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Fruit & veg growing guide for July
July is usually one of the hottest and driest months so a lot of time may be spent watering. You can reduce water loss and so save yourself some time. Mulching with a layer of organic matter will help preserve moisture but may encourage slugs so you will need to take action against them.
Repairs / maintenance
The first part of any retrofit plan is to design & implement a programme of repairs and maintenance.
Understanding damp
Learn to recognise the different kinds of moisture that can be present in your house, how it got there, what problems it can cause, and how to deal with it.
Fruit & veg growing guide for August
August with a little luck brings us the best of the summer weather but being the traditional holiday month it can be hard to keep on top of the vegetable plot growing with a fortnight away, even if a neighbour can be persuaded to water as required.
Fruit & veg growing guide for September
September is the end of summer although we’re often lucky to have an Indian summer with blue skies and sunshine, nothing is certain with the weather. The bulk of the harvest comes home now and as crops come out the plot begins to empty.
How to grow Matsutake mushrooms
A member recently asked for details on growing the famous (and VERY expensive) Matsutake, the source of some pretty vicious armed confrontations between foragers and landowners not too many years ago.
Preserving mushrooms
Mushrooms can be preserved in several ways, but some species are better preserved in certain ways rather than others. What follows is a brief guide.
Preserving mushrooms
Mushrooms can be preserved in several ways, but some species are better preserved in certain ways rather than others. What follows is a brief guide.
Fruit & veg growing guide for October
October is really the last of the hectic months on the vegetable plot. There’s little to sow and plant but still a fair amount to harvest and store away to eat through winter. This is the month when the first frosts usually arrive so killing off all but the hardy plants.
Fruit & veg growing guide for November
November is the month when the hard frosts and heavy rain usually arrive so it’s important to grab whatever time you can on the plot in case you don’t get another chance.
Fruit & veg growing guide for December
Predicting winter weather is as hard as predicting summer weather in Britain, which makes it difficult to advise on jobs. We’re pretty sure of seeing some hard frosts but those dreaming of a white Christmas are actually more likely to see a white Easter.