Just wanted to say thank you for getting me gardening, Charles! I did your garlic course back in November 2021 -- literally just chucked down some boxes, stuck a small wooden frame around some compost - and everything developed from there. Now I have turned half my garden into a veg patch! The transformation has been amazing and I've been so happy out there all year (there's a video on my channel if you want to see what you helped create.) You've honestly changed my life! I hope you have a lovely Christmas ☺
Thank you for being so authentic. I always feel like it's a tug a war in gardening world. Do this, don't do that. You make it real with your trials and comparisons. I built new compost bins with your example and having so much fun playing with it. You are a gift. Thanks for making the world a better place and using your time to make all of us that found you better humans! Have a healthy and happy holiday season.
The Coastal area of Northern Maine is very Brutal in the winter months especially near the opening to the Bay of Fundy where i operated my 23 acre farm. I could barely grow any field crops and mostly produced in Greenhouses with Thermal ground based heating until i sold the farm in 2021 after my wife's passing and moved to Central Virginia where i can year around crop almost anything in Greenhouses and outside due to it's classification of being a sub-tropical zone. I'm building three new greenhouse, one i just completed this past week and i'm starting the next identical Gothic style 20'ft. by 45' Foot GH, And the third GH will be a new self cooling design referred to as a NVAC overlapping roof venting style Greenhouse. Thanks for the most relaxing stress relieving videos on UA-cam Charles.
What an amazing history and how interesting. That does sound like a difficult climate, and it's so good you've managed to upgrade! Not to mention the exciting greenhouse designs. I'm really pleased you like my videos and wish you a good year ahead.
As a gardener in a northern continental climate this video was very insightful on how to deal with cold weather. The garden here is currently buried under snow... I am still attempting to overwinter a few things though. Your books and videos help me get through the long winter season. Thank you so much for all you do!
Whenever I feel a little down on gardening all I have to do is watch one of your videos. I immediately feel calm and remember why I started gardening in the first place. Much love to you Charles!!!
Love all your videos! Maybe we could see a pretty unstructured video of a normal day in the running of your garden, to see the weeding, harvesting and other jobs you do on any given day.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Yeah, but you get everything free right? like all the students from the agri college. I'm sure there are plenty of students with the requisite skills...
I started Winter gardening about 12 years ago. Our climate here on Whidbey island is similar to yours. What inspired me was your book I found at the library and then bought How To Grow Winter Vegetables and a pamphlet on the same topic from West Coast Seeds in BC Canada. I've been Winter gardening every since and in some ways prefer it. Very satisfying getting fresh vegetables without going to the store. Thank you
Thank you so much Charles and your team for sharing your knowledge with the gardening world! I have never been so excited to stop digging and start no dig this Spring. All the way from Canada, take good care!
A big virtual hug and season greetings Sir Charles. With your infectuos (?Genglish) enthusiasm I have managed first time this year to get fully compost independant with almost 4 full cubicmeters that I can happily spread on to the beds now. Your no dig cook book arrived eventually in Germany and I tried the pumpkin beet root feta roast first. So simple and yet so delicious. The left overs were mashed and serve as a spread on home made bread. You are my inspiration, all the best!
Charles I giggled with the tomatoes. I pulled up my peppers because our season is so short and oh my goodness we have beautiful fresh peppers in the house in the depths of winter! 🙂
As always, so informative. It is simply delightful to see so much happening in what might otherwise seem like ‘the dead’ of winter. To all of your team a happy and blessed Christmas from Vancouver Island.
Thanks Charles for this beautiful winter NoDig gardening video. Winter is a period when soil life moves deeper into the soil. To go back to the topsoil with warmer temperatures. A nice time of year for warm winter meals.
Nice winter garden, growing amongst the death season…. I can’t believe the southern UK has similar temperatures to Toronto ON, we’ve generally been getting warmer over the recent years, which is unusual. Good idea on the winter shed storage for cold crops, cheers!
I added a couple of beds to my backyard garden. I put them in right around no-dig day, with turnips, cauliflower and spinach. They are growing slow but have roots in the ground. Thank you for all your guidance and encouragement. Happy holidays!
Thanks for all your video's! So much information. I bought your sewing calendar for 2023 and I am looking forward to starting a new (better organised) vegetable garden at my new home. Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2023..
Great tour, certainly gave me ideas for this coming season. I think it's been at least 35 yrs ago maybe 40, Eliot and Barbra had a garden show on public tv, I loved watching them. I remember one winter segment, they trudged thru 8 - 10 inches of snow to their poly tunnel where they were growing root veg, he commented they lived in zone 5, but it was zone 7 inside the tunnel. I'm 64 and remember so much from those shows, as with your videos, I remember so much from you too. Thank you again for sharing all your knowledge as well, really do appreciate it. Charles, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
Dear Sir. Firstly I wish you a very happy Christmas and a happy new year. I have been a forester for 40 years and I have been watching this channel for the last few years and I have to say that it has jogged my memory on a few of the things that I have learned 40 years ago… thank you sir
Espero que tengas buen Invierno.En mi zona baja sólo a 6 grados en la noche y se puede plantar muchas hortalizas .He visto muchos vídeos tuyos y así me atrevo a plantar muchas cosas 😂😂😂 Saludos desde Tenerife !! Buenas Navidades para ti y tu familia !! 👏🏻🌸🥕🐞🥦🌿
Hi Charles, So much information shared out with a passion that naturally oozes towards your audience during the tours around "Homeacres". Truelly grateful, as you have transformed my gardening outlook. Having a tour around our plot - the moles have ploughed up the woodchip pathways, easily raising the surfaces by 5 - 7 cm in places. Pricisely following the paths with 20 cm high "hills" dotted along. I suspect a hidden worm slaughter has taken place during the last freeze! Merry Christmas to you and all your supporting team. Will be unwrapping your "No Dig" book on Christmas day - Peter
Thank you, Peter, I'm glad to be helping and sorry about your moles! Interesting how they are following the pathways, suggesting that wood chips are encouraging a higher worm population! Enjoy No Dig 🎄
Good morning Charles! You are gardening like a Canadian this year. My greenhouse is still producing lettuce but will have to shut it down soon cold and snow is coming before X-mas. Thank you for all you do on your channel. South West Ontario.
Wow! That's incredible! You make me want to build a green house, im from Québec I thought it was a little bit a waste of time to do so. Definitely worth it as I can see.
My son mentioned that he didn't see many weeds in the garden this past season which was my first no dig year. I told him I hardly had any weeding and began to explain how no dig works and he immediately put it together. It just makes sense, you're not tilling the seeds back up to the surface to start growing. Composting on top and not digging has been the easiest garden I've ever had. Thank you Charles.
What an amazing amount of (free!) information. Thank you, again, Mr Dowding. I also want recommend to everyone your books. I just finished my 5th of yours and have learned so much. I look forward to the next one!
Morning Charles, I’m always jealous when I see your garden. Ha. I love all the winter veggies. Brussel sprouts looked great. Take care my friend. God blessings to y’all. (Old guy from Arkansas)🇺🇸
Thank you so much Charles and team. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all your videos this year and I’ve learnt so much!!! Which I have put into practice and have produced some great crops of salad,potatoes and a few more. I got my timings wrong this year and I’ve learnt that timing is very important from seed to planting, so that’s my goal for next year and not forgetting to work on the composting. I’m hoping Santa will be bringing me your new books 🤗. I’d like to wish you all a very Blessed Christmas and New year. Thank you for all you do, God bless.
Popped over early from the newsletter, thank you! This was a very special tour to end the year, thank you. I’m encouraged and look forward to seeing the fruits of all of our labours next year! I’m looking forward to Monday here (Thursday now) as I’m finished work and the temperature is hopefully warm enough to spread more compost. Take care Charles and team. The merriest of Christmasses! Tracy 💚
Seasons greetings from the west of Ireland! Thank you Charles for all your videos and generosity in 2022. I am already looking forward to my 3rd year of no dig.. I wish you and yours all the best for 2023 !!
As always, very interesting and so informative video. Thank you Charles! There is strong winter in Poland this december. For week snowing and now there is 30 cm of snow and still freezing (last weekend -14C). So now I watching your videos and planning my no dig veggie garden for next season. Happy Christmas for you and all your team.
Oh wow! I think, though the snow is better for your plants, I was looking at mine this morning and after -9 C, with no snow and therefore no protection, some of them look so sad! I shall do a follow-up video, maybe after Christmas about how plants have survived or not
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Currently, the garden is covered with snow, which I'm very happy about. In the coming days there will be strong frosts again. I'm most worried about my roses, which I haven't had time to cover. 🙆♂At least now they have a chance to survive this time. In addition, snow will help in the fight against drought, because we have a huge problem with hydrological drought. I'm waiting for the video. Thank you again and best regards.
Thank you so much. I am going to miss it, being with you in the garden for the next weeks. It has become my great pleasure since I started watching your channel this late summer. Have a wonderful time yourself!
Charles your book is just magic & I am half way through as I like to absorb knowledge from your writings. Wow it looks cold over there- we are having 35c days but I am loving it- Garden not so much - but still surviving. Merry Christmas to you & all of your Family, I hope it is a beautiful time for you. Love your Friend Denise- Australia.
That's lovely feedback Denise, and happy Christmas to you as well. I'm pleased you have the warmth because I've heard a lot from other parts of Australia and New Zealand where it's been cold and wet, even in mid-summer.
I come to you under 30cm of snow today! 😁 A nice warm blanket for all my plants. It is a heavy snow though and many of the trees are kissing the ground with the load. All will be well, nature takes care of itself. However you all celebrate the season, I wish it a joyful and restful time for you, your family and your team. It has been a lovely gardening season and everyone has done such a great job. Looking forward to see what 2023 has in store. I can image the team doing a little wassail amongst the beds. Old apple tree we wassail thee And hope that thou shalt bear For the Lord doth know Where we shall be Come apples another year. For to bloom well And to bear well so merry let us be Let every man take off his hat And shout out to the old apple tree. For to bloom well And to bear well so merry let us be Let every man take off his hat And shout out to the old apple tree. Old Apple tree, we worship thee, And hope that thou will bare Hatfuls, capfuls, and three bushel bagfuls A little heap under the stairs. Three cheers for the apple tree: Hip hip horray! Hip hip horray! Hip hip horray! Merry Christmas and a blessed Happy New Year! 😊🍻
It amazes me how you remember all of the dates that you planted something... I'm a huge planner- I don't ever just throw seeds in a bed without a prior plan, & I make videos as well, but I still have to check my notes or videos to remember when I planted something!
It was very interesting to see how much frost some things can survive. I live in Cornwall and don’t remember having frost that doesn’t thaw by lunchtime before , it’s been frozen for a week or more, fortunately I put a thick mulch on my Dahlias, so fingers crossed they will survive. But I was worried my Broad beans won’t survive this much frost. I’m hopeful now they may come through it, I thought I may sow more indoors in January to boost the crop. Thanks again Charles without you I would never have been able to continue gardening I’m 74 but no dig means so much less work .Happy Christmas and a healthy Prosperous new year to you and your family xx
Made me laugh that it has reached the point of sheer confusion for Charles now why people dig 😂 Thank you so much there is so much to learn from listening to you walk around and chat about everything.
We are still under several inches of snow. The netted cage suffered a major collapse but the plants underneath are all OK but a bit frozen! Great to see how well the no dig plot did re the dug bed. My experience of fleece used on the East facing bit of the garden was disastrous- no plants surviving due to loss of light I think. Seasons greeting to you. I can't wait for the new season to start. No dig is so exciting!
It's lovely to hear your excitement, and also that's interesting about fleece on the east side. It's true that it keeps light off and I'm looking forward to rolling it up on Sunday when is going to be warmer
Le Manoir ? I am very envious. You willl be certain to enjoy, Chef Blanc is passionate about his beloved gardens and nobody could be more enthusiastic & adventurous than him and his team. I hope you get to meet him and you might be lucky enough to experience some of their renowned food ? Hope you might let us know how it went . 😉
Can't wait! However, they need a minimum of 30 attendees and it's quite expensive so I'm not convinced it will happen. If it does, yes it will be quite the experience. I know Raymond, lovely man
@@CharlesDowding1nodig 30 is quite an ask at the moment .,but hope it comes off. I always had a feeling that Chef Blanc is a lovely man, I'm glad you confirmed it !
Thank you for sharing anything and everything Charles. I have learned a lot from you since I started my allotment now into my third year. Im not fully no-dig but I’m converting each bed I took over on the plot as I can. Getting the right compost and the compost right is big step 1. My surrounding traditional allotmenteers think I’m a bit of a nut following some bloke on UA-cam! But they have looked covetously at some of my results, with less weeding I might add! Minus their rotovators. I gave up Christmas several years ago and I’m not going to wish you a good rest because I doubt you do much of that! But thank you very very much for sharing all you have learned. 26:05
I have been watching your videos for the last 2 years now, and my garden has been completely changed because of you. I have been able to keep cold tolerant plants going from early March (with covers,) saved days of work not tilling the soil, and have been starting seeds in a similar manner to you. I am in Southern Maine so the climate is a bit different, but it was worked out well. I would love to see a video focusing on growing during drought, as the last few summers have wiped out the gardens here (among other things.) You have changed my gardening for the better, thank you so much! I hope you continue to make these videos and share your knowledge.
This is nice to see Julie and I'm happy things are working well for you, except for the dry summers. It's less intense here, not so hot as for you, but we were pretty dry last year and in July, I made this video about selective watering and I hope it helps. ua-cam.com/video/-RoqR6VyiJo/v-deo.html
The radishes look fantastic, and I hope your Mammoths are doing just as well. I was totally amused by the thought of you having a haunted Poly Tunnel too 🤣
@@CharlesDowding1nodig I really like them, and yes they don't have the traditional Radish pep to them. I find they taste like the part closest to the skin on a water melon. Also great for me in place of potatoes in stews/soups.
A great big thank you for all the great video’s throughout the year,we too have spread our compost on our beds & you have converted us to no dig,happy Christmas to you all from a very cold Wolverhampton.
Glad to hear you mention Eliot Coleman, such a classy move. He really did a great work at turning a lot of people on to good growing practices. Interesting to see you incorporate a bit of technique that was important to them, but modified to your particular climate and situation. Well done, Charles, and well explained, made perfect sense to me. Thanks!
I'm definitely going to grow more green manure next season. The most important thing I've learned from Charles, "Stay 6 weeks ahead", that has helped me tremendously!!! Oh and please be careful, your step is a little wobbly as you get older. Stay safe!!!
Thank you Charles for all of your help throughout the year. So glad I found you here and on Instagram. A very Happy Christmas to you and yours from me and mine. Stay safe ☺️
Thanks for all your content Charles, getting our new (previously abandoned) allotment ready for the new year, your videos are always very inspirational
+24% yield for less work. It really is a no brainer... Or rather, it should be. I have not dug my vegetable garden since discovering your channel 3 years ago, and this past summer I found myself almost kind of bored because there was barely any maintenance needed! I just picked food and ate it, and turnover is so fast and easy. The only time I'll be digging will be to plant trees... Thank you for the continual development and sharing!
I want to thank you for all your video's they are so informative. I planned earlier this year to re do my back garden and have decided to do all no dig. The size I am working with is outdoor space about the size of your small garden and the same area in greenhouse space.. This video has inspired me to have the same winter food crops and storage you have (just on a smaller scale). Over the past 5 years I have got up to 90% of our fruit needs and you have helped show me it is possible to get up way higher than 15% of our veg needs. which I currently do There is only 2 of us.
Hi Charles, thanks for sharing! Wireworms seem to really dislike Buckwheat and Brown Mustard, Agriculture and AgriFood Canada recommend a rotation with BW and BM to reduce damage in potatoes. I can't seem to source BM for myself, but BW is surprisingly the better option anyways luckily it was already my favorite cover crop, one more reason to plant it now especially since I'm reclaiming some lawn myself
Thank you for being so honest with your trials! I’ve been struggling with things not going right and seeing that it’s not perfect even for season pros gives me a bit of hope so thank you! Have a lovely Christmas and New Year!
👏👏 well done . I took your advice and planted carrots 🥕 for our fall crop and even tho the hole spacing was wide using landscape fabric we had a bountiful harvest
I really appreciate your videos. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. I have several of your books and share your name with people all the time. As with most people these days, I have no mentor except the people I find in books and on UA-cam. So thanks so much!
I hope you have a Happy Christmas and Merry New Year. This also goes to your team that help make all this amazing content happen. I am just starting a No Dig vegetable garden thanks to your videos, it will be 7 beds each about 4 ft wide by 40ft long, I am just waiting for the ground to thaw a bit so I can start work. Your No Dig methods make so much sense and I hope that many other people start using them over the coming years. If you ever come over to the Isle of Man to do a talk, I will be there! Enjoy your time off and stay safe and warm.
Thank you for the December tour Charles. I'm intrigued to see what has survived in our garden come the thaw today and tomorrow as the salad in our polytunnel looks very sorry for itself as do the beetroot outside. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Thank you Charles! You are right that it's strange people are still digging. 🤭 Hope you have a nice Christmas and look forward to another no-dig year.🎄
Thank you for this lovely tour Charles I always enjoy these videos of yours. I've never grown any kind of radish that colour or size. The Brussels sprouts look tasty... I enjoy a plate of all kinds of fresh veg from the garden with some Irish butter melting through. Our garden is 55north here in Limavady Northern Ireland and we don't have extremes of climate but wood pigeons and slugs cause a lot of destruction. I've always loved gardening and my brother William and I love it all the more since we found you and learned about no dig..... pity we can't get back some of the energy we misused over the years digging! I hope you have a lovely Christmas with your loved ones and look forward to more videos in the coming year. Love from Vera in Northern Ireland
Thanks Vera, so nice to hear this. I am teaching at the Organics Centre in Leitrim, first weekend of April. I've been there before I know how wet it is, and dark! Good luck with the slugs…
Merry Christmas Charles! Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden in December. I always love seeing plants growing in the colder months. It gives you hope for spring. Can’t wait for your next video. 🎅🏻🎄☃️🥕🥦🥬🧄🧅🌹
Cheers Derek, that's nice, and I wonder if you know these lines of Shelley, "If winter comes, Can spring be far behind?" I often think of those magic words
Just wanted to say thank you for getting me gardening, Charles! I did your garlic course back in November 2021 -- literally just chucked down some boxes, stuck a small wooden frame around some compost - and everything developed from there. Now I have turned half my garden into a veg patch! The transformation has been amazing and I've been so happy out there all year (there's a video on my channel if you want to see what you helped create.) You've honestly changed my life! I hope you have a lovely Christmas ☺
That's amazing Katie, I had a quick look and love your down-to-earth attitude.
May your garden continue to develop nicely
@@CharlesDowding1nodig thanks Charles. What an honour 😊🥰
Thank you for being so authentic. I always feel like it's a tug a war in gardening world. Do this, don't do that. You make it real with your trials and comparisons. I built new compost bins with your example and having so much fun playing with it. You are a gift. Thanks for making the world a better place and using your time to make all of us that found you better humans! Have a healthy and happy holiday season.
Ah so nice Lori thanks 😀, and I hope to reach many more next year 💚, happy 🎄
The Coastal area of Northern Maine is very Brutal in the winter months especially near the opening to the Bay of Fundy where i operated my 23 acre farm. I could barely grow any field crops and mostly produced in Greenhouses with Thermal ground based heating until i sold the farm in 2021 after my wife's passing and moved to Central Virginia where i can year around crop almost anything in Greenhouses and outside due to it's classification of being a sub-tropical zone. I'm building three new greenhouse, one i just completed this past week and i'm starting the next identical Gothic style 20'ft. by 45' Foot GH, And the third GH will be a new self cooling design referred to as a NVAC overlapping roof venting style Greenhouse. Thanks for the most relaxing stress relieving videos on UA-cam Charles.
What an amazing history and how interesting. That does sound like a difficult climate, and it's so good you've managed to upgrade! Not to mention the exciting greenhouse designs.
I'm really pleased you like my videos and wish you a good year ahead.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you my friend.And the same good luck to you and yours.
As a gardener in a northern continental climate this video was very insightful on how to deal with cold weather. The garden here is currently buried under snow... I am still attempting to overwinter a few things though. Your books and videos help me get through the long winter season. Thank you so much for all you do!
Cheers Derek. The good news is that snow protects from cold!
Whenever I feel a little down on gardening all I have to do is watch one of your videos. I immediately feel calm and remember why I started gardening in the first place. Much love to you Charles!!!
Thanks so much Valerie, happy to help! 💚
Love all your videos! Maybe we could see a pretty unstructured video of a normal day in the running of your garden, to see the weeding, harvesting and other jobs you do on any given day.
Thank you, that's an interesting thought, and would need a videographer to be here all day, or we could work something out!
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Yeah, but you get everything free right? like all the students from the agri college. I'm sure there are plenty of students with the requisite skills...
Watched a video on tools and using them in the garden that was really good!
For the depths of winter Homeacres is looking well kept and organised, even whilst the weather is working against our efforts for a few months.
Thanks so much 🎄
Thanks for all you do to teach us!! Love, from USA
I started Winter gardening about 12 years ago. Our climate here on Whidbey island is similar to yours. What inspired me was your book I found at the library and then bought How To Grow Winter Vegetables and a pamphlet on the same topic from West Coast Seeds in BC Canada. I've been Winter gardening every since and in some ways prefer it. Very satisfying getting fresh vegetables without going to the store. Thank you
That is wonderful! Good ol' libraries
Thank you so much Charles and your team for sharing your knowledge with the gardening world! I have never been so excited to stop digging and start no dig this Spring. All the way from Canada, take good care!
Our pleasure and lovely to see this :)
Hope you do well in Canada! This will be my first year of trying no-dig also here in Michigan. Very interesting Man, Thank you Charles!
A big virtual hug and season greetings Sir Charles. With your infectuos (?Genglish) enthusiasm I have managed first time this year to get fully compost independant with almost 4 full cubicmeters that I can happily spread on to the beds now. Your no dig cook book arrived eventually in Germany and I tried the pumpkin beet root feta roast first. So simple and yet so delicious. The left overs were mashed and serve as a spread on home made bread. You are my inspiration, all the best!
I'm so happy to see this, and congratulations because 4 m³ is a lot. Your English is excellent by the way 💚
Charles I giggled with the tomatoes. I pulled up my peppers because our season is so short and oh my goodness we have beautiful fresh peppers in the house in the depths of winter! 🙂
So funny Lisa, good to hear!
As always, so informative. It is simply delightful to see so much happening in what might otherwise seem like ‘the dead’ of winter. To all of your team a happy and blessed Christmas from Vancouver Island.
Thanks Edward
Thanks Charles for this beautiful winter NoDig gardening video. Winter is a period when soil life moves deeper into the soil. To go back to the topsoil with warmer temperatures. A nice time of year for warm winter meals.
Nice winter garden, growing amongst the death season…. I can’t believe the southern UK has similar temperatures to Toronto ON, we’ve generally been getting warmer over the recent years, which is unusual. Good idea on the winter shed storage for cold crops, cheers!
How odd, you are warmer than Tennessee I think, and I'm afraid it won't last! Have a great Christmas
I added a couple of beds to my backyard garden. I put them in right around no-dig day, with turnips, cauliflower and spinach. They are growing slow but have roots in the ground. Thank you for all your guidance and encouragement. Happy holidays!
Sounds great James and thankyou
Thanks for all your video's! So much information.
I bought your sewing calendar for 2023 and I am looking forward to starting a new (better organised) vegetable garden at my new home. Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2023..
Cheers Monique, and that sounds good. Have a great 2023
Wow, you always do an amazing job. You've inspired me. One day, I would love to visit England again and actually see your garden in person.
Cool hope to see you 🍀 and thanks
Great tour, certainly gave me ideas for this coming season. I think it's been at least 35 yrs ago maybe 40, Eliot and Barbra had a garden show on public tv, I loved watching them. I remember one winter segment, they trudged thru 8 - 10 inches of snow to their poly tunnel where they were growing root veg, he commented they lived in zone 5, but it was zone 7 inside the tunnel. I'm 64 and remember so much from those shows, as with your videos, I remember so much from you too. Thank you again for sharing all your knowledge as well, really do appreciate it. Charles, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
Thanks Wendy, and I'm honoured to be bracketed with Barbara and Eliot, what a great couple, Clara too
I want to thank your tips for vegetables garden in cold weather . You've inspired me . Merry Christmas to all !
Thank you! You too!
Dear Sir. Firstly I wish you a very happy Christmas and a happy new year. I have been a forester for 40 years and I have been watching this channel for the last few years and I have to say that it has jogged my memory on a few of the things that I have learned 40 years ago… thank you sir
Well, this is a nice comment and it's my pleasure Philip
Espero que tengas buen Invierno.En mi zona baja sólo a 6 grados en la noche y se puede plantar muchas hortalizas .He visto muchos vídeos tuyos y así me atrevo a plantar muchas cosas 😂😂😂 Saludos desde Tenerife !! Buenas Navidades para ti y tu familia !! 👏🏻🌸🥕🐞🥦🌿
How did the mustard growing over the garlic turn out?
I was hoping for an update in the May tour, but can't spot it.
Hi Charles,
So much information shared out with a passion that naturally oozes towards your audience during the tours around "Homeacres". Truelly grateful, as you have transformed my gardening outlook. Having a tour around our plot - the moles have ploughed up the woodchip pathways, easily raising the surfaces by 5 - 7 cm in places. Pricisely following the paths with 20 cm high "hills" dotted along. I suspect a hidden worm slaughter has taken place during the last freeze! Merry Christmas to you and all your supporting team. Will be unwrapping your "No Dig" book on Christmas day - Peter
Thank you, Peter, I'm glad to be helping and sorry about your moles! Interesting how they are following the pathways, suggesting that wood chips are encouraging a higher worm population!
Enjoy No Dig 🎄
The moles get in and around alot been puzzled what to do about them!?
Good morning Charles! You are gardening like a Canadian this year. My greenhouse is still producing lettuce but will have to shut it down soon cold and snow is coming before X-mas. Thank you for all you do on your channel. South West Ontario.
Wow! That's incredible! You make me want to build a green house, im from Québec I thought it was a little bit a waste of time to do so. Definitely worth it as I can see.
Cheers Dave, glad you have the early winter mild!!
@@Im-just-Stardust You don't have to spend a lot of money. It can give you 8to 10 weeks on your growing season.
@@daveknight1154 Impressive! Will definitely keep my eyes open for material for it.
@@Im-just-Stardust I posted mine recently @ dave knight 1154
Great work sir
Thanks
My son mentioned that he didn't see many weeds in the garden this past season which was my first no dig year. I told him I hardly had any weeding and began to explain how no dig works and he immediately put it together. It just makes sense, you're not tilling the seeds back up to the surface to start growing. Composting on top and not digging has been the easiest garden I've ever had. Thank you Charles.
This is music to my ears, and well done your boy. Youngsters often get it because they don't have preconceptions, and as you say, it makes sense!
Your winter garden is the epitome of bounty, even in the darkest days, and hope for the coming season. Very uplifting, thanks for sharing Sir!
💚🎶 thanks Carole
Thank you Charles!!! Your videos are so inspiring to me!!!
💚
What an amazing amount of (free!) information. Thank you, again, Mr Dowding. I also want recommend to everyone your books. I just finished my 5th of yours and have learned so much. I look forward to the next one!
Awesome, thank you! All recommendations help to spread these wonderful ideas and methods 🥕
Morning Charles, I’m always jealous when I see your garden. Ha. I love all the winter veggies. Brussel sprouts looked great. Take care my friend. God blessings to y’all. (Old guy from Arkansas)🇺🇸
That time when jealousy is OK and welcome
Thanks so much Steven. From what you say here, Arkansas has colder winters, or perhaps some lower temperatures. We are pretty fortunate here
Thank you so much Charles and team. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all your videos this year and I’ve learnt so much!!! Which I have put into practice and have produced some great crops of salad,potatoes and a few more. I got my timings wrong this year and I’ve learnt that timing is very important from seed to planting, so that’s my goal for next year and not forgetting to work on the composting. I’m hoping Santa will be bringing me your new books 🤗. I’d like to wish you all a very Blessed Christmas and New year. Thank you for all you do, God bless.
What a lovely comment and I wish you even better results next year. Happy Christmas Helen Helen
Wonderful inspiration as always (so much produce!) Warmest of regards for the season!
Many thanks!
Popped over early from the newsletter, thank you! This was a very special tour to end the year, thank you. I’m encouraged and look forward to seeing the fruits of all of our labours next year! I’m looking forward to Monday here (Thursday now) as I’m finished work and the temperature is hopefully warm enough to spread more compost. Take care Charles and team. The merriest of Christmasses! Tracy 💚
So cool Tracy, enjoy your pre-Christmas gardening 🎄
Very Interesting tour Charles and wish you & your family & team health and happiness in 2023.
Cheers John and I wish you the same
great video
Glad you enjoyed it Steven
wow wow wow. auf so vielen ebenen ein mega projekt! Ich wünsche dir alles gute!
🏆 danke
Seasons greetings from the west of Ireland! Thank you Charles for all your videos and generosity in 2022. I am already looking forward to my 3rd year of no dig.. I wish you and yours all the best for 2023 !!
That's nice, and happy new year!
Wonderful tour
As always, very interesting and so informative video. Thank you Charles! There is strong winter in Poland this december. For week snowing and now there is 30 cm of snow and still freezing (last weekend -14C). So now I watching your videos and planning my no dig veggie garden for next season. Happy Christmas for you and all your team.
Oh wow! I think, though the snow is better for your plants, I was looking at mine this morning and after -9 C, with no snow and therefore no protection, some of them look so sad! I shall do a follow-up video, maybe after Christmas about how plants have survived or not
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Currently, the garden is covered with snow, which I'm very happy about. In the coming days there will be strong frosts again. I'm most worried about my roses, which I haven't had time to cover. 🙆♂At least now they have a chance to survive this time. In addition, snow will help in the fight against drought, because we have a huge problem with hydrological drought. I'm waiting for the video. Thank you again and best regards.
ROCK ON BRUSSELS SPROUT LOVERS OF THE WORLD !!!!!!!!!
Thank you for tour. Hope your Christmas is a happy one. God bless.
🎄thanks Sonnya
Thanks for the tour of your garden and good info along with it.
Thank you so much. I am going to miss it, being with you in the garden for the next weeks. It has become my great pleasure since I started watching your channel this late summer. Have a wonderful time yourself!
That's nice! I have videos to post :)!
Merry Christmas to you too.
Thanks for all of your posts this past year. I continue to learn and be inspired by your efforts.
You are appreciated!
Happy to hear that 💚
Charles your book is just magic & I am half way through as I like to absorb knowledge from your writings. Wow it looks cold over there- we are having 35c days but I am loving it- Garden not so much - but still surviving. Merry Christmas to you & all of your Family, I hope it is a beautiful time for you. Love your Friend Denise- Australia.
That's lovely feedback Denise, and happy Christmas to you as well. I'm pleased you have the warmth because I've heard a lot from other parts of Australia and New Zealand where it's been cold and wet, even in mid-summer.
Thankyou Charles,you have inspired us through 2022,we wish you the very best for the festive season and look forward to your next post
Nice. thanks
I come to you under 30cm of snow today! 😁 A nice warm blanket for all my plants. It is a heavy snow though and many of the trees are kissing the ground with the load. All will be well, nature takes care of itself.
However you all celebrate the season, I wish it a joyful and restful time for you, your family and your team. It has been a lovely gardening season and everyone has done such a great job. Looking forward to see what 2023 has in store. I can image the team doing a little wassail amongst the beds.
Old apple tree we wassail thee
And hope that thou shalt bear
For the Lord doth know
Where we shall be
Come apples another year.
For to bloom well
And to bear well so merry let us be
Let every man take off his hat
And shout out to the old apple tree.
For to bloom well
And to bear well so merry let us be
Let every man take off his hat
And shout out to the old apple tree.
Old Apple tree, we worship thee,
And hope that thou will bare
Hatfuls, capfuls, and three bushel bagfuls
A little heap under the stairs.
Three cheers for the apple tree:
Hip hip horray!
Hip hip horray!
Hip hip horray!
Merry Christmas and a blessed Happy New Year! 😊🍻
It amazes me how you remember all of the dates that you planted something... I'm a huge planner- I don't ever just throw seeds in a bed without a prior plan, & I make videos as well, but I still have to check my notes or videos to remember when I planted something!
Haha nice comment! I do check before filming on some dates, most I know because of writing about them so much :)
It was very interesting to see how much frost some things can survive. I live in Cornwall and don’t remember having frost that doesn’t thaw by lunchtime before , it’s been frozen for a week or more, fortunately I put a thick mulch on my Dahlias, so fingers crossed they will survive. But I was worried my Broad beans won’t survive this much frost. I’m hopeful now they may come through it, I thought I may sow more indoors in January to boost the crop. Thanks again Charles without you I would never have been able to continue gardening I’m 74 but no dig means so much less work .Happy Christmas and a healthy Prosperous new year to you and your family xx
This is encouraging Lynda, good idea to sow more beans and happy Christmas to you! x
Made me laugh that it has reached the point of sheer confusion for Charles now why people dig 😂 Thank you so much there is so much to learn from listening to you walk around and chat about everything.
Cheers Peter, nice you notice the change over time ! 😂
Thank you for the rich information you give in your videos and I wish you, your family and collaborators a great Christmas!
Thank you 🎄
Yay, early access to one of my favorite channels. Thanks Charles!
My pleasure!
Hope you have a happy holidays Charles, if we don't see you before Christmas, have a nice one my friend.
So nice thanks
We are still under several inches of snow. The netted cage suffered a major collapse but the plants underneath are all OK but a bit frozen! Great to see how well the no dig plot did re the dug bed. My experience of fleece used on the East facing bit of the garden was disastrous- no plants surviving due to loss of light I think.
Seasons greeting to you. I can't wait for the new season to start. No dig is so exciting!
It's lovely to hear your excitement, and also that's interesting about fleece on the east side. It's true that it keeps light off and I'm looking forward to rolling it up on Sunday when is going to be warmer
Le Manoir ? I am very envious. You willl be certain to enjoy, Chef Blanc is passionate about his beloved gardens and nobody could be more enthusiastic & adventurous than him and his team. I hope you get to meet him and you might be lucky enough to experience some of their renowned food ? Hope you might let us know how it went . 😉
Can't wait! However, they need a minimum of 30 attendees and it's quite expensive so I'm not convinced it will happen. If it does, yes it will be quite the experience. I know Raymond, lovely man
@@CharlesDowding1nodig 30 is quite an ask at the moment .,but hope it comes off. I always had a feeling that Chef Blanc is a lovely man, I'm glad you confirmed it !
Thank you for sharing anything and everything Charles. I have learned a lot from you since I started my allotment now into my third year. Im not fully no-dig but I’m converting each bed I took over on the plot as I can. Getting the right compost and the compost right is big step 1. My surrounding traditional allotmenteers think I’m a bit of a nut following some bloke on UA-cam! But they have looked covetously at some of my results, with less weeding I might add! Minus their rotovators. I gave up Christmas several years ago and I’m not going to wish you a good rest because I doubt you do much of that! But thank you very very much for sharing all you have learned. 26:05
So nice to see Pat, they should get more interested with every succeeding you, and you are almost right!
Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to you Charles and the team.
Cheers Simon
Thank you, sir, I love your work. Merry Christmas and prosperity to you and everyone around you!
Absolutely love your videos!
Grand insights as ever, many thanks Charles & Team!
Also great seeing the orchard growing up slowly.
Glad you enjoyed it
I have been watching your videos for the last 2 years now, and my garden has been completely changed because of you. I have been able to keep cold tolerant plants going from early March (with covers,) saved days of work not tilling the soil, and have been starting seeds in a similar manner to you. I am in Southern Maine so the climate is a bit different, but it was worked out well.
I would love to see a video focusing on growing during drought, as the last few summers have wiped out the gardens here (among other things.)
You have changed my gardening for the better, thank you so much! I hope you continue to make these videos and share your knowledge.
This is nice to see Julie and I'm happy things are working well for you, except for the dry summers. It's less intense here, not so hot as for you, but we were pretty dry last year and in July, I made this video about selective watering and I hope it helps. ua-cam.com/video/-RoqR6VyiJo/v-deo.html
The radishes look fantastic, and I hope your Mammoths are doing just as well. I was totally amused by the thought of you having a haunted Poly Tunnel too 🤣
Fingers crossed Suzanne! Mammoth are big! less flavour, and thanks
@@CharlesDowding1nodig I really like them, and yes they don't have the traditional Radish pep to them. I find they taste like the part closest to the skin on a water melon. Also great for me in place of potatoes in stews/soups.
A great big thank you for all the great video’s throughout the year,we too have spread our compost on our beds & you have converted us to no dig,happy Christmas to you all from a very cold Wolverhampton.
Our pleasure Jackie, good to hear
I need to get out and top dress my beds. I am always amazed at how much you have growing in winter.
Glad to hear you mention Eliot Coleman, such a classy move. He really did a great work at turning a lot of people on to good growing practices. Interesting to see you incorporate a bit of technique that was important to them, but modified to your particular climate and situation. Well done, Charles, and well explained, made perfect sense to me. Thanks!
Cheers Ted! Happy to hear that
Those beets are huge!! Cool 😎
Potato traps - brilliant!
I'm definitely going to grow more green manure next season. The most important thing I've learned from Charles, "Stay 6 weeks ahead", that has helped me tremendously!!! Oh and please be careful, your step is a little wobbly as you get older. Stay safe!!!
Thanks Pam!
Thank you Charles for all of your help throughout the year. So glad I found you here and on Instagram. A very Happy Christmas to you and yours from me and mine. Stay safe ☺️
You are very welcome Vicki, nice to hear, may the sun shine on you
Same to you Charles and YOUR FAMILY.
Charlie 🎶
Have a great winter!
Thanks, you too!
Thanks for all your content Charles, getting our new (previously abandoned) allotment ready for the new year, your videos are always very inspirational
Thanks, and best of luck!
+24% yield for less work. It really is a no brainer...
Or rather, it should be. I have not dug my vegetable garden since discovering your channel 3 years ago, and this past summer I found myself almost kind of bored because there was barely any maintenance needed! I just picked food and ate it, and turnover is so fast and easy. The only time I'll be digging will be to plant trees... Thank you for the continual development and sharing!
Jakob, amazing. Maybe that's it, they want the excitement of using a fork and pulling weeds! The older I get, the less, I understand people 😎
Happy Christmas!! I took on a new allotment in October and I ve been enjoying setting it up using no dig. Love the green radishes!
Sounds great! and thanks
I want to thank you for all your video's they are so informative. I planned earlier this year to re do my back garden and have decided to do all no dig. The size I am working with is outdoor space about the size of your small garden and the same area in greenhouse space.. This video has inspired me to have the same winter food crops and storage you have (just on a smaller scale). Over the past 5 years I have got up to 90% of our fruit needs and you have helped show me it is possible to get up way higher than 15% of our veg needs. which I currently do There is only 2 of us.
That sounds promising, you are doing well already and understand what you need to do from the sound of it, may 2023 be good, and thanks
Thank you for all the wealth of knowledge you share with us. Merry Christmas!
My pleasure Michelle 🎄
The frequent viewer immediately knew what those tomato cuttings were ;)
Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Thank you!.😊
You're welcome 😊 🥶!
Marvellous!
Merry Christmas Sir!
🎄 Rebecca!
Hi Charles, thanks for sharing! Wireworms seem to really dislike Buckwheat and Brown Mustard, Agriculture and AgriFood Canada recommend a rotation with BW and BM to reduce damage in potatoes. I can't seem to source BM for myself, but BW is surprisingly the better option anyways luckily it was already my favorite cover crop, one more reason to plant it now especially since I'm reclaiming some lawn myself
Thanks for the info!
Thank you.
Endless superb information. Thank you.
Our pleasure!
It’s just fun following you around ... sooo many interesting things to learn 💝 Thank you Mr Charles 💖
My pleasure!
Nice to see anything growing in mid-December. Not a chance here. Your garden looks beautiful! Thanks for letting us enjoy the view.
Cheers Dwight, yes we are fortunate
Thank you for being so honest with your trials! I’ve been struggling with things not going right and seeing that it’s not perfect even for season pros gives me a bit of hope so thank you! Have a lovely Christmas and New Year!
You are so welcome!
👏👏 well done . I took your advice and planted carrots 🥕 for our fall crop and even tho the hole spacing was wide using landscape fabric we had a bountiful harvest
Good to hear!!
Great tour, thanks Charles.
You are very welcome
I really appreciate your videos. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. I have several of your books and share your name with people all the time. As with most people these days, I have no mentor except the people I find in books and on UA-cam. So thanks so much!
Thanks for sharing Chelsea, enjoy the festive time
“Why does the world dig”? Words to live by for all of us “in the know”!
I hope you have a Happy Christmas and Merry New Year. This also goes to your team that help make all this amazing content happen. I am just starting a No Dig vegetable garden thanks to your videos, it will be 7 beds each about 4 ft wide by 40ft long, I am just waiting for the ground to thaw a bit so I can start work. Your No Dig methods make so much sense and I hope that many other people start using them over the coming years. If you ever come over to the Isle of Man to do a talk, I will be there! Enjoy your time off and stay safe and warm.
Great to hear Paul, thanks
Thank you for the December tour Charles. I'm intrigued to see what has survived in our garden come the thaw today and tomorrow as the salad in our polytunnel looks very sorry for itself as do the beetroot outside. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Fingers crossed for you. Beetroot I think, kaput!
Thank you Charles and team for the fantastic content! Wishing you a Merry Christmas and all the success for the new year! 🎄🎁😊❤️
Thanks, and same to you!
Thank you Charles! You are right that it's strange people are still digging. 🤭 Hope you have a nice Christmas and look forward to another no-dig year.🎄
Same to you Monique, in this weird world!! 💚
Thank you for this lovely tour Charles I always enjoy these videos of yours. I've never grown any kind of radish that colour or size. The Brussels sprouts look tasty... I enjoy a plate of all kinds of fresh veg from the garden with some Irish butter melting through. Our garden is 55north here in Limavady Northern Ireland and we don't have extremes of climate but wood pigeons and slugs cause a lot of destruction. I've always loved gardening and my brother William and I love it all the more since we found you and learned about no dig..... pity we can't get back some of the energy we misused over the years digging! I hope you have a lovely Christmas with your loved ones and look forward to more videos in the coming year. Love from Vera in Northern Ireland
Thanks Vera, so nice to hear this. I am teaching at the Organics Centre in Leitrim, first weekend of April. I've been there before I know how wet it is, and dark! Good luck with the slugs…
Brilliant as always! Latest two books ready for reading over Christmas.So much knowledge and shared so feely and so very well. Thank you
Yay, thank you! 💚
Good informative tour👍👍👍👍👍👍
Merry Christmas Charles and a wonderful New Year to you and yours!! 😁🎉🎊🎁
Cheers Roy
Merry Christmas Charles! Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden in December. I always love seeing plants growing in the colder months. It gives you hope for spring. Can’t wait for your next video. 🎅🏻🎄☃️🥕🥦🥬🧄🧅🌹
Cheers Derek, that's nice, and I wonder if you know these lines of Shelley,
"If winter comes,
Can spring be far behind?"
I often think of those magic words
Best channel on UA-cam.
🎶 cool
Merry Christmas Charles! Thank you for all you amazing videos and hard work!
🎄