Hi Steve 👋 Another fab video ❤ Those straw bales worked a treat didn't they so well done on trying that.👏👏👏 Handy mulch or compost material now they're breaking down maybe 🤔 Brussels sprouts definitely for all year round. 👍 We love them in our household.. Great Basil drying tips and ice cube method is a great idea too. Happy gardening ❤
Amazed by how much the Straw bales have broken down, I know you gave it some real encouragement with the additions in Spring but even so its interesting. Good tip with the Basil
You just wanted to show off the guns 💪. We had our flue but Covid booster not til next month. We had so much rain yesterday it closed roads due to small landslides. It’s still raining today but not as bad. The top weight carrots are amazing I will definitely do them again. 2024 the year of the nothing normal. Great update as always 👍, have a fab week, Ali ☔️☔️☔️🇨🇦
Batwings more like LOL Sounds like we are having the same weather, Ali, as we had many roads near me closed due to rain! Yes those Topweight are great and I'll be sowing then again in '25! Hope you have a great (drier!) week over there
Hope you are feeling better now Digwell? Your plots are looking great. Your straw bales have done really well. Great tips on using your basil, I have dehydrated mine and it's a bit like spinach, however much you put in you get a tiny amount back. Take care
Much better thanks Bethan, not quite 100% - but I never have been LOL You may get a tiny bit back, but all the oils and flavour are still there in the leaf. Much less hassle to ice cube them but I need dried ones too for breads, dumplings etc
I know LOL - a bit of added protein! Actually, I have only eaten on ear as a corn on the cob, this year. All the rest I have stripped the kernels from to use as sweetcorn.
Great video as usual Steve. It looks like your lower plot gets all the runoff from the upper plots which you can play to your advantage. Maybe its why the previous tenant gave it up. Good to grow all your sweetcorns, curcubits and all the other thirsty crops. Proof of that is in the difference in the sweetcorn growth 😉😁🌱☀️
Yep. I watched the 5 previous tenants struggle with it and not a single one did anything to improve the soil - the main reason I am going for mostly raised beds on the plot with the remainder no-dig.
Now your use your f straw and raised beds makes perfect sense Steve! We had our flu and Covid about 5 weeks ago. Irene’s arm was quite sore, but mine was nothing. On the other hand, it dig kick me pretty good the next day. Good luck with your personal choice moist - so good they decided you could have your own. Thanks for sharing. Take care friend.
@@BrainStormAcres Thanks a lot guys! If the vaccine is this bad I'd hate to catch the real thing, so as they say - prevention is better than cure! Hope you have a great weekend over there 🙂
Great update as usual. Do you use organic neem to get rid of nasties. It doesn't kill bees, butterflies, birds or humans and is actually edible for us. Lol.
No, I stopped using Neem Oil a few years ago after I found out that it not approved as a pesticide in the UK. And even if it is used there are many plants that the sellers of the stuff say it should not be used on, like: peppers, beans, peas, as well as on most herbs, including basil, dill, coriander, oregano, parsley, and thyme. Neem oil is a funny one and like most things gardening their are lovers and haters of it LOL An interesting read: horticulture.co.uk/neem-oil/
Another way to save leaves, not neccessarily "much better" though. Almost impossible to blanch basil leaves, and if they are not blanched before freezing then the emzymes that cause rot are not killed so it is a very short term storage for me, about 4 weeks max. Having said that, they all have their uses. Dried herbs are better in breads for example, and herb ice cubes (no rot as no oxygen) are great to throw into a stew or casserole. Whole frozen leaves, as you suggest, are good pressed into the top of a paté or terrine etc
Hi Steve 👋
Another fab video ❤
Those straw bales worked a treat didn't they so well done on trying that.👏👏👏 Handy mulch or compost material now they're breaking down maybe 🤔
Brussels sprouts definitely for all year round. 👍 We love them in our household..
Great Basil drying tips and ice cube method is a great idea too.
Happy gardening ❤
Yep, these ones will be used to bolster the no dig beds.
Amazed by how much the Straw bales have broken down, I know you gave it some real encouragement with the additions in Spring but even so its interesting. Good tip with the Basil
Thanks Mike 👍I know some say the bales "may" last another year but they all tend to be from the warmer and drier US states
You just wanted to show off the guns 💪. We had our flue but Covid booster not til next month. We had so much rain yesterday it closed roads due to small landslides. It’s still raining today but not as bad. The top weight carrots are amazing I will definitely do them again. 2024 the year of the nothing normal. Great update as always 👍, have a fab week, Ali ☔️☔️☔️🇨🇦
Batwings more like LOL
Sounds like we are having the same weather, Ali, as we had many roads near me closed due to rain!
Yes those Topweight are great and I'll be sowing then again in '25!
Hope you have a great (drier!) week over there
Im supprised how much the straw bales have broken down the stuff you used in the beginning of the season definatly works
I wasn't sure what to expect as 99% of the bale advice is from warmer climates.
Hope you are feeling better now Digwell? Your plots are looking great. Your straw bales have done really well. Great tips on using your basil, I have dehydrated mine and it's a bit like spinach, however much you put in you get a tiny amount back. Take care
Much better thanks Bethan, not quite 100% - but I never have been LOL
You may get a tiny bit back, but all the oils and flavour are still there in the leaf. Much less hassle to ice cube them but I need dried ones too for breads, dumplings etc
you can never escape the statutary earwigs in corn. one was crawling alongside the cobs. lol...................brian
I know LOL - a bit of added protein! Actually, I have only eaten on ear as a corn on the cob, this year. All the rest I have stripped the kernels from to use as sweetcorn.
Great video as usual Steve. It looks like your lower plot gets all the runoff from the upper plots which you can play to your advantage. Maybe its why the previous tenant gave it up. Good to grow all your sweetcorns, curcubits and all the other thirsty crops. Proof of that is in the difference in the sweetcorn growth 😉😁🌱☀️
Yep. I watched the 5 previous tenants struggle with it and not a single one did anything to improve the soil - the main reason I am going for mostly raised beds on the plot with the remainder no-dig.
@@DigwellGreenfingers needs a willow tree at the bottom of the hill 😁😆🌱☀️
@@fletchybabe6172 True! 🌴
Now your use your f straw and raised beds makes perfect sense Steve! We had our flu and Covid about 5 weeks ago. Irene’s arm was quite sore, but mine was nothing. On the other hand, it dig kick me pretty good the next day. Good luck with your personal choice moist - so good they decided you could have your own. Thanks for sharing. Take care friend.
@@BrainStormAcres Thanks a lot guys! If the vaccine is this bad I'd hate to catch the real thing, so as they say - prevention is better than cure!
Hope you have a great weekend over there 🙂
Steve the plot is looking great for this point. I did herbs myself today. I have enough parsley to start a store LOL
And the store could be called, "Robin Gardens!" LOL
Great update as usual. Do you use organic neem to get rid of nasties. It doesn't kill bees, butterflies, birds or humans and is actually edible for us. Lol.
No, I stopped using Neem Oil a few years ago after I found out that it not approved as a pesticide in the UK.
And even if it is used there are many plants that the sellers of the stuff say it should not be used on, like: peppers, beans, peas, as well as on most herbs, including basil, dill, coriander, oregano, parsley, and thyme.
Neem oil is a funny one and like most things gardening their are lovers and haters of it LOL
An interesting read: horticulture.co.uk/neem-oil/
Much better to freeze fresh whole basil leaves in a zip-lock plastic bag. It retains flavor and aroma and has a nice presence in your tomato sauce.
Another way to save leaves, not neccessarily "much better" though. Almost impossible to blanch basil leaves, and if they are not blanched before freezing then the emzymes that cause rot are not killed so it is a very short term storage for me, about 4 weeks max.
Having said that, they all have their uses. Dried herbs are better in breads for example, and herb ice cubes (no rot as no oxygen) are great to throw into a stew or casserole. Whole frozen leaves, as you suggest, are good pressed into the top of a paté or terrine etc