The Garden Smallholder

LATEST ARTICLES ( 197 )

• Freezing February

  The past few days and nights have been bitterly cold, snowing on and off but not enough to settle as it did last month. Despite the cold I forced myself... Read more

  Posted on 12 February 2021 GARDENING, HOME

• Extending the Vegetable Garden

  Our raised bed vegetable garden was created many years ago and started out, as most do, with digging up the lawn. At the time of starting our garden I’d heard... Read more

  Posted on 10 February 2021 GARDENING, HOME

• Chickens on Lockdown

  We’re not the only ones on lockdown, the chickens have been banished from the garden since December due to avian influenza. I really miss watching them struttin... Read more

  Posted on 08 February 2021 GARDENING, HOME

• Make a No Dig Bed

  Last weekend we made a no dig raised bed using left over wood, just a basic rectangle frame screwed together in each corner using decking screws. It measures 4f... Read more

  Posted on 11 April 2020 GARDENING, HOME

• Lockdown Lowdown

  

  This is an extremely testing time for us all and gardening has never felt as important as it does right now, for healthy bodies and mind. Read more

  Posted on 08 April 2020 GARDENING, HOME

• Keep Calm and Garden on Through Covid-19

  The kitchen garden has been a tad neglected since taking on my allotment, it’s looking a bit sorry and needs taming. February was a very wet month and being a... Read more

  Posted on 25 March 2020 GARDENING, HOME

• Allotment Blog Pumpkins and Bunting

  Hello there, gardening friends! I realise it’s been rather a long while since my last blog post here and the reason for that is being busy with my new... Read more

  Posted on 23 November 2019 GARDENING, HOME

• Guide to Keeping Chickens – Housing Your Chickens

  

  Keeping chickens is relatively trouble-free once you have a routine going, but it’s surprising how much there is to learn about keeping a small back garden or... Read more

  Posted on 02 November 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Back In The Allotment Saddle

  

  The long hot summer has been and gone and I’m reaping the rewards in the kitchen garden. The autumn tidy up has begun and having chickens roaming around the... Read more

  Posted on 29 October 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• My Sweet Little Allotment

  Have I mentioned I love my allotment and how happy I am lately? Even flying visits to water leave me feeling immensely proud, happy and relieved. Read more

  Posted on 18 June 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Strawberry Season

  Our strawberries are starting to ripen now, each morning I greedily search through the foliage for ruby red fruit. We grow Cambridge Favourite strawberries and... Read more

  Posted on 15 June 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Busy Month of June

  June is a hectic month for a gardener. Endless pots of tender plants that have been nurtured and protected for many weeks can go outside now, suddenly lots of... Read more

  Posted on 13 June 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Broad Bean Bruschetta

  

  Harvesting broad beans " data-medium-file="https://thegardensmallholder.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/img_2878-3.jpg?w=300"... Read more

  Posted on 07 June 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Broad Bean Bruschetta

  Harvesting broad beans " data-medium-file="https://thegardensmallholder.files.wordpress.com/2018/06/img_2878-3.jpg?w=300"... Read more

  Posted on 07 June 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• More Planting on the Allotment

  Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day and very hot, I decided to finish painting inside the shed during the hottest part of the day to avoid getting sunburn and... Read more

  Posted on 04 June 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• New Fence and Planting

  Last weekend I had a bit of help from Rich to put a fence around the allotment using chicken wire and fencing pins to keep rabbits and deer out. Read more

  Posted on 31 May 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• After the Rain

  Rain arrived late last night and continued till morning, the kitchen garden looks refreshed with a noticeable earthy aroma to the air. Read more

  Posted on 25 May 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Letting Go

  With this great weather set to stick around for a while longer we took the plunge and planted out courgettes and butternut squash in the raised bed kitchen... Read more

  Posted on 22 May 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Beautiful Evenings on the Allotment

  

  The weather at the moment is glorious. Blue cloudless sky and warm sunny evenings spent on the allotment is a tonic, the stresses of everyday life melt away... Read more

  Posted on 21 May 2018 GARDENING, HOME

• Allotment Shed

  

  The new shed has been in place on plot 33 for a number of weeks, I’ve even managed to paint it a lovely shade of cream thanks to the warm dry weather that’s bee... Read more

  Posted on 17 May 2018 GARDENING, HOME