I love how honest you are, it's really encouraging to me when you say you forgot about the radishes, or forget to water because you're in Wales. In my work mistakes are disastrous, but gardens are a lot more forgiving, that's probably why I feel like gardening is so good for me!
Perfect time of the year to get those jobs done that you fell behind on. Winter is a great time to reset the clock and get going ready for the coming growing season. The little work you put in now will benefit you throughout the year. Nice filming great video
I'm under 2 feet of snow too. It's a good time to do some land observation. I'm going to do a video tomorrow on this. Also a great time to get projects done. All summer I think it's too hot to do some of this stuff. Great time to clear some trees, make posts, trellises, bird boxes, etc.
It's almost that time🤗 gotta get everything ready, because here in Texas it's hard to find homegrown produce. Almost all produce in the grocery stores are sprayed with chemicals😷 and I prefer my tomatoes and peppers homegrown with love and care and chemical free😁 💚
There is an elegance and beauty to your work Huw. I know that as I age and mellow, things like a warm cup of tea and a stove make me content. Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk can have their 'billions' but when I have my warm cup of coffee, warmed slippers that have been sitting next to the heating vent, a good gardening book and my dog at my feel.... I am the most wealthy, most contented creature on planet Earth. As Voltaire says, 'Ill faut cultivar Notre Jardin'. I will tend my garden and be happy. I love your work. Thank you!
Thank you for posting I like your show always gives me ideas for the garden take care stay safe keep up the great work. God bless you peace be with you.
Highly recommend growing your squashes pumpkins courgettes upwards instead of sprawling along! So much growing space saved and can do really well if at back of a border or wall as can catch all that sun if facing the right way. Great videos Huw
Good day to you my gardening friend, excellent allotment video today Huw !! My dad always said "remember the 5p's and you can't go wrong son" , (perfect preparation prevents poor performance) and I use then with everything I do now. So bring on spring , I ready for you !! 👨🌾🌱🎥👍🙏
This was a lovely, soothing video. I don't have any raised beds, but I do have to tend to my yard. I can definitely start in January. And planning the plants I'm going to put in my yard is a great thing to do right now.
Huw ... marry me. Just don’t tell my husband 😁 Wales is so beautiful. You are a fantastic ambassador for it. Out in the garden all day today myself. Getting ready, wont be long now 👍🏻💚🇮🇪🥦🥕🥔🥬
The best year I ever had in my garden was the result of beginning to condition the soil in January. I carried manure from the chicken pen and leaves to the garden and worked them into the soil with a cultivating fork. The next summer, I had the most beautiful zucchini squash and tomatoes, and potatoes. BTW, average of 7 cm manure compost is about 2.7 inches, so you're recommending about 2-3". If it sits through the winter, it will break down and work in nicely. I heard that horse manure is the mildest and chicken's is the strongest. Cozy video!
Hi James. That is fascinating! Yes I am recommending that amount and sorry I forgot to mention the American conversions! Chicken manure shouldn't ever be applied directly to areas with plants growing, and instead be broken down say in January like you do so the intensity reduces and is less strong to the plants :) Best wishes
James Weh I’ve learned rabbit pooh is so mild, it can be used fresh. Chickens make the strongest and needs to rest. Horse pooh will have tons of undigested seed which will just cause weed problems in the garden. Have you tried vermicompost?
Your cottage and property look wonderful! This makes me miss the UK even more! Lovely Aga as well! I enjoyed a proper cuppa while watching this and memories of the Cotwolds come back to me again! Cheers mate!
Greetings from Nova Scotia! Sure wish we saw green here in January but not to worry all in time. My ancestors are from Devon and I often wonder why they left. Rosemary has sprouted so another season begins! Love your tone and take care.
There seems to be a mixed view on when to top dress with compost. I know a lot of folk apply it in the autumn or winter, but I've seen it suggested that doing so means that much of the nutrients and goodness will be washed away by rain before the spring which negates the benefits to the plants. What do you think?
I need to stay cozy inside as we have about 50cm snow cover and temperatures in the -30C here in the middle of the country 🇨🇦. A couple months to sort seeds, order new seeds, plan the garden layout, and email friends + family for their seedling orders. No rush here but if I was in Wales I'd be outside ... probably in shorts and a tee shirt😉.
I would much rather have 50cm of snow than sun right now...but hey I am off skiing next week so I will get the snow then! Hahaha yes as soon as it is sunny and also at least 8C I will do the same ;)
Great vid. Thanks. When we lived in Scotland, I could garden all winter. In the States, I have a foot of snow and - 4F temps at the moment. Decided to inventory and order seeds, and sent in some orders for fruit trees and bushes. You have a large wooden fence around much of your garden. What is it used for? Since you have many americans watching, you might want to put up inches and temps in the upper right corner. They can't translate very well. If it slows down your vids, don't do it. Lots of good info each time. Cheers!
Huw, i do the same here in a dutch allotment, we are almost the only ones seen out in the garden playing with compost during january showers and cold winds, the dutch consider the englishman a bit crazy but never mind
It’s been a “freezing cold” winter here in Central California. We dipped to 31 F one night!! LOL Huw: I double-dug my beds, laid 7-8 inches of home-made cold compost and covered in a comfy 10 “ layer of leaves. Come planting time in 3-4 weeks, do you recommend I leave the thick layer of leaves as mulch (we get about 6-10 weeks of 100-110 F in June-August?). I can always throw them in a compost heap... Thanks for posting and careful with the bounties from Scotland. LOL
Home made cold compost, please share your way to make that. Down in South Florida, getting my head around to start on tiny piece of land 6ft x half ft... basil is only thing which is still green and not died on me
Hi Huw. I too like the colder months but sometimes a little too wet down here in Cornwall! However, I've just started laying the foundation for a re-homed 12 x 8 greenhouse I have and would be interested in a tour of your greenhouse and/or polytunnel? In particular, I'm interested in the internal layouts/plant into ground/raised beds or not or use large tubs/staging and potting area? Look forward to hearing from you or anyone else reading this.
Hi Richards, yes but hey I can relate to the wet weather ;) Yes I should make a video about that in spring or summer hopefully, and I am planning some polytunnel related videos at other locations this year too. Best wishes, Huw
I like your comment about many people wanting to do whatever they want in the garden. I think that has it's place, but I prefer having a system and taking everything to the next level of production and optimization. By the way, you don't cover your fresh compost spread with any mulch layer? I would love to see your overview of gardening from a systems point of view. I'm also concerned when I start composting I won't have enough material to put on the beds. How can you grow enough material for compost? And what way do you do so to where you're not depleting one area of Earth to feed another? Are there plants that feed atmospherically (such as the way legumes pull nitrogen from the air) that you can grow to generate biomass? I like to make the most of the winter like you, but I must admit that the pull of the tropics is too much for me... and I live in Texas! Granted, in North Texas even though it's not super cold it's always windy at just some of the nastiest weather I've ever experienced. I enjoyed living in Massachusetts more than here in the winter. Now, Houston and Austin have better weather.
Hi Carmelo. There are a few video ideas I have had in response to your comment. I will definitely need to do a video about compost vs manure and how to create and obtain enough! So stay tuned for a video on that to help answer your question. With best wishes, Huw
Cool, you have really high quality videos and good content. Looking forward to seeing the video and your thoughts on how to accomplish such goals. @@HuwRichards
I'm not getting your video notifications now as a subscriber. I had to search online for this one. I thought you had stopped making them as usually your videos are the first thing I look for on Sunday morning over my cuppa tea. Must be a glitch somewhere?
Hi Scottie, unfortunately this is completely out of my control as I have nothing to do with the sub notification button :( Try turning it off and on again perhaps? Awhh thank you!
Hallo everyone! So… I’m a newbie at gardening:) Quick question: after preparing the beds or the containers is it a MUST to protect them ? like covering or tossing mulch on the top of it. Or you can leave it there and just plant in spring. I prepared my things in January. But it looks so dried and ugly.
Love your garden but here in Northeast Tennessee, today (Jan 20, 2019) the high is -2.2 C (28 F) and the low is projected to be -11.6 C (-11 F). We just a another major storm come through but while we didn't get any snow (Yay! No shoveling!) we did get a lot of rain and wind. There's no way I'd go out in this weather, except to feed and water the chickens. We did have some warmer weather at the beginning of the month so I went and cleared out the disaster area known as my garden beds since I didn't do it last year and it was a holy mess. :) BTW, love your house and I'm jealous of your wonderful stove! I also like the lights around that area. I notice you still have some green on your door - very traditional! I assume you won't be taking that down until Imbolc. :)
I found that if I don't cover the raised beds with straw mulch not only in the fall but throughout the growing season, then the birds end up depositing a lot of grass seeds and that can wreck havoc with the beds. It's also a good deterrent for any critters, such as stray kitties, to come and poop in the bed. Squirrels on the other hand... (sigh).
Wow that is SO COLD!!! A good excuse for plenty of hot chocolate and films I think. Thank yous so much for your comment and for watching the video :) Best wishes, Huw
I am in southeast Tennessee. I just moved here in August so I am learning the weather as I convert my grass into flower,vegetable and fruiting plants. The winter here has cold rainy days followed by warm sunny days so I can accomplish quite a bit as I am retired. Instead of pulling up the old plants why not cut them off and leave the roots for the soil critters?
@@nancywebb6549 Hi Nancy! Welcome to TN. Unfortunately what was in my garden that I had to dig up was not veggies but (expletive deleted) various weedy grasses that I thought I had killed with black plastic mulch the year before. Because of the copious amounts of rain we had last year (actually broke a record for rainfall!), and the fact that the garden is next to creek and it gets like the Okeefenokee Swamp (::smile::) when there's too much rain, I didn't get down there to deal with the small stuff and it mushroomed into this huge mess of weeds, grass and even some small trees that started to root (blasted squirrels!) so the only thing I could do is simply come in with a fork and dig the whole mess out before putting down straw mulch to make sure that doesn't happen again. I won't even discuss the strawberry bed which still needs to be worked on. So the lesson I learned is: go down to the garden every day and work on it and don't procrastinate! I have basically 4 beds about 35 feet long and about 3 feet wide (because I can't reach into the middle of the bed if it's any bigger). My property was originally cow "pasture" which I slowly converted a section into the veggie and fruit tree garden starting about 18 years ago. It's an ongoing process, but one that keeps me off the streets and out of trouble! :) SE TN has a different climate than up here in the NE area. There's a great book by Felder Rushing & Walter Reeves called The Tennessee Fruit and Vegetable Book Both authors have degrees in agriculture and were/are extension agents for Mississippi and Georgia. Excellent book that even shows the freeze/frost dates for a variety of cities in TN. Good luck with your gardening!
Are those feet stinky Huw? Weird seeing you grow up from a young lad to a young man. My boys and I use to watch you as part of our homeschool schedule. My eldest is now at Uni and my youngest will hopefully be sitting his iGCSE's in May/June '21. Thank you for these very informative vids!
Yes please I really need help with the strategic planning. I'm also struggling, as a novice, to try and find enough compost or manure without breaking the bank. ( I've only just taken over an allotment) As I don't have much of my own produced yet, and have so far only been able to mulch with straw. Is this a sensible thing. Many thanks
Yes I can see I need to make a video about obtaining compost and manure :) Stay tuned! Straw helps but can encourage slugs, great for things like potatoes! :D
Huw Richards - Grow Food Organically thank you for your reply. The book is amazing thank you so much! Definitely I will encourage you to make a monthly series!! Will be amazing ! Think about that, we are now in February so imagine the idea of making a series like you have in the book. Form beginning of the process until October/December. Will be really helpful and the ones we watch you we could also sent you photos or videos of our process and discuss about it.
As an organic gardenerer do you ensure the manure you use comes from organically raised animals so that no pesticides etc are in the manure you then spread on your vegetable beds?
Nothing at all. Just manure is far more abundant around me than compost,which needs so much input for not as much output, and on my scale if it was just compost I'd have to buy it in if I didn't get manure for free :)
Is that a spade or a shovel?? Lol! What do you call the fork you were using? I call that a hard rake. So interesting how different names are on things!
@@HuwRichards Thanks so much and continue the amazing content. I especially loved the vlog where you talk about gardening on a budget and planting food everywhere. Well done.
Marny Talu 😍😂 I wonder how many girls are subscribed just because he’s eye candy?! His acccccent too! It’s actually harder to learn gardening from him and keep focused.
The shelves behind you are kind of heavy with books ....plenty of reading.... books are always good. Wish my son's would take an interest in this type of thing.
I love how honest you are, it's really encouraging to me when you say you forgot about the radishes, or forget to water because you're in Wales. In my work mistakes are disastrous, but gardens are a lot more forgiving, that's probably why I feel like gardening is so good for me!
Thanks Huw for the lovely simplistic language you use when getting your message across to us novice gardeners
Perfect time of the year to get those jobs done that you fell behind on. Winter is a great time to reset the clock and get going ready for the coming growing season. The little work you put in now will benefit you throughout the year. Nice filming great video
Hi Tony! Exactly that, spring is getting so close now which is so exciting! Thank you for watching :D
I'm under 2 feet of snow too. It's a good time to do some land observation. I'm going to do a video tomorrow on this. Also a great time to get projects done. All summer I think it's too hot to do some of this stuff. Great time to clear some trees, make posts, trellises, bird boxes, etc.
It's almost that time🤗 gotta get everything ready, because here in Texas it's hard to find homegrown produce. Almost all produce in the grocery stores are sprayed with chemicals😷 and I prefer my tomatoes and peppers homegrown with love and care and chemical free😁 💚
You wouldn't believe how much money I make off my garden during harvest time a (yard sale) every Saturday and its a you pick you buy
There is an elegance and beauty to your work Huw. I know that as I age and mellow, things like a warm cup of tea and a stove make me content. Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk can have their 'billions' but when I have my warm cup of coffee, warmed slippers that have been sitting next to the heating vent, a good gardening book and my dog at my feel.... I am the most wealthy, most contented creature on planet Earth. As Voltaire says, 'Ill faut cultivar Notre Jardin'. I will tend my garden and be happy. I love your work. Thank you!
A stunning looking chap!! Really difficult to focus on gardening 🥴
OOOOOOhhh Joanna!
I love listening to your accent.
Thank you for posting I like your show always gives me ideas for the garden take care stay safe keep up the great work. God bless you peace be with you.
Thank you so much Matthew :D Best wishes to you too
Yes, pull up those socks Huw! Loved this video, thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I need to do it more often ey ;)
Enjoyed the intro ... very Pro. I began to think I was settling down to a fireside story with Huw. "Once upon a time ..."
Maybe one day I will do a video like that? ;)
Yes, nice, I love the comment and potential about focusing on planning. I'm looking forward to that video
Thank you! :)
Outstanding video edition. I'm impressed.
Good job.
Thank you so much!!
Thank you for the inspiration! I knew I should be outside working. This was just the push I needed to get out in windy weather!
I am glad this helped motivate you outdoors! :D
I just received your book in the mail. I'm so excited for the upcoming gardening season.☺
Highly recommend growing your squashes pumpkins courgettes upwards instead of sprawling along! So much growing space saved and can do really well if at back of a border or wall as can catch all that sun if facing the right way. Great videos Huw
Great tip!
I agree Jack - much less pest damage too.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
My pleasure Kevin!
Good day to you my gardening friend, excellent allotment video today Huw !! My dad always said "remember the 5p's and you can't go wrong son" , (perfect preparation prevents poor performance) and I use then with everything I do now. So bring on spring , I ready for you !! 👨🌾🌱🎥👍🙏
Good day to you too :D Those 5 p's are awesome! I must remember those!
I wish I READ more about gardening versus UA-cam-ing everything!
Can’t wait for spring!
This was a lovely, soothing video.
I don't have any raised beds, but I do have to tend to my yard. I can definitely start in January. And planning the plants I'm going to put in my yard is a great thing to do right now.
Thank you Kit! That is a fantastic job to do!
Huw ... marry me. Just don’t tell my husband 😁 Wales is so beautiful. You are a fantastic ambassador for it. Out in the garden all day today myself. Getting ready, wont be long now 👍🏻💚🇮🇪🥦🥕🥔🥬
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I am taken :o Wales is indeed a beautiful country and I feel so lucky to live here :D
The best year I ever had in my garden was the result of beginning to condition the soil in January. I carried manure from the chicken pen and leaves to the garden and worked them into the soil with a cultivating fork. The next summer, I had the most beautiful zucchini squash and tomatoes, and potatoes. BTW, average of 7 cm manure compost is about 2.7 inches, so you're recommending about 2-3". If it sits through the winter, it will break down and work in nicely. I heard that horse manure is the mildest and chicken's is the strongest. Cozy video!
Hi James. That is fascinating! Yes I am recommending that amount and sorry I forgot to mention the American conversions! Chicken manure shouldn't ever be applied directly to areas with plants growing, and instead be broken down say in January like you do so the intensity reduces and is less strong to the plants :) Best wishes
James Weh I’ve learned rabbit pooh is so mild, it can be used fresh. Chickens make the strongest and needs to rest. Horse pooh will have tons of undigested seed which will just cause weed problems in the garden. Have you tried vermicompost?
Here in Northeast United States I’d need a jackhammer to work in my gardens. The ground is frozen solid for at least twelve inches down.
Hi Huw love your setting and you are so right too. Just raring to go now ive read my books thank you so much Jan & Mike
Hi Jan and Mike! :) I cannot wait for spring!!
been cold here today but got lots done.Best time to get seeds into natural dormancy before they sprout
That is awesome! Thank you for watching :)
I love January in my garden as well. The snow is up to eyeballs and its -20 degrees outside.
Your cottage and property look wonderful! This makes me miss the UK even more! Lovely Aga as well! I enjoyed a proper cuppa while watching this and memories of the Cotwolds come back to me again! Cheers mate!
Thank you so much for your kind comment! :)
I just wish I could get on the plot - it rains every blumming weekend!
Steve
Greetings from Nova Scotia! Sure wish we saw green here in January but not to worry all in time. My ancestors are from Devon and I often wonder why they left. Rosemary has sprouted so another season begins!
Love your tone and take care.
How mild has this January been, maybe we'll have an easy winter all together 🙏
There seems to be a mixed view on when to top dress with compost. I know a lot of folk apply it in the autumn or winter, but I've seen it suggested that doing so means that much of the nutrients and goodness will be washed away by rain before the spring which negates the benefits to the plants. What do you think?
Same book Iv got , it’s really good :) today Iv sorted my potting shed and put the pathway in the poly tunnel. Feels better looking at a tidy garden
Awh that is awesome Emily! Great work! Full of satisfaction :D
I need to stay cozy inside as we have about 50cm snow cover and temperatures in the -30C here in the middle of the country 🇨🇦. A couple months to sort seeds, order new seeds, plan the garden layout, and email friends + family for their seedling orders. No rush here but if I was in Wales I'd be outside ... probably in shorts and a tee shirt😉.
I would much rather have 50cm of snow than sun right now...but hey I am off skiing next week so I will get the snow then! Hahaha yes as soon as it is sunny and also at least 8C I will do the same ;)
You're a doll! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for these great videos.
Not long back from my lotty, after composting, great info thanks so much.
Thank you for watching Lorraine :)
Very interesting videos you have, thankyou for creating them ,looking forward to catching up on more of them.
Really loving the new style of videos!
I would love to have a look at all them books that you have in your room.
I soooo love the start of this video 💕
excellent editing/design, helpful/interesting content, beautiful/striking landscape, endearing/enduring spirit.
Strategic thinking ! Can't wait 👍
Ekkk stay tuned!
Cold and snow in south of Sweden, but presowing indoors helps during the long wait for spring 🌱
It does certainly scratch that itch! :)
Why I enjoy January as an English gardener: Tea 😍😆
Lovely video Huw, some great filming too🙂
Thank you so much!
great video! im trying to do all my odd jobs now so i can concentrate on the growing season in spring :)
Good vid, clearly explained. Thanks
This video makes me less sad that it’s winter now
I can't really enjoy January like this in Wisconsin
lol i love your postive outlook lol
Hahaha thank you
Great video! I've also been making the most of the weather when I can. I'm looking forward to your planning video :)
Thank you so much!
Not a big fan of cold winters so I grow indoors to make it better. And then the last 3 year I spend winter in Phoenix (9b) and summer in Chicago (5b).
Growing indoors changes everything :D
Cant wait to get sowing !
Great vid. Thanks. When we lived in Scotland, I could garden all winter. In the States, I have a foot of snow and - 4F temps at the moment. Decided to inventory and order seeds, and sent in some orders for fruit trees and bushes. You have a large wooden fence around much of your garden. What is it used for? Since you have many americans watching, you might want to put up inches and temps in the upper right corner. They can't translate very well. If it slows down your vids, don't do it. Lots of good info each time. Cheers!
Great video, very informative, thanks a mil!
Thanks Ken! :)
I'm so jealous you can go do that stuff! Out here, we're buried under snow all winter. I spend lots of time with my seed catalogs, that's for sure 🙃
Make a garden out of snow? ;)
@@HuwRichards LOL! Nah I'll sit inside and drink tea instead 😅 Until it's time to go sledding, that is.
@@UncleDutchFarms l
If you just planted your seeds for the season give me a thumbs up
Huw, i do the same here in a dutch allotment, we are almost the only ones seen out in the garden playing with compost during january showers and cold winds, the dutch consider the englishman a bit crazy but never mind
Hahaha well better crazy than boring and normal in my book! ;)
Omg! In january here we have like 1m of snow 🙈😬❄️❄️❄️... you have green grass allready?!
in SW Michigan we're buried under a foot of snow and it's still snowing tomorrow till Thursday will be -30*/-40*f 😭💔
Loving you 💚💙💜
It’s been a “freezing cold” winter here in Central California. We dipped to 31 F one night!! LOL
Huw: I double-dug my beds, laid 7-8 inches of home-made cold compost and covered in a comfy 10 “ layer of leaves. Come planting time in 3-4 weeks, do you recommend I leave the thick layer of leaves as mulch (we get about 6-10 weeks of 100-110 F in June-August?). I can always throw them in a compost heap...
Thanks for posting and careful with the bounties from Scotland. LOL
Home made cold compost, please share your way to make that. Down in South Florida, getting my head around to start on tiny piece of land 6ft x half ft... basil is only thing which is still green and not died on me
Hi Huw. I too like the colder months but sometimes a little too wet down here in Cornwall! However, I've just started laying the foundation for a re-homed 12 x 8 greenhouse I have and would be interested in a tour of your greenhouse and/or polytunnel? In particular, I'm interested in the internal layouts/plant into ground/raised beds or not or use large tubs/staging and potting area?
Look forward to hearing from you or anyone else reading this.
Hi Richards, yes but hey I can relate to the wet weather ;) Yes I should make a video about that in spring or summer hopefully, and I am planning some polytunnel related videos at other locations this year too. Best wishes, Huw
How did I just come across this
Amazing content and filming
Hi Huw we have nominated you in the `5 Reasons why I do UA-cam` sorry if you have already been nominated cheers Mike & Jan 💐
Thanks - did you cover your beds for them tobe completely ready for spring?
I like your comment about many people wanting to do whatever they want in the garden. I think that has it's place, but I prefer having a system and taking everything to the next level of production and optimization. By the way, you don't cover your fresh compost spread with any mulch layer? I would love to see your overview of gardening from a systems point of view.
I'm also concerned when I start composting I won't have enough material to put on the beds. How can you grow enough material for compost? And what way do you do so to where you're not depleting one area of Earth to feed another? Are there plants that feed atmospherically (such as the way legumes pull nitrogen from the air) that you can grow to generate biomass?
I like to make the most of the winter like you, but I must admit that the pull of the tropics is too much for me... and I live in Texas! Granted, in North Texas even though it's not super cold it's always windy at just some of the nastiest weather I've ever experienced. I enjoyed living in Massachusetts more than here in the winter. Now, Houston and Austin have better weather.
Hi Carmelo. There are a few video ideas I have had in response to your comment. I will definitely need to do a video about compost vs manure and how to create and obtain enough! So stay tuned for a video on that to help answer your question. With best wishes, Huw
Cool, you have really high quality videos and good content. Looking forward to seeing the video and your thoughts on how to accomplish such goals. @@HuwRichards
Love your beds!!
Thank you :)
I'm not getting your video notifications now as a subscriber. I had to search online for this one. I thought you had stopped making them as usually your videos are the first thing I look for on Sunday morning over my cuppa tea. Must be a glitch somewhere?
Hi Scottie, unfortunately this is completely out of my control as I have nothing to do with the sub notification button :( Try turning it off and on again perhaps? Awhh thank you!
I'll do that Huw. Many thanks. I sure have missed your videos the last several weeks. And thank you for taking time to get in touch. @@HuwRichards
I’m having the same problem...
Love the intro
Hallo everyone! So… I’m a newbie at gardening:)
Quick question: after preparing the beds or the containers is it a MUST to protect them ?
like covering or tossing mulch on the top of it. Or you can leave it there and just plant in spring.
I prepared my things in January. But it looks so dried and ugly.
Lovely vid!
Love your garden but here in Northeast Tennessee, today (Jan 20, 2019) the high is -2.2 C (28 F) and the low is projected to be -11.6 C (-11 F). We just a another major storm come through but while we didn't get any snow (Yay! No shoveling!) we did get a lot of rain and wind.
There's no way I'd go out in this weather, except to feed and water the chickens. We did have some warmer weather at the beginning of the month so I went and cleared out the disaster area known as my garden beds since I didn't do it last year and it was a holy mess. :)
BTW, love your house and I'm jealous of your wonderful stove! I also like the lights around that area. I notice you still have some green on your door - very traditional! I assume you won't be taking that down until Imbolc. :)
Oops! The low is 11F not -11F although the -11.6 C is correct.
I found that if I don't cover the raised beds with straw mulch not only in the fall but throughout the growing season, then the birds end up depositing a lot of grass seeds and that can wreck havoc with the beds. It's also a good deterrent for any critters, such as stray kitties, to come and poop in the bed. Squirrels on the other hand... (sigh).
Wow that is SO COLD!!! A good excuse for plenty of hot chocolate and films I think. Thank yous so much for your comment and for watching the video :) Best wishes, Huw
I am in southeast Tennessee. I just moved here in August so I am learning the weather as I convert my grass into flower,vegetable and fruiting plants. The winter here has cold rainy days followed by warm sunny days so I can accomplish quite a bit as I am retired. Instead of pulling up the old plants why not cut them off and leave the roots for the soil critters?
@@nancywebb6549 Hi Nancy! Welcome to TN. Unfortunately what was in my garden that I had to dig up was not veggies but (expletive deleted) various weedy grasses that I thought I had killed with black plastic mulch the year before. Because of the copious amounts of rain we had last year (actually broke a record for rainfall!), and the fact that the garden is next to creek and it gets like the Okeefenokee Swamp (::smile::) when there's too much rain, I didn't get down there to deal with the small stuff and it mushroomed into this huge mess of weeds, grass and even some small trees that started to root (blasted squirrels!) so the only thing I could do is simply come in with a fork and dig the whole mess out before putting down straw mulch to make sure that doesn't happen again. I won't even discuss the strawberry bed which still needs to be worked on. So the lesson I learned is: go down to the garden every day and work on it and don't procrastinate!
I have basically 4 beds about 35 feet long and about 3 feet wide (because I can't reach into the middle of the bed if it's any bigger). My property was originally cow "pasture" which I slowly converted a section into the veggie and fruit tree garden starting about 18 years ago. It's an ongoing process, but one that keeps me off the streets and out of trouble! :)
SE TN has a different climate than up here in the NE area. There's a great book by Felder Rushing & Walter Reeves called The Tennessee Fruit and Vegetable Book Both authors have degrees in agriculture and were/are extension agents for Mississippi and Georgia. Excellent book that even shows the freeze/frost dates for a variety of cities in TN.
Good luck with your gardening!
If you keep adding compost, won't the depth of the garden get to be too much and overflow the edges of your raised bed?
Good work!👍
Thank you!
Hello Huw.
Just wondering do you use or maybe recommend a computer generated garden or veg plot planner.
Thanks.
Hi Pete,
Unfortunately I can't however I know a lot of people use the GrowVeg garden planner. Thanks for watching
Hi Huw.
Thank you for taking the time to answer I'll have a look at that.
Best wishes.
@@Pete.Ty1 My pleasure :)
How do you get over the cold? Any place other than infront of the stove and I'm freezing my butt off! Nevermind getting outside for garden prep :(
Are those feet stinky Huw? Weird seeing you grow up from a young lad to a young man. My boys and I use to watch you as part of our homeschool schedule. My eldest is now at Uni and my youngest will hopefully be sitting his iGCSE's in May/June '21. Thank you for these very informative vids!
Yes please I really need help with the strategic planning. I'm also struggling, as a novice, to try and find enough compost or manure without breaking the bank. ( I've only just taken over an allotment) As I don't have much of my own produced yet, and have so far only been able to mulch with straw. Is this a sensible thing. Many thanks
Yes I can see I need to make a video about obtaining compost and manure :) Stay tuned! Straw helps but can encourage slugs, great for things like potatoes! :D
Really liked your videos and I just got your book, think will be worthy. Do you have monthly guide in videos?
Than you so much! I hope you enjoy the book! No I don't actually, I should probably make a monthly series:)
Huw Richards - Grow Food Organically thank you for your reply. The book is amazing thank you so much! Definitely I will encourage you to make a monthly series!! Will be amazing ! Think about that, we are now in February so imagine the idea of making a series like you have in the book. Form beginning of the process until October/December. Will be really helpful and the ones we watch you we could also sent you photos or videos of our process and discuss about it.
As an organic gardenerer do you ensure the manure you use comes from organically raised animals so that no pesticides etc are in the manure you then spread on your vegetable beds?
Hi Alex, I try my best, or I at least know exactly what the farmers put into the animals if they aren't organic.
@@HuwRichards what do you feel the manure adds to the soil that can't be accomplished with regular company derived from plant sources?
Nothing at all. Just manure is far more abundant around me than compost,which needs so much input for not as much output, and on my scale if it was just compost I'd have to buy it in if I didn't get manure for free :)
HuwsNursery - Grow Organic Produce Inexpensively as long as its herbivore pooh...rabbit, cow or elephant will do....
Ouch..I’d have those radish in with the Sunday roast for the last half hour or so. Lamb, beef or pork is best.
Nice aga from lynden Ontario
You still have lost of produce in your garden. Good time for thought and planning for compost .
Hi Patrick, I certainly do :) Good luck with your growing adventures this year!
Don't you have any chicks or ducklings or eggs incubating this time of year?
This vlog is great! So nice to see something realistic about gardening on UA-cam #compost #liquid gold
Is that a spade or a shovel?? Lol! What do you call the fork you were using? I call that a hard rake. So interesting how different names are on things!
It was a shovel for the manure and I think the fork was a shrubbery fork. Best wishes
Great video. Where did you get your raised bed wood?
They were 6ft by 6inch by 3inch highway fence posts :)
@@HuwRichards Thanks so much and continue the amazing content. I especially loved the vlog where you talk about gardening on a budget and planting food everywhere. Well done.
ur amazing
Have you had the chance to read Gabe Brown’s book? Dirt to Soil
No but from your comment I think I should definitely read it! :)
Wow, are those all your books? And you read all of them?
Those are just our cooking books...
Oh wow, still, that's a lot of cooking books. Is that room part of the kitchen?
I like it because the weeds aren't growing!
when it is not raining or freezing
He’s such a cutie, I can’t focus on what he’s saying
No comment...
HuwsNursery - Grow Organic Produce Inexpensively hahahahahaa 😂😊
hahahahaa me too, i cant focus
Marny Talu 😍😂 I wonder how many girls are subscribed just because he’s eye candy?! His acccccent too! It’s actually harder to learn gardening from him and keep focused.
The shelves behind you are kind of heavy with books ....plenty of reading.... books are always good. Wish my son's would take an interest in this type of thing.
These are just our recipe books...thank you so much for watching! :D
i do that 2. except i dont read. i just stare out the window. lol
Hahahaha ;)
hi 😄
А у нас снег на улице в январе..)))
Thank you
I think ur cute and amazing
Need a foot rub ? 👏🙌😼
I just need a little whisky after a long day's work and I am sorted! ;)
HuwsNursery - Grow Organic Produce Inexpensively....
Bio-intensive
Jon Jeavons