The Garden Smallholder

LATEST ARTICLES ( 197 )

• A Sunny November Afternoon

  

  The sun was shining today, so we grabbed the opportunity to plant some garlic and carry on with the autumn tidy up. Recent morning frosts claimed the last of ou... Read more

  Posted on 19 November 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• It’s Funny How Tastes Change

  

  As a child I hated Brussels sprouts. With a screwed up face I’d gingerly chew in slow motion, desperately thinking of a way to avoid swallowing the evil things. Read more

  Posted on 14 November 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Chicken Moult

  

  Around this time of year, when our chickens are going through their late autumn moult, coops and pens resemble a chicken crime scene. Huge bundles of feathers... Read more

  Posted on 13 November 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• What’s Growing On In November?

  

  I realise I haven’t done a monthly ‘What’s Growing On’ post for such a long time. Here we are in November, the kitchen garden a very different scene to my post... Read more

  Posted on 08 November 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Roast Autumn Veg with Beans

  

  A very simple and tasty seasonal dish, bringing the usual autumnal vegetables together. I used a late bloomer courgette in this recipe, it was given the... Read more

  Posted on 02 November 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Blueberries in November

  

  Earlier this year we planted our first blueberry bushes in lovely old bath tubs. I wasn’t expecting much from their first growing year to be honest, but was... Read more

  Posted on 01 November 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Happy Halloween 2017

  

  Wooo it’s Halloween (eeek!) and it’s a bit chilly outside! I’m having a rummage through seed packets and giving them a sort out, then I’ll be splitting garlic... Read more

  Posted on 31 October 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• A Touch of Frost

  

  There was a real nip to the air this morning. A light blanket of frost arrived overnight as predicted, the veg garden looked so pretty twinkling in the morning... Read more

  Posted on 30 October 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• A Quick Autumn Tidy Up

  

  We did a spot of autumn tidying in the veg garden this afternoon. The weather has been so lovely and mild for the time of year and the garden still looks so... Read more

  Posted on 29 October 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Green Tomato Chutney

  

  Our tomatoes are still going strong in the greenhouse but there are plenty of fruits that won’t ripen now. Our chutney recipe is perfect for using up a glut of... Read more

  Posted on 23 October 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Bringing in the Beans

  

  One of my garden jobs this month has been picking beans and bringing them in to shell. We grew 6 different climbing bean varieties this year, each were chosen... Read more

  Posted on 21 October 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Half a Year of Gardening

  

  In early summer just after my last blog post I ended up in hospital having surgery I wasn’t fully expecting. For some time I haven’t been well enough to tend... Read more

  Posted on 18 October 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Rhubarb Jam

  

  The Garden Smallholder If you’re growing an early rhubarb variety such as Timperley Early, chances are you’re already looking for rhubarb recipes. Read more

  Posted on 16 April 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• How I Support Peas

  

  The Garden Smallholder I love seeing peas scrambling up natural pea sticks, tiny tendrils stretching out, curling tightly around their rustic support like... Read more

  Posted on 29 March 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• What’s Growing On In March?

  

  I’m a bit late with this post but better late than never! What’s growing on in our kitchen garden this month? Timperley Early rhubarb never fails to produce as... Read more

  Posted on 28 March 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Pullet Egg

  

  s are just the most adorable little things ever. Perfectly formed, just a much smaller version. A pullet is a female chicken less than a year old, depending on... Read more

  Posted on 18 March 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Blueberries in Tubs

  

  No matter how much growing space you have, sometimes you just have to use containers. Blueberries require an acid soil and our soil doesn’t quite cut the... Read more

  Posted on 12 March 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Tips For Potting On Tomatoes

  

  Tomato seedlings can be potted on when large enough to handle but I prefer to do this once the first or second pair of true leaves emerge. Read more

  Posted on 10 March 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Pick of the Crop, Our Choice of Garlic to Grow

  

  Red Duke Garlic is a heritage variety with fierce and spicy flavour, it originates from Moravia, Czech Republic and appears to do well in the UK climate. Read more

  Posted on 22 February 2017 GARDENING, HOME

• Easy Way of Planting Potatoes

  

  I want to make life as easy as possible when planting our seed potatoes so I use my ‘potato planting tool’. Ok so it’s not the real tool (they do exist look the... Read more

  Posted on 12 February 2017 GARDENING, HOME