans" I mean the type of bean that you grow not for their pods, but for the beans inside them. When mature, the pods are dried and then... Read more

  Posted on 09 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• It's Tomato Time!

  

  I love growing vegetables, but the crop I look forward to most is the tomato. There is something magical about watching the green fruits slowly change colour. Read more

  Posted on 07 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Is It Worth over-Wintering Chillis?

  

  For the past several years I have kept some of my chilli plants through the Winter, and re-potted them the following Spring. To be honest, it is always a... Read more

  Posted on 05 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Harvesting Maincrop Potatoes

  

  If you're looking for advice, or a tutorial, you'll be disappointed with this post! This year is the first time I have grown Maincrop potatoes, and the results... Read more

  Posted on 04 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Courtmoor Plot - End of July Update

  

  The long spell of hot dry weather finally came to an end last weekend, with our first significant rain in two months. It's such a relief not to have to spend... Read more

  Posted on 03 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Chicken Of The Woods

  

  I'm sure that many readers will know by now that I am a keen forager and amateur fungi-spotter, and I sometimes write about the fungi I have seen. Read more

  Posted on 01 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Onion Frittata

  

  Just recently we have been re-watching the TV series "The Hairy Bikers' Mediterranean Adventure", which has given us lots of inspiration for dishes to cook. Read more

  Posted on 31 July 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Blossom End Rot

  

  (BER for short) is an ailment that mainly affects tomatoes, but also aubergines and peppers. Some of my tomatoes are suffering from it now. Read more

  Posted on 29 July 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Garden Update - 27 July

  

  These days I seem to write mostly about my "new" plot at Courtmoor Avenue, at the expense of my own garden. I suppose this is understandable, since my own garde... Read more

  Posted on 27 July 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Tomatoes Progress Report

  

  Regular readers will recall that for family holiday reasons this year I sowed my tomato seeds a bit later than usual, so I can't yet claim to have any ripe... Read more

  Posted on 25 July 2018 GARDENING, HOME