The Garden Smallholder

LATEST ARTICLES ( 197 )

• Jobs for February

  

  Reblogged for a timely reminder of those jobs that can be tackled in the kitchen garden or at the allotment this month. The weather isn’t exactly bitterly cold... Read more

  Posted on 01 February 2016 GARDENING, HOME

• Make Windbreak Panels

  

  The broad beans currently overwintering in the veg garden grew too tall for the tunnel cloches about a month ago, a combination of very fertile soil and a mild... Read more

  Posted on 29 January 2016 GARDENING, HOME

• How to Integrate New Chickens to a Flock

  

  There’s no going back once you’ve caught the chicken keeping bug. Apart from the obvious reason why people decide to keep them, chickens are great company in th... Read more

  Posted on 18 January 2016 GARDENING, HOME

• Wriggly Compost in the Making

  

  Just a quick video to show the activity beneath the composting material, lots of wriggly wiggly worms doing their thing.Filed under: Vegetable Garden Tagged:... Read more

  Posted on 17 January 2016 GARDENING, HOME

• Dengie Bedding for Chickens

  

  Our chickens took part in a mini photo shoot recently for the British Hen Welfare Trust, they had a jolly time kicking Dengie Fresh Bed everywhere! Read more

  Posted on 12 January 2016 GARDENING, HOME

• Kitchen Garden Magazine February 2016

  

  A little bit of fame this month, my blog (and a little about me) features on page 88 in the February edition of Kitchen Garden Magazine! Read more

  Posted on 08 January 2016 GARDENING, HOME

• Chicken Colds – Mycoplasma

  

  A reblog of a post I wrote in 2013 highlighting the symptoms of Mycoplasma, a fairly common respiratory illness in chickens. The Garden Smallholder Bubbles can... Read more

  Posted on 05 January 2016 GARDENING, HOME

• A Stormy End to 2015

  

  So much rain. And gales. Storm after storm. Although our garden is an absolute soggy mess, we’re the lucky ones, our home is dry and our animals are safe. Read more

  Posted on 30 December 2015 GARDENING, HOME

• Merry Christmas

  

  With my laptop before me, sitting beside the tree, I wish all of our readers  a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Karen xFiled under: Uncategorized... Read more

  Posted on 24 December 2015 GARDENING, HOME

• How to Grow Garlic

  

  Originally posted on The Garden Smallholder: Now is the time I start planting garlic. According to the search stats finding my blog recently, the topic of how t... Read more

  Posted on 21 November 2015 GARDENING, HOME

• Caring for Chickens in Winter

  

  The Garden Smallholder:Wrap up warm, a chilly weekend coming up according to weather reports. Before real winter weather sets in I thought I’d share a few... Read more

  Posted on 19 November 2015 GARDENING, HOME

• Wordless Wednesday

  

  Images from our garden smallholding. Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: backyard chickens, chicken blog, Chickens, country life, edible garden, garden, garden... Read more

  Posted on 18 November 2015 GARDENING, HOME

• The First Seeds

  

  The year is rolling along so quickly, it’s hard to believe Christmas will be upon us next month. It’s been a strange year (for me) as far as gardening goes, wit... Read more

  Posted on 13 November 2015 GARDENING, HOME

• How To Hollow Out a Pumpkin The Easy Way

  

  Originally posted on The Garden Smallholder: Each year I grow a couple of extra pumpkins to carve for Halloween. Instead of scooping out the insides myself, I... Read more

  Posted on 30 October 2015 GARDENING, HOME

• RHS The Half-Hour Allotment Book Review

  

  Do you struggle to keep on top of your allotment? Perhaps you’re considering taking on a plot for the first time and worried it will eat into most of... Read more

  Posted on 28 October 2015 GARDENING, HOME

• Apple Cake

  

  I baked a lovely apple cake recently, moist and gently spiced with a generous amount of fruit, the sugar topping gives a slight crunch. It’s incredibly... Read more

  Posted on 29 September 2015 GARDENING, HOME

• Autumn Equinox

  

  The autumn equinox, the first day of autumn occurs today. Well hello pumpkins, chunky knits, soup and leaf kicking season! The most beautiful season of all. Read more

  Posted on 23 September 2015 GARDENING, HOME

• Plum Moth

  

  A frequent ‘pest’ to the Victoria plum in our garden smallholding is the plum moth, the larvae are quite partial to Victoria and Czar varieties. Read more

  Posted on 14 September 2015 GARDENING, HOME

• Preparing a New Raspberry Bed

  

  I’m currently preparing a new bed for planting raspberry canes. I really miss the raspberry patch from our previous kitchen garden, snacking on fresh juicy... Read more

  Posted on 11 September 2015 GARDENING, HOME

• The Chicken Bath

  

  Today the weather was sunny and warm, I watched with amusement some of the hens taking a dust bath in the sunshine, the empty veg beds and patch of bare... Read more

  Posted on 10 September 2015 GARDENING, HOME