Mwillis

LATEST ARTICLES ( 1426 )

• A Trio of Amanitas

  

  The genus of fungi called the Amanitaceae ("The Amanita family" to the layman!) contains about 600 different species, including some of the most poisonous,... Read more

  Posted on 30 October 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• In the Spotlight: Galerina Marginata

  

  Having posted the other day about one of the best edible mushrooms, today I am going to write about one of the most dangerous! This is Galerina marginata,... Read more

  Posted on 24 October 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Spotlight on the Cep Mushroom

  

  In the world of fungi there are some types that are considered great delicacies, and top of the list of these is surely the Boletus edulis, also known as the... Read more

  Posted on 21 October 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Fungi Hunting

  

  I'm sure that many readers already know that I'm keen on hunting fungi - to photograph them, and if appropriate, bring them home for use in the kitchen. Read more

  Posted on 17 October 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Courtmoor Plot Update

  

  I think I mentioned a couple of days ago that I haven't been to my Courtmoor Avenue plot much lately. This is mostly because there isn't very much up there... Read more

  Posted on 15 October 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• The October Garden

  

  This year the weather has surprised us many times. Very cold, wet weather in the Spring, hot and dry in the Summer, and now (after a short spell of more "normal... Read more

  Posted on 13 October 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Carrots out and Endives in

  

  Until recently, one of my five big raised beds has been occupied entirely by carrots, growing away unobtrusively under their protective covering of Enviromesh. Read more

  Posted on 11 October 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• For the Love of Chillis...

  

  On Sunday we went down to Kent for the annual Challock Chilli Fest, held at the Victoriana Nursery Gardens. This delightful chilli-themed event has a lot of... Read more

  Posted on 09 October 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Harvesting Chinese Artichokes

  

  This time last year, a friend gave me a few tubers of Stachys affinis - Chinese Artichokes, aka Crosnes. They have been growing all year in a pot on my patio,... Read more

  Posted on 07 October 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Planting Garlic

  

  This is the best time of year for planting garlic. Old gardening lore says that you should plant it on the shortest day of the year and harvest it on the... Read more

  Posted on 05 October 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• A Blog Holiday

  

  I'm going to be taking a break from blogging for a while. At present I'm finding it hard to come up with anything new to write about - it seems to be tomatoes... Read more

  Posted on 18 September 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• The Plot Keeps on Giving

  

  The balance of labour versus results has definitely been in my favour recently, at the Courtmoor plot. In the early part of the year I did a lot of work there,... Read more

  Posted on 16 September 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• End of the Line for the Cherry Tomatoes

  

  This year has been a very good one for tomatoes. The hot weather, combined with the absence of blight, has helped me to achieve a bumper harvest - probably my... Read more

  Posted on 13 September 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Winding Down

  

  It feels very much like the end of Summer now. We still have daytime temperatures in the low to mid twenties (Celsius!), but the nights have been a lot cooler,... Read more

  Posted on 10 September 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Late Summer Bounty

  

  I've recently written a lot about harvests from my Courtmoor Avenue plot, but my main focus is always on my own home garden. Since it is literally on my doorste... Read more

  Posted on 08 September 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• My First Crown Prince Squash

  

  Yesterday I harvested the first of my Crown Prince squashes. Although it was not big by normal standards for this variety (2.67kg), it was a significant... Read more

  Posted on 06 September 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• It's High Season for Tomatoes and Chillis

  

  The hot weather this Summer has been really good for the tomatoes and chillis. I've had a very fine crop of both, and they are still going strong. Read more

  Posted on 04 September 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Reaping the Rewards

  

  After all the hard work I have put in to the Courtmoor plot (particularly the initial digging and then the prolonged watering!), it is nice to be able to relax... Read more

  Posted on 02 September 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Squash and Tomato Soup

  

  Many years ago, on a holiday in Kenya, we had a soup that was so delicious it has stuck in my memory ever since. It's a really simple soup: tomatoes, squash or... Read more

  Posted on 01 September 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Pricking-out Endive Seedlings

  

  Just over three weeks ago I sowed a tray of Endive seedlings. I'm hoping that after a very poor Summer for salad vegetables (due to the heat and lack of... Read more

  Posted on 31 August 2018 GARDENING, HOME