I really enjoyed watching all your shows this past year.I hope you continue to tape through the winter. I would enjoy watching you show us what you plan to grow for 2015 as well.I live in Olympia,Wa. and have a similar climate to yous. It's great fun to watch someone planting and harvestingthe same veg on the same date I do.
Great video. The mouse part was a bit of excitement even on the end of just a viewer. I keep everything in glass jars just to keep mice and bugs out. As the weather gets colder, you end up with unwanted guests. So glad your Dad was there to help you out. God Bless and take care.
Thank you Teresa, it was an unexpected adventure thats for sure! I do have a biscuit jar that is full up so I kept the spare packet in the cupboard, I won't be doing that again. Maybe my shed just looks too cozy? :D I'm so glad my Dad was there too!
You have a very endearing personality Katie. Have enjoyed your escapades in the allotment. Your videos are very professional and well presented...keep up the good work. Here in NZ summer is around the corner and a lot of propagation and planting has taken place...let's hope there's a bumper crop this year. Cheers Mark.
Nice update! Looking forward to seeing your tulips come up! Mice will burrow through wood if they are determined enough but slight openings save them time. I planted bulbs but a squirrel or squirrels helped themselves to it. I loved the slow motion action shot of your dad's reaction as the mouse jumped out. I would have had the same reaction! Regards, Tim
Thank you Tim, I can't wait to see the tulips too. Mice are determined little things aren't they? Oh no! Last year I planted some tulips and the deer nibbled them in Spring. It did make me laugh too, I was too much of a wimp to even go in the shed at that point! :)
Thank you so much and I really can't wait either. Last year I didn't have my fence up so the deer nibbled all but one of my tulips! Fingers crossed they look lovely this year :)
Great episode, Katie. We were on the edge of our seats with the mouse investigations! My girlfriend is now obsessed with your videos and is swiftly working her way through your back catalogue, seeking words of wisdom to apply to our new raised beds. Keep up the great work. Already looking forward to the May 15 instalment :)
I am glad you evicted the little mouse before he did worse damage.I. save large tins for all my bulbs and seeds and set aside a few empties for food snacks.I have heard friends say mice chew rubbermaid containers so I use those for storing all gardening tools and accessories.Good luck in your very beautiful shed.
Great video. Keep them coming. They lighten up the day If you like tidy, try putting some tick marks on the top edge of your standing board, as it is right where you are planting anyway😉 I use tic marks on the edge of our wooden raised beds to show the 12 inch spacing. I line up the sharp edge of a 1inch x 1 inch 4 ft long stick to crease a line onto just dampened soil in a grid pattern, then plant into the grid. The lines wash away with watering and the bed looks neat and tidy, in a full bed kind of way. I get much more growing space with wider walk ways, and don't have to step onto the root zones between the plant rows using 4 ft beds of various lengths from 6 ft to 10 feet long, using 14 inch walk ways in between the beds. And wheel barrow wide walkways between the rows of beds. It works well for us as we have 4 children, 7 to 12 years old who need defined step and no step areas in the garden. Walk ways- yes, bed tops- no. We have been gardening this way for 10'years now. I was sorry to see that the mouse chewed up your protective fleece😔. I just had to replace mine. Kids washed it for me and it was too delicate for their methods😦 Oh well, it was the thought that counted
Thank you so much Shannon, that makes it all worth doing :) There's some great ideas there so thank you again for sharing them with me, I especially like the idea about putting the measurements on the side of the scaffold board. I was a little annoyed about the fleece, I was going to use it this weekend too! Haha, atleast your children were trying to help :)
Certainly was entertaining Katie... you were so brave and calm talking about the mousie until you saw him.... poor little mousie.... now he is out in the cold...... brrrrrr...... :D
grumpy poo Thank you, I sure am a big wimp! Poor mouse, but it would have been very unhygenic for him to live in my shed with me, plus I don't think I could have coped with it! :)
Hi Katie and your dad, I just found your video's yesterday and have bee catching up on them, and what a wonderful gardener you are! You are inspiring and I bet are helping others to be inspired too, I know I am! Love your video's, your garden has given you some great produce. Love the swiss chard, I love it too, but can't seem to get it to grow, a bit like you and the garlic? The chicken coop is great too! Keep up the great work.
It is very nice soil to work with, I usually double dig and then rake the soil to a fine tilth so it looks nice and try and remove as much rocks as possible, I'm a bit of a perfectionist. Unfortunately it is rather heavy clay soil though!
Thanks for the tips. I live across the Solent and planted some Garlic Farm garlic a couple of weeks ago, but as a novice grower i hope i've not planted them too late.They have started growing already but i hope the bulbs develop.
Hi Katie, you did a great job taking out the chard and sowing the garlic. Wish my chard was that good! Keep as much paper, biscuits and seeds in old biscuit tins.... should keep the mice away :-)
Thank you, I did feel a little bad ripping out good chard but it had to be done to make room for the garlic, plus two rows of chard is probably about right for me. I am addicted to the stuff! I do have a glass biscuit jar in the shed and keep my seeds in metal tins, I just so happened to have some biscuits left over so popped them in the cupboard. I won't be doing that again! :) Thanks for the advice.
That mouse must've been having the time of his life. I didn't know that it was the temperature that made the garlic split into cloves. I always learn something in your videos :)
I love that you got dad to come in and hunt for the mouse! Very funny bit of the video. (You could leave him a small box of straw under the shed with a couple of custard creams . . .the mouse, I hasten to add, not your dad.)
I felt so sorry for the mouse too but this was filmed a good 2 years ago now so I'm sure he's moved onto another shed somewhere... (my Dad loves custard creams too!)
Thank you Patrick and yes, I would really love the rain to stop now too. I don't mind the cold but rather dislike the rain! I tried to slow the video right down so people could see the mouse jumping at my Dad so I'm glad you managed to see it (you can also just about spot it running out the corner of the doorway and dissapearing under the shed!)
Your lucky for the mild weather, here in Minnesota we got an early snow and the temps fell to 20 degrees below freezing. On the up side you now have a clean shed. you need to find some nice larger tins to store your goodies in.
I'm secretly hopeing for snow this year. We usually get it at the beginning of the year and I love it. That is very true, it did give me a great excuse to tidy up and I'll be getting some large metal bins when the chickens move in so I can store straw and feed.
***** I would really love to see some snow this year too, would be great for the allotment but also fun too :) I've heard theres a cold blast coming our way next week so hopefully it will stay around.
I saw a micky and a roland and have put some poison down for them along the wall on the allotment, I went yesterday and they had broken into the shed and helped themselves to the next batch of poison eating through the box!, So next visit I will be clearing out my shed as well. Just hope they don't die in the shed or under it as they smell really bad.
What with the new plot, I decided to plant Spring garlic this year instead of Autumn garlic, but it was interesting to see how you were getting on with your Autumn garlic. Whereabouts are you in the country Katie? I can never figure out if you are in the South or further towards the Midlands. Anyway lovely update as ever and I look forward to seeing how it all comes along for you. All the best
This is my second winter on the plot and my second try at growing garlic so if it doesn't work this time then I give up! I do have rather heavy clay soil though which might be the problem so I might have to break the soil up over the next few years. Here's hoping for a good cold winter to break those cloves up! I think I say in the video that I'm in Southampton? So very down South :) Thank you Aaron.
Hey Katie, another great vid, I love your channel. I have some pea and broad bean seeds but the packets say not to plant until Jan onwards. I was wondering if you thought it would be a good idea to plant these now and what are the benefits/disadvantages of this. Your little mouse friend was funny I think you should call her marigold. Claire
I do have a glass biscuit jar in the shed and keep my seeds in metal tins, I just so happened to have some biscuits left over so popped them in the cupboard. I won't be doing that again! :)
I think I would have done the same, it's so easy to be blasé about these things... we all learn after the event, don't we? It was funny though watching you both try and figure out where the mouse was : - )
Katie, the fear in your voice and the safe distance you were keeping from the shed when you and you're dad were hunting the mouse made for great viewing, I would've paid to view it!!! I love the slate labels on the blue poles, did you make them yourself? I can't wait to see the next video. John
I was a complete and utter wimp thats for sure! I made the slate labels for my Dad last Christmas, I just borrowed two for this video (I gave them back, honestly!) I do keep meaning to make myself some :) Thank you for watching x
lmao @ your Dad..mine was the same by being brave and moving things for me and taking orders what to move while I was at a safe distance lol Then he went on to say I had to man up and not to be a wimp just as it run right past him and he jumped higher than I did :) I would love to garden but mice & frogs have put me off. I would suggest you dont leave your nesting boxes in the shed but put them out side for the birds as mice can nest in those..Also mice hate the herb Mint so pot that up around your shed :)
Hi Katie! What a busy time you've had. I really enjoy your videos. Now I know where you are in the country - Southampton, right? I live in Lancashire, so a long way north of you. I've planted garlic and, like you, hope we don't have such a horrible wet winter. Not sure whether to plant broad beans yet or wait til Spring. Do you throw away the Swiss chard stalks? I separate the stalks from the leaves and then chop up the stalks, cook them first and then add the leaves later as they cook quicker. They are delicious! They are so prolific that a small row is plenty. Keep up the good work. Love from Roz xx
Hello Roz and thank you :) It's a busy old time of year that's for sure and that's correct, I'm from the Southampton area. My garlic didn't grow last year so I'm praying these will this year, I have heavy clay soil which doesn't help so I'll be making some cloches to go over them so I can moniter the water intake so they don't drown! I planted broad beans this time last year and had a lovely early Spring harvest which was delicious, so if you have the space I fully recommend it. Even if you put one row in now and then another row in early Spring? We make quiches with the swiss chard because I am so obssessed with them! I usually remove the excess stalk to put on the compost and then do the same as you when we cook it. I am just in love with Swiss chard by totally agree, one or two rows is more then enough, especially as they are cut and come plants! Katie xx
Thanks for another lovely and inspiring video. I particularly liked your Dad's cameo. A father's work is never done. I've managed to grow garlic in a tetrapack on my kitchen windowsill from a bit leftover in the bottom of my fridge. Apparently, lots of things can be grown from kitchen leftovers. www.simplehouseholdtips.com/foods-you-can-regrow-from-kitchen-scraps.html. I'm having a go with a leftover red cos lettuce next.
I think the prices of Sarah Raven are quite expensive .I found this website www.jparkers.co.uk/ and I also ordered from them and the plants and bulbs are amazing . hope that you like the website .
I really enjoyed watching all your shows this past year.I hope you continue to tape through the winter. I would enjoy watching you show us what you plan to grow for 2015 as well.I live in Olympia,Wa. and have a similar climate to yous. It's great fun to watch someone planting and harvestingthe same veg on the same date I do.
Great video. The mouse part was a bit of excitement even on the end of just a viewer. I keep everything in glass jars just to keep mice and bugs out. As the weather gets colder, you end up with unwanted guests. So glad your Dad was there to help you out. God Bless and take care.
Thank you Teresa, it was an unexpected adventure thats for sure! I do have a biscuit jar that is full up so I kept the spare packet in the cupboard, I won't be doing that again. Maybe my shed just looks too cozy? :D
I'm so glad my Dad was there too!
Hi Katie great video I always look for to watching them keep it up
You have a very endearing personality Katie. Have enjoyed your escapades in the allotment. Your videos are very professional and well presented...keep up the good work. Here in NZ summer is around the corner and a lot of propagation and planting has taken place...let's hope there's a bumper crop this year. Cheers Mark.
Nice update! Looking forward to seeing your tulips come up! Mice will burrow through wood if they are determined enough but slight openings save them time. I planted bulbs but a squirrel or squirrels helped themselves to it.
I loved the slow motion action shot of your dad's reaction as the mouse jumped out. I would have had the same reaction!
Regards,
Tim
Thank you Tim, I can't wait to see the tulips too. Mice are determined little things aren't they? Oh no! Last year I planted some tulips and the deer nibbled them in Spring.
It did make me laugh too, I was too much of a wimp to even go in the shed at that point! :)
Love watching your videos, can't wait for spring to see your tulip display. I'm sure it will be wonderful. The mice episode was too funny.
Thank you so much and I really can't wait either. Last year I didn't have my fence up so the deer nibbled all but one of my tulips! Fingers crossed they look lovely this year :)
Great episode, Katie. We were on the edge of our seats with the mouse investigations! My girlfriend is now obsessed with your videos and is swiftly working her way through your back catalogue, seeking words of wisdom to apply to our new raised beds. Keep up the great work. Already looking forward to the May 15 instalment :)
I wish I could fast forward to next spring to see your display of tulips. Lovely video.
Oh me too, I just can't wait. Fingers crossed that it looks lovely and that the flower trough gives lots of food for those bees :)
I am glad you evicted the little mouse before he did worse damage.I. save large tins for all my bulbs and seeds and set aside a few empties for food snacks.I have heard friends say mice chew rubbermaid containers so I use those for storing all gardening tools and accessories.Good luck in your very beautiful shed.
Gotta love a good mouse sequence! Garden looking good, too!
A great watch and really inspiring!!
John
lol so funny watching your dad trying to find the mouse,
You could call your mousey Mr. Jingles, And i bet you don't want him to live as long as the mouse in the Green Mile lol
Great video. Keep them coming. They lighten up the day
If you like tidy, try putting some tick marks on the top edge of your standing board, as it is right where you are planting anyway😉 I use tic marks on the edge of our wooden raised beds to show the 12 inch spacing. I line up the sharp edge of a 1inch x 1 inch 4 ft long stick to crease a line onto just dampened soil in a grid pattern, then plant into the grid. The lines wash away with watering and the bed looks neat and tidy, in a full bed kind of way. I get much more growing space with wider walk ways, and don't have to step onto the root zones between the plant rows using 4 ft beds of various lengths from 6 ft to 10 feet long, using 14 inch walk ways in between the beds. And wheel barrow wide walkways between the rows of beds. It works well for us as we have 4 children, 7 to 12 years old who need defined step and no step areas in the garden. Walk ways- yes, bed tops- no. We have been gardening this way for 10'years now.
I was sorry to see that the mouse chewed up your protective fleece😔. I just had to replace mine. Kids washed it for me and it was too delicate for their methods😦 Oh well, it was the thought that counted
Thank you so much Shannon, that makes it all worth doing :)
There's some great ideas there so thank you again for sharing them with me, I especially like the idea about putting the measurements on the side of the scaffold board.
I was a little annoyed about the fleece, I was going to use it this weekend too! Haha, atleast your children were trying to help :)
thank's that was so cool
Thanks for nice update, Katie!
The video sequence with the big mouse hunt was hilarious! Lol.. Had me a good laugh.
All the best,
Halvor.
Certainly was entertaining Katie... you were so brave and calm talking about the mousie until you saw him.... poor little mousie.... now he is out in the cold...... brrrrrr...... :D
Gardening in Norway Thank you Halvor, I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
grumpy poo Thank you, I sure am a big wimp! Poor mouse, but it would have been very unhygenic for him to live in my shed with me, plus I don't think I could have coped with it! :)
Hi Katie and your dad, I just found your video's yesterday and have bee catching up on them, and what a wonderful gardener you are! You are inspiring and I bet are helping others to be inspired too, I know I am! Love your video's, your garden has given you some great produce. Love the swiss chard, I love it too, but can't seem to get it to grow, a bit like you and the garlic? The chicken coop is great too! Keep up the great work.
Excellent update my friend!
Your soil looks SO very fertile and deep and free of rocks! Lovely!!!
It is very nice soil to work with, I usually double dig and then rake the soil to a fine tilth so it looks nice and try and remove as much rocks as possible, I'm a bit of a perfectionist. Unfortunately it is rather heavy clay soil though!
Thanks for the tips. I live across the Solent and planted some Garlic Farm garlic a couple of weeks ago, but as a novice grower i hope i've not planted them too late.They have started growing already but i hope the bulbs develop.
Hi Katie, you did a great job taking out the chard and sowing the garlic. Wish my chard was that good!
Keep as much paper, biscuits and seeds in old biscuit tins.... should keep the mice away :-)
Thank you, I did feel a little bad ripping out good chard but it had to be done to make room for the garlic, plus two rows of chard is probably about right for me. I am addicted to the stuff!
I do have a glass biscuit jar in the shed and keep my seeds in metal tins, I just so happened to have some biscuits left over so popped them in the cupboard. I won't be doing that again! :) Thanks for the advice.
Haha, afraid of a little mouse? It's so cute :) Set a live trap with some peanut butter in the back; they love the stuff.
That mouse must've been having the time of his life. I didn't know that it was the temperature that made the garlic split into cloves. I always learn something in your videos :)
I bet she thought she had found the best nesting place ever! Biscuits to eat AND straw to nest in :)
I love that you got dad to come in and hunt for the mouse! Very funny bit of the video. (You could leave him a small box of straw under the shed with a couple of custard creams . . .the mouse, I hasten to add, not your dad.)
I felt so sorry for the mouse too but this was filmed a good 2 years ago now so I'm sure he's moved onto another shed somewhere... (my Dad loves custard creams too!)
Hi Katie. To deter mice, try peppermint oil rubbed on the shelves and around where they might try to nest. Good luck on your fall plantings.
Hello and thank you for the advice! I've never heard of that before, it's worth a try :)
Lavender and Leeks Also grow mint around your shed. It smells nice, you can use it in your cooking or let it flower to attract bees
A good update. Hope the rain stops I wouldn't mind a little frost for cleaning up. your lucky that it was only a mouse - I saw him in action replay.
Thank you Patrick and yes, I would really love the rain to stop now too. I don't mind the cold but rather dislike the rain!
I tried to slow the video right down so people could see the mouse jumping at my Dad so I'm glad you managed to see it (you can also just about spot it running out the corner of the doorway and dissapearing under the shed!)
Your lucky for the mild weather, here in Minnesota we got an early snow and the temps fell to 20 degrees below freezing. On the up side you now have a clean shed. you need to find some nice larger tins to store your goodies in.
I'm secretly hopeing for snow this year. We usually get it at the beginning of the year and I love it. That is very true, it did give me a great excuse to tidy up and I'll be getting some large metal bins when the chickens move in so I can store straw and feed.
***** I would really love to see some snow this year too, would be great for the allotment but also fun too :) I've heard theres a cold blast coming our way next week so hopefully it will stay around.
I do not mind the snow so much but when it gets down to 20 and 30 degrees below freezing, that's when I do not have fun anymore, :)
I saw a micky and a roland and have put some poison down for them along the wall on the allotment, I went yesterday and they had broken into the shed and helped themselves to the next batch of poison eating through the box!, So next visit I will be clearing out my shed as well. Just hope they don't die in the shed or under it as they smell really bad.
Your dad cracked me up over that mouse. I'm sure he was winding you up :)
It was the funniest thing!
What with the new plot, I decided to plant Spring garlic this year instead of Autumn garlic, but it was interesting to see how you were getting on with your Autumn garlic. Whereabouts are you in the country Katie? I can never figure out if you are in the South or further towards the Midlands. Anyway lovely update as ever and I look forward to seeing how it all comes along for you. All the best
This is my second winter on the plot and my second try at growing garlic so if it doesn't work this time then I give up! I do have rather heavy clay soil though which might be the problem so I might have to break the soil up over the next few years. Here's hoping for a good cold winter to break those cloves up!
I think I say in the video that I'm in Southampton? So very down South :)
Thank you Aaron.
Hey Katie, another great vid, I love your channel.
I have some pea and broad bean seeds but the packets say not to plant until Jan onwards. I was wondering if you thought it would be a good idea to plant these now and what are the benefits/disadvantages of this. Your little mouse friend was funny I think you should call her marigold.
Claire
ACTION REPLAY!
hi katie,were did you get your munchkin pumpkin seeds from, thanks dean love your vids
Did you make your own row markers? I really like them. Maybe you can make a video on how you created them? :)
I think the lesson here is to keep everything (inc biscuits) in a tin! poor mouse, turned out into the cold, cold night : ( lol
I do have a glass biscuit jar in the shed and keep my seeds in metal tins, I just so happened to have some biscuits left over so popped them in the cupboard. I won't be doing that again! :)
I think I would have done the same, it's so easy to be blasé about these things... we all learn after the event, don't we? It was funny though watching you both try and figure out where the mouse was : - )
Mary Phillips Lesson very much learnt and noted! :D
What is the name of the stove? I just love that little stove.
Katie, the fear in your voice and the safe distance you were keeping from the shed when you and you're dad were hunting the mouse made for great viewing, I would've paid to view it!!!
I love the slate labels on the blue poles, did you make them yourself?
I can't wait to see the next video.
John
I was a complete and utter wimp thats for sure!
I made the slate labels for my Dad last Christmas, I just borrowed two for this video (I gave them back, honestly!) I do keep meaning to make myself some :)
Thank you for watching x
lmao @ your Dad..mine was the same by being brave and moving things for me and taking orders what to move while I was at a safe distance lol Then he went on to say I had to man up and not to be a wimp just as it run right past him and he jumped higher than I did :) I would love to garden but mice & frogs have put me off. I would suggest you dont leave your nesting boxes in the shed but put them out side for the birds as mice can nest in those..Also mice hate the herb Mint so pot that up around your shed :)
Mice can get through holes the diameter of a pencil.
Hi Katie! What a busy time you've had. I really enjoy your videos. Now I know where you are in the country - Southampton, right? I live in Lancashire, so a long way north of you. I've planted garlic and, like you, hope we don't have such a horrible wet winter. Not sure whether to plant broad beans yet or wait til Spring.
Do you throw away the Swiss chard stalks? I separate the stalks from the leaves and then chop up the stalks, cook them first and then add the leaves later as they cook quicker. They are delicious! They are so prolific that a small row is plenty. Keep up the good work. Love from Roz xx
Hello Roz and thank you :)
It's a busy old time of year that's for sure and that's correct, I'm from the Southampton area.
My garlic didn't grow last year so I'm praying these will this year, I have heavy clay soil which doesn't help so I'll be making some cloches to go over them so I can moniter the water intake so they don't drown! I planted broad beans this time last year and had a lovely early Spring harvest which was delicious, so if you have the space I fully recommend it. Even if you put one row in now and then another row in early Spring?
We make quiches with the swiss chard because I am so obssessed with them! I usually remove the excess stalk to put on the compost and then do the same as you when we cook it. I am just in love with Swiss chard by totally agree, one or two rows is more then enough, especially as they are cut and come plants!
Katie xx
Cute how you use inches & cm's in the same sentence, I'm the same! PS - You need a cat!
It's just too confusing! :D
I'm more of a dog person, although I'm pretty sure my boxer dog would have run for the hills!
Thanks for another lovely and inspiring video. I particularly liked your Dad's cameo. A father's work is never done.
I've managed to grow garlic in a tetrapack on my kitchen windowsill from a bit leftover in the bottom of my fridge. Apparently, lots of things can be grown from kitchen leftovers. www.simplehouseholdtips.com/foods-you-can-regrow-from-kitchen-scraps.html. I'm having a go with a leftover red cos lettuce next.
Keeping your biscuits in a tin should help.
I've been doing that ever since this was filmed :)
I hope there are no mice in your kettle.
Best Wishes, Brendan.
baconsoda haha! I did check and washed it out throughly just incase! :)
I think the prices of Sarah Raven are quite expensive .I found this website www.jparkers.co.uk/ and I also ordered from them and the plants and bulbs are amazing . hope that you like the website .