Been following you avidly and bought one of your books and the sowing calendar. 2 days before Xmas my wife and I harvested potatoes, turnips, brussel sprouts, carrots, parsnips, red cabbage and we already had onions. The only veg we had to buy was green cabbage!Enough veg easily to feed 14 for Christmas dinner! Still plenty to lift and store. Keep up the great work and videos you do! Looking forward to an even better 2024 and hopefully a polytunnel!🤞👍👍
Good morning, Charles, from Windermere, Florida zone 9b USA Great comparison tour, My Friend. We've had a cooler December with 2 nights dropping to 47° and 46°F. This morning at 4a.m it's 57°F and going to 70°F. The tourists are happily working on their tans🌞 I'm looking forward to seeing your video with Kate @fouracrefarm❤ Take care, My Dear ❤Peggy❤ 🎅Merry🎄 Christmas 🤶
How sweet Peggy, and I love how the tourists are working! Also, I'm shocked that you have been down to the mid 40's! I hope you have a lovely Christmas.
“Throw your fork away” - put that on a tshirt Charles!! Best advice 👌🏻 I’ve seen many Gardeners on RUclips who claim to be no-dig, professing that they still “have to” turn everything over every few years, and I just scratch my head over that… also still see these same people falling for the “rest your soil” myth 🤦🏼♀️ Happy to hear you continuing to tell us we never need to till or dig/aerate ❤ Ps 2 years ago I asked you for advice when starting a new no-dig garden on my city plot (we have an unusual half acre property in a big city…) I was concerned that ~2” compost on cardboard on grass would not be enough but you encouraged me to give it a try. Well it worked BEAUTIFULly and I’m going on my 3rd growing season this spring in that garden and preparing to expand… my neighbors are blown away by it haha and so am I as I grew up tilling/conventional gardening and just cannot believe how EASY and productive this method truly is! Amongst so many other benefits, obviously … anyway just wanted to thank you for encouraging me at an important moment ❤ I know it takes a lot of time to read and respond to comments and you may sometimes wonder if it’s worth it! ~ Jenna , northeastern USA 6b
Loved the reference to a rhubarb start from your mother’s garden. One of my greatest joys is sharing plants and produce with my adult sons, who also love to garden. I also share Charles Dowding wisdom on a regular basis. Seed catalogs have begun hitting the mailbox here in middle America. Looking forward to sitting down with one of your instructional offerings during these bleak midwinter days and dreaming of spring planting.
Here in Nottinghamshire, I had my first attack of Allium Leaf Miner in 2021. I understand this pest is spreading north slowly. As you say, the only way to stop it is to cover your plants. I am now finding that I have to fleece a lot more of the garden than I used to because there seems to be more things about that want to devour the veg before you do! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all.
Sir, i look forward to each and every one of your videos. Im from the state of georgia in the south united states. We garden differently than you, but every chance i get i try and use your methods to great success.
As always an amazing update for such a large and busy garden. Chile is going to be a vastly different environment. Hopefully you come down to visit New Zealand and Australia sometime. Merry Christmas from me here in Christchurch, New Zealand to you, your team and your viewers.
I hope so to Kristin. Was in South Island 1988, through Bob Crowder, lecturer at Christchurch University and he pioneered organic gardening in New Zealand.
Bonjour Charles, j'ai vu la vidéo d'Olivier j'ai beaucoup aimé ce partage et été ravie de vous entendre parler Français, je regarde toutes vos vidéos avec les sous-titres en Français, mais comme c'est traduit en mot à mot, il faut faire des efforts pour comprendre ce que vous voulez dire, mais c'est mieux que pas traduit du tout. Bonne fêtes et bon voyage au Chili.
I am from Chile but I live in Denver Colorado. Chile is a beautiful country with the nicest people . I am so happy you are going to share your knowledge there, thanks. Claudia
Hi Charles good to see you today. Nice and sunny here in Arkansas, your garden looks great. Thanks for the video. God bless you my friend and Merry Christmas. (Old guy from Arkansas)🇺🇸
I am always looking forward to your wonderful videos Sir Charles. My leeks are basically completely 'undermined' this year. We have this pest here in Germany, but it was never that bad. Also my chervil has got mildew, must be the wet wether over the past months. I understand this year was one of the wettest ever reported for Germany. I cannot stop thinking of Valentines day that was alway only 'commercial' to me before, since I met you it has made a wonderful twist and I cannot await and am counting the days.... Have some wonderful days and a nice ride into the New Year. Dankeschön for everything. 😊
Vielen Dank für Ihren lieben Kommentar und ein frohes neues Jahr! The weather is usually causing problems but the diseases and pests seem worse. I never heard of mildew on chervil. 7 weeks to go!
A fantastic update of the garden in December. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, im always fascinated by the progress of the opposite season. Merry Christmas Charles, family & team, wishing you a safe and healthy new year with an abundance of success in the market garden
Thanks Charles for your wonderful informative videos all year, I'm always learning from you. We've been having a very cool december here in southern Australia, waiting for our usual heat. I hope you get a little break and enjoy a wonderful christmas. Cheers 😊
I had a row with Leeks and Spring onions growing into fall August/September, the bunching onions looked ok at first and we were harvesting for market and a couple weeks in they got real Squirrelly and swisted up, both. Good Luck!
Nice, Charles, looking forward to see your experiences from Chile! I wish you a good journey with your daughter and good success in teaching there! Here in South Germany we have abundant rain with partially flooding, not really the weather for enthusiasticly spreading compost. Hopefully it will cease soon so I could do the last beds. Happy and blessed Christmas to all, Christ the Lord is born!👶🏼🤴🏼🎉🎉🎉
This just occurred to me not 10mins ago Charles, I texted the family who are all sick with the cold and told them at least every day from here is brighter and longer lol freaky timing for this upload :) Haven't been up to the allotment since September I think. Will go up soon and see how it's fared so far.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Oh I should think there'll definitely be plenty to do haha. Winter harvests galore! Lovely time of year to be pottering about, but when isn't? :)
Merry Christmas Charles and staff at Home acres!. In October I emptied 3x8gallon planters of compost/potting soil with some vegetable scraps. Made a 5x5 bed, planted with romaine and butter head lettuce. Some radish seed, as well. No fertilizer. Im nearly knee-deep in lettuce and radish. No digging!
Hi Charles, have you ever taken a core sample/dug a hole to see what the soil is like, say 6inches down, to compare what it used to be like? It would be interesting to see the structure & bacteria content now.
Merry Christmas Charles to you and all of yours, enjoy those brussel sprouts, I love those roasted. Must admit, it is kinda strange seeing a near empty garden. Look forward to watching the videos you share while away. Just wondering of climate change is bringing the never before seen pests. I watch a couple on here in Oregon, Garden Answer, when I first watched they were in zone 5, they've been bumped to 7 in not too many yrs. They had a big pond installation this summer, pros from the states went to help out. Laura mentioned someone showed her a tree with tent caterpillars, which she never seen in the garden before. I was bumped to 8a this time, I've dealt with those caterpillars for decades, as I've always been in 7 til this yr.
Hi Charles. Very nice video. I have not checked in for awhile. Alan from Tn. I think i may be moving sometimes between now and spring. Kind of looking forward to it and starting over in my no dig gardening adventure. Keep up the good work and video's. You always have a beautiful garden. You have proved over and over again that no dig is the way to go. May you have a blessed 2024.
Hi Charles, I saw your vidéo and it was interesting, I will try to put the compost on the ground as you made. I'm very curious to see your systeme of planting. Vincent from Belgium et maintenant je suis abonné
Wonderful update Charles, thanks for posting. I am feeling chilly here in Thailand (15C at night and 28C in the day time) but it is perfect weather for my tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, peas, cauliflower, Chinese radish, beetroot, bush beans and bunching onions (what you grow in summer I grow in winter LOL. I struggled this year because we had close to 7 months of monsoon rain (slugs and snails) as well as abnormally high temperatures and humidity up until the end of Nov. Most of the aforementioned veg is a second planting due to loss, but they are all doing great now. As per your advice last year, I am in the process of growing sweet potato slips to substitute normal potatoes which unfortunately won't grow here. Thanks again.
Have a good Christmas Charles - some of my family are receiving your brother's cider as presents, which I bought at your open day in September. They'll also be receiving no-dig veg bags too, which goes down very well as presents to enjoy. It will be interesting to hear from Chile as well....
Best wishes and have a well deserved break! Always a handful of relative advice thank you thank you. Our longest day here and this season has been colder mostly or warm and wet and windy inbetween. Every season has challenges! Im spreading compost as i make it! Making a start on winter seedlings as our growing window is short! Scapes forming on our garlics now. Will save some to try for true garlic seed. 6x no luck yet! Merry Christmas and happy Gregorian new year!
Indeed! Your advice and timing is great for planning ahead thank you. I do find we receive nearly the same weather pattern for each season after you too.
Thanks fordert the video! Happy soltice day... Looking forward for the chile vids... Happy holidays for you, your team and all the people you care for... BTW: i'll have carrots, brussel prouds, onion, garlic, winter salads, spring onions. fresh from the garden to be used in holiday meals... all grown no dig... I'm so grateful that i stumbled upon your channel end of 2019, just before I got my new alotment. It made my recultivation of that neglected plot so much easier and makes it possible for me to maintain it (400m² total/180m² beds), alone, and have superb results.
Thanks Sascha, and it's been lovely to see your comments over the years. I did not realise you are growing on such a large area, 400 m² is actually larger than a full-size. British allotment, and we would call that 1/10 of an acre! I am so happy you have plenty of harvests.
Compulching is proving very rewarding. Starting my third year this fall. Now one of my favorite things - right up there with cutting, hand splitting, stacking, curing and burning wood. […Don’t forget to get up and move around on those Chile flights]
Absolutely great, thank you Charles. Looking forward to your Chilean postings. As I have grown Claret this year (and as it's survived so far!) I will be interested to see any regional difference in the time when it becomes ready. Happy Christmas and thanks for the year's advice and stimulus to grow.
I haven't had great problems with allium leaf miner in onions (I think the harvest comes before the autumn attack), but in leeks it's terrible. As you said you need to cover leeks the whole time if it's a problem in your area.
Lovely tour again. After 20 years I'm leaving London in January Charles and will be returning to the welsh valleys in South Wales. Am looking forward to seeing how the seasons play out in Wales. I've noticed over the past 20 years in London that we are getting a regular heatwave from April to July with rains throughout August; am hoping Wales is still getting the traditional seasons. In regarding to Allium Leaf Miner, it arrived in London around 15 years ago and have heard it was seen in Cardiff this year so hopefully it won't catch the trains up to where I will be in the welsh mountains.
Lovely update. Always good to see how i should be doing things. If you want some more slugs let me know! Merry Christmas and enjoy your trip to Chile. I'm currently harvesting my yacon, which i reckon is one of the best crops to come out of South America.
Merry Christmas Charles! Things look great considering you've been down to the low 20's F. We go down into the 20's almost every night anymore. That being said I'm still harvesting frisee endive and arugula and haven't had to purchase lettuce since last Feb or Mar. My strategy is to get lots of endive and arugula going late summer to carry me into winter and plant spinach in the the Fall to start harvesting in late winter or early Spring ... everything under plastic now. My goal is to go year around without having to purchase lettuce but haven't quite accomplished it yet. Maybe this year if the nights don't get crazy cold. And btw I get those leaf miners in my spring/bunching onions as well as my leeks. I think I suffer from the same pest you do. Thank you for all your great videos in 2023!
Still looks a busy time for you Charles, and with those new compost covered beds looking very neat and tidy, just waiting for your next season of produce! Thanks for sharing, also a big thank you for the signed Calendar to us for 2024, beautifully written designed and packed with lots of information and photos to browse over these winter months ! have a great Christmas and prosperous New Year ! 👍👍
Always inspiring to see your updates. Since it gets a bit colder here in southern Ontario, I'm only growing inside through the winter. Currently rooting cuttings of tomatoes and purple kale. Thanks for the lovely tour! :)
@@AngelaH2222 Yep, I learned it from one of Charles' videos! Before the frost killed them, I cut one of the growing tips off for a 10-15cm cutting. I buried about half of it in a pot and watered it in. They root very easily, and are actually growing so tall that I'll have to repeat the process to keep them at a reasonable size. Hope that helps :D
I had that problem with my leeks too in my allotment and had last year with my onions 😢I chopped them up and putted in the freezer 😊thank you Charles Merry Christmas and have a nice trip to Chile
I was very busy last year didn’t have time to crop my autumn king carrots. I thought I had lost them with the two freezing weeks . When I went to clear weeds from the bed in late spring I found they had survived. Nice to see the over winter crops you have produced . My aim next year is to achieve the right amount of a crop spread over the year 1:06 with a big variety of veg. I have enough compost to use your methods.
I wish freezing weather would kill slugs but I fear they must have antifreeze in their blood. The slugs have been a big Bain for me this year. Good luck on your trip to the Southern Hemisphere and best wishes for Christmas:)
I was quite envious of your carrots Charles, I sowed 2 rows in July however, I had to lift them all at the end of October due to rodents eating them. I would appreciate some advice on protecting them from furry critters in the future?
Great information as always 🙏 I’ll be interested in how your battle goes with the leaf miner…as much as I love leeks I won’t be growing them going forward. I think it’s their favorite crop, although early spring I discovered them on a few of my scallions and I did have some in my shallots. I love growing allium crops because the deer don’t bother them and so delicious when garden fresh. This fall I planted ornamental allium perennials in my garden and I’m hoping they won’t go there 🤞Happy Holidays
Great stuff as always Charles, would you be able to talk more about the commercial standards you have for crops you sell? Such as leaf condition, what you would sell and wouldn’t etc. Started a no dig csa based on your style of growing, can’t thank you enough for all the information over the years!
Hi Charles, I’m from Thailand, There is the rainy season here. I have been watching so many of your videos about no-dig gardening and I love it! Is it work in the countries that have rainy season too? Or do you have some suggestions about adapting/changing some materials or techniques? Thank you Charles. 😊
Cool, thanks! And yes, because I had visitors last year from Malaysia, who have converted three hectares of farm to no dig, and they say it's brilliant in the tropical rain, because the surface compost does not smash down and go hard from heavy raindrops. Instead it stays soft. All their neighbours have to keep tilling/killing the soil to break up the surface. And to control weeds. So it's a no brainer! And they can make compost in six weeks
In your experience can you plant leeks in the same bed where you had them the previous year that had the Allium Leaf Minor. Thanks! Merry Christmas Charles 🎅🎅🎄🎄
I don't know yet for sure, however I don't need to, and shall not. However by the time you transplant leeks, the overwintering pupae may have hatched and flown. It may be possible.
Thank you Charles! You’ve inspired me to get ready now. I’m ripping out my fence so I can use an electric fence so in a sense I’m starting fresh. I wondered if had a preference for bed direction. North to south or east to west? Also, do you have a video about growing and trellising tomato plants?
Another great video, thank you. I have recently created another two raised beds on my allotment (my wife prefers wooded sides) can I put partially rotted woodchip (the woodchip from the bottom of the pile) inside then cover with homemade compost (again not quite complete yet) ?
Yes you can. It may not be completely decomposed, and if you can see many little bits of wood, there will be some nitrogen depletion in the first few months with leaves a little yellow perhaps, although that will be mitigated by decent compost on top
So sorry to hear that Allium leaf miner has got to your neck of the woods. I have stopped growing Onions and possibly the last year I shall grow Leeks. The plot owner across the path from me used to grow 60 rows of leeks now he grows 4 just for himself.
Oh dear, that is sad to hear. Whoever let this passed in did something criminal because onions in particular are such a staple food and everybody should be able to grow them. I don't like using plastic nets! and effectiveness is not guaranteed
bonjour, je suis ici a la suite de la vidéo avec "le potager d'Olivier", j'ai mon jardin, ou je suis pas en no dig, mais un je pratique un travail minimum pour l'instant. j'ai acheter ma maison en début d'année, alors je suis encore en installation. mon but serait de tout faire en non travail, avec une grosse inspiration du semis direct en agriculture. votre jardin et magnifique et fait rêver. dommage vos vidéo ne sont pas en Français, et je ne suis pas bilingue. bonne continuation
Last spring/summer was my first bad experience of Leaf miner , and i came to you for advice more than once Charles , i thought if there was one person who would know how to deal with this issue , it would be you . But seemingly even you seem to be troubled by it . I also asked the question would plants affected by leaf miner still be edible ?? I dumped loads of affected spring onions , beetroots and chard , because i wasn't sure .
Cheers Andy, I remember, and I wish I knew! Certainly, the plants are edible once you have trimmed off the damaged parts which can be quite a lot! We harvested about 50% of the leeks this year, but it took a long time to trim them!
So far the only thing I've caught chewing on our leeks are slugs, which have also been on a rampage here due to the amount of rain and mild temperatures we've had so far this winter. I'm really hoping a killing freeze comes by in January to knock out the cover crops planted over our garlic!
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Been following you avidly and bought one of your books and the sowing calendar. 2 days before Xmas my wife and I harvested potatoes, turnips, brussel sprouts, carrots, parsnips, red cabbage and we already had onions. The only veg we had to buy was green cabbage!Enough veg easily to feed 14 for Christmas dinner! Still plenty to lift and store. Keep up the great work and videos you do! Looking forward to an even better 2024 and hopefully a polytunnel!🤞👍👍
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, I hope you can source a polytunnel
Good morning, Charles, from Windermere, Florida zone 9b USA
Great comparison tour, My Friend.
We've had a cooler December with 2 nights dropping to 47° and 46°F.
This morning at 4a.m it's 57°F and going to 70°F. The tourists are happily working on their tans🌞
I'm looking forward to seeing your video with Kate @fouracrefarm❤
Take care, My Dear
❤Peggy❤
🎅Merry🎄 Christmas 🤶
How sweet Peggy, and I love how the tourists are working! Also, I'm shocked that you have been down to the mid 40's!
I hope you have a lovely Christmas.
I like it that you have the time stamp labels underneath the video! Very helpful as an educational tool to me. Happy New Year
Glad it was helpful!
Ten years of quite profound results favoring the no dig beds. Thanks for all your efforts, Charles, eternally grateful 🙏💚
You are so welcome Ted
Greetings from Croatia dear Charles.
And thank you making these entertaining and educational videos
you are very welcome
“Throw your fork away” - put that on a tshirt Charles!! Best advice 👌🏻 I’ve seen many Gardeners on RUclips who claim to be no-dig, professing that they still “have to” turn everything over every few years, and I just scratch my head over that… also still see these same people falling for the “rest your soil” myth 🤦🏼♀️ Happy to hear you continuing to tell us we never need to till or dig/aerate ❤ Ps 2 years ago I asked you for advice when starting a new no-dig garden on my city plot (we have an unusual half acre property in a big city…) I was concerned that ~2” compost on cardboard on grass would not be enough but you encouraged me to give it a try. Well it worked BEAUTIFULly and I’m going on my 3rd growing season this spring in that garden and preparing to expand… my neighbors are blown away by it haha and so am I as I grew up tilling/conventional gardening and just cannot believe how EASY and productive this method truly is! Amongst so many other benefits, obviously … anyway just wanted to thank you for encouraging me at an important moment ❤ I know it takes a lot of time to read and respond to comments and you may sometimes wonder if it’s worth it!
~ Jenna , northeastern USA 6b
Thanks so much Jenna, I'm delighted to hear this. Especially because, as you say, it takes me time,
So when I read this, I know it's worthwhile!
enjoyable video charles
Thanks Steven, have a great Christmas 🎄
Loved the reference to a rhubarb start from your mother’s garden. One of my greatest joys is sharing plants and produce with my adult sons, who also love to garden. I also share Charles Dowding wisdom on a regular basis. Seed catalogs have begun hitting the mailbox here in middle America. Looking forward to sitting down with one of your instructional offerings during these bleak midwinter days and dreaming of spring planting.
How lovely to see this, great that your boys are into gardening, and may your winter be not too long.
Here it's about to begin!
I just love that you will pop new seeds or plants in between mature plants as the plants is growing!Just great work and timing 💚
💚
Here in Nottinghamshire, I had my first attack of Allium Leaf Miner in 2021. I understand this pest is spreading north slowly. As you say, the only way to stop it is to cover your plants. I am now finding that I have to fleece a lot more of the garden than I used to because there seems to be more things about that want to devour the veg before you do!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all.
Thanks for sharing this Terry, sorry to hear it too!
We’re having the best winter too in New Jersey 🇺🇸 😁 mid 40s 50s 60s 😁 🙏🏻 i harvested my last tomatoes end of November
That is awesome!
Brilliant, informative and inspirational, as always. Thanks so much and a very happy and healthy New Year!
My pleasure and to you also
Sir, i look forward to each and every one of your videos. Im from the state of georgia in the south united states. We garden differently than you, but every chance i get i try and use your methods to great success.
That is great to hear Steven
A welsh of knowledge, thank you Charles, you always inspire.
Thank you Nicholas I am glad
From Phoenix Arizona USA we are in winder and it is a beautiful warm day
Thanks and that sounds nice!! I hope you had rain too
Yes some and expecting som tomorrow unless we get a doughnut rain and we are the hole lol we need a little chill for out winter plants though🙃
As always an amazing update for such a large and busy garden. Chile is going to be a vastly different environment. Hopefully you come down to visit New Zealand and Australia sometime. Merry Christmas from me here in Christchurch, New Zealand to you, your team and your viewers.
I hope so to Kristin. Was in South Island 1988, through Bob Crowder, lecturer at Christchurch University and he pioneered organic gardening in New Zealand.
Bonjour Charles, j'ai vu la vidéo d'Olivier j'ai beaucoup aimé ce partage et été ravie de vous entendre parler Français, je regarde toutes vos vidéos avec les sous-titres en Français, mais comme c'est traduit en mot à mot, il faut faire des efforts pour comprendre ce que vous voulez dire, mais c'est mieux que pas traduit du tout. Bonne fêtes et bon voyage au Chili.
Merci Francine! Je luttais un peu a trouver les mots, avec Olivier. Il est genial.
Thank you. Very interesting. Just got some sheep bed pack delivered on my field. And sooo happy about it. Can’t wait to watch every thing grow.
Wonderful!
Grace a vous, je commence le" no dig" you convinced me. C est tellement evident. Thank you.
C'est evident oui, merci de partager
We have been battling Allium Leaf miner for years. Now we grow all alliums under enviromesh. In fact pretty much everything is now under enviromesh.
Oh my! 😮
Safe travels!
I'll be headed to Colombia in ten days. Always time well spent seeing new places..
Thanks, bon voyage
I am from Chile but I live in Denver Colorado. Chile is a beautiful country with the nicest people . I am so happy you are going to share your knowledge there, thanks. Claudia
Thanks Claudia, and I can't wait!
Hi Charles good to see you today. Nice and sunny here in Arkansas, your garden looks great. Thanks for the video. God bless you my friend and Merry Christmas. (Old guy from Arkansas)🇺🇸
Thanks so much Steve, I envy you the sunshine! I hope that you have a lovely Christmas time
I am always looking forward to your wonderful videos Sir Charles. My leeks are basically completely 'undermined' this year. We have this pest here in Germany, but it was never that bad. Also my chervil has got mildew, must be the wet wether over the past months. I understand this year was one of the wettest ever reported for Germany. I cannot stop thinking of Valentines day that was alway only 'commercial' to me before, since I met you it has made a wonderful twist and I cannot await and am counting the days.... Have some wonderful days and a nice ride into the New Year. Dankeschön for everything. 😊
Vielen Dank für Ihren lieben Kommentar und ein frohes neues Jahr!
The weather is usually causing problems but the diseases and pests seem worse. I never heard of mildew on chervil.
7 weeks to go!
A fantastic update of the garden in December. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, im always fascinated by the progress of the opposite season. Merry Christmas Charles, family & team, wishing you a safe and healthy new year with an abundance of success in the market garden
Thanks so much Caitlin, and I do hope that you are having a productive and happy summer
Beautiful video Charles and happy to see your NoDig garden looks wonderful. Merry Christmas and a healthy New Year for everyone.
Thank you Robert and to you
Ch ch ch chaaahooooo to you Charles
😂
Thanks Charles for your wonderful informative videos all year, I'm always learning from you. We've been having a very cool december here in southern Australia, waiting for our usual heat. I hope you get a little break and enjoy a wonderful christmas. Cheers 😊
Oh I hope it warms for you, interesting to hear that. I hall have a family day on 25th thanks!
No dig. Well done.
Glad you do it!
I had a row with Leeks and Spring onions growing into fall August/September, the bunching onions looked ok at first and we were harvesting for market and a couple weeks in they got real Squirrelly and swisted up, both. Good Luck!
Thanks for sharing although it's bad news!
Thanks for the update! Looking forward to Chili trip.
My pleasure Jim
Nice, Charles, looking forward to see your experiences from Chile! I wish you a good journey with your daughter and good success in teaching there!
Here in South Germany we have abundant rain with partially flooding, not really the weather for enthusiasticly spreading compost. Hopefully it will cease soon so I could do the last beds.
Happy and blessed Christmas to all, Christ the Lord is born!👶🏼🤴🏼🎉🎉🎉
Thanks so much, what a lovely message 💚
Hola, qué tenga un lindo viaje a Chile 🇨🇱, en especial a mi patagonia amada. Saludos✨
¡Estoy disfrutando mucho del país! 💚
Can't wait to see videos from Chile (I live here)!
😀 oooh good!
This just occurred to me not 10mins ago Charles, I texted the family who are all sick with the cold and told them at least every day from here is brighter and longer lol freaky timing for this upload :) Haven't been up to the allotment since September I think. Will go up soon and see how it's fared so far.
Cheers David and def. go up! You will find loads to do and fell well for it
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Oh I should think there'll definitely be plenty to do haha. Winter harvests galore! Lovely time of year to be pottering about, but when isn't? :)
Don't forget your trowel. You will need it. @@David-xh9cw
Thank you, Charles! I think I have about 1 more week before the ground freezes here in NY but it is good to see some plants growing there!
I hope it's a good week for you! Thanks Ken
Thanks Charles for a very enjoyable and thoroughly informative and stimulating 2023. Looking forward to 2024.
You are welcome Ray
Happy New Year! I wish you success in the new year and new achievements, good health and good weather. Less slugs and pests!
Thanks so much Igor! 💚
Merry Christmas Charles and staff at Home acres!.
In October I emptied 3x8gallon planters of compost/potting soil with some vegetable scraps. Made a 5x5 bed, planted with romaine and butter head lettuce. Some radish seed, as well. No fertilizer. Im nearly knee-deep in lettuce and radish. No digging!
Thank you, Great to hear of your success! Merry Christmas to you also.
Hi Charles, have you ever taken a core sample/dug a hole to see what the soil is like, say 6inches down, to compare what it used to be like? It would be interesting to see the structure & bacteria content now.
Yes when harvesting parsnips! Is dense yet open, crumbly yet firm
Merry Christmas Charles and to everyone at long acres
Thank you and to you
I love your videos😀❤️
Great to hear, thank you
Thankyou Charles... have an amazing break... your trials are so interesting... greatly appreciated!
You are very welcome and thanks
Je me suis abonné suite à la vidéo avec Olivier, je vais perfectionner mon Anglais 😄
Ah bonne idée et bienvenu!
thnx a lot charles. u always bring some fresh into these dark days
thank you and my pleasure
Hello Charles, Merry Christmas and Feliz año nuevo🎉😊....!!! Cheers from Chile🇨🇱 .
Merci Kela.
Hello Charles from Minneapolis. Warmer here with no snow yet. I enjoyed this video very much.
Glad you enjoyed it Paul
Happy Christmas Charles and Team looking forward to 2024 videos
Thank you Peter
Merry Christmas Charles to you and all of yours, enjoy those brussel sprouts, I love those roasted. Must admit, it is kinda strange seeing a near empty garden. Look forward to watching the videos you share while away. Just wondering of climate change is bringing the never before seen pests. I watch a couple on here in Oregon, Garden Answer, when I first watched they were in zone 5, they've been bumped to 7 in not too many yrs. They had a big pond installation this summer, pros from the states went to help out. Laura mentioned someone showed her a tree with tent caterpillars, which she never seen in the garden before. I was bumped to 8a this time, I've dealt with those caterpillars for decades, as I've always been in 7 til this yr.
You have a point there Wende, so much of gardening is weather!
Thank you so much. You have inspired me to do more seed starting in the summer next year.
Go for it, so worthwhile 🌱
Happy Solstice enjoyed the video. You've inspired my son and I to expand our fenced (deer) garden. As always a joy.
I'm so glad!
Hi Charles. Very nice video. I have not checked in for awhile. Alan from Tn. I think i may be moving sometimes between now and spring. Kind of looking forward to it and starting over in my no dig gardening adventure. Keep up the good work and video's. You always have a beautiful garden. You have proved over and over again that no dig is the way to go. May you have a blessed 2024.
Welcome back and thanks Alan. That sounds exciting, challenging, have a great year.
Hi Charles, I saw your vidéo and it was interesting, I will try to put the compost on the ground as you made. I'm very curious to see your systeme of planting. Vincent from Belgium et maintenant je suis abonné
Ah bon, merci, je n'ai pas de système!
yes you are right 😉 happy new year to you and your family
and to you
Wonderful update Charles, thanks for posting. I am feeling chilly here in Thailand (15C at night and 28C in the day time) but it is perfect weather for my tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, peas, cauliflower, Chinese radish, beetroot, bush beans and bunching onions (what you grow in summer I grow in winter LOL. I struggled this year because we had close to 7 months of monsoon rain (slugs and snails) as well as abnormally high temperatures and humidity up until the end of Nov. Most of the aforementioned veg is a second planting due to loss, but they are all doing great now. As per your advice last year, I am in the process of growing sweet potato slips to substitute normal potatoes which unfortunately won't grow here. Thanks again.
What a lovely update, and a world of difference. You are chilly at those temperatures?!! Have a great Christmas.
If you want a challenge, try growing in Yorkshire where it’s very wet, windy & cold 🥶
I wish you the best Sean, and appreciate Somerset a lot!
Have a good Christmas Charles - some of my family are receiving your brother's cider as presents, which I bought at your open day in September. They'll also be receiving no-dig veg bags too, which goes down very well as presents to enjoy. It will be interesting to hear from Chile as well....
Lucky family Rhys! and I wish you a happy time
Best wishes and have a well deserved break! Always a handful of relative advice thank you thank you. Our longest day here and this season has been colder mostly or warm and wet and windy inbetween. Every season has challenges! Im spreading compost as i make it! Making a start on winter seedlings as our growing window is short! Scapes forming on our garlics now. Will save some to try for true garlic seed. 6x no luck yet! Merry Christmas and happy Gregorian new year!
Best of luck with garlic seeds.
You must be in S of S island, to be so cool?
Indeed! Your advice and timing is great for planning ahead thank you. I do find we receive nearly the same weather pattern for each season after you too.
Here's to another bountiful year! 🎉 Cheers!
💚
Thanks fordert the video! Happy soltice day... Looking forward for the chile vids... Happy holidays for you, your team and all the people you care for...
BTW: i'll have carrots, brussel prouds, onion, garlic, winter salads, spring onions. fresh from the garden to be used in holiday meals... all grown no dig... I'm so grateful that i stumbled upon your channel end of 2019, just before I got my new alotment. It made my recultivation of that neglected plot so much easier and makes it possible for me to maintain it (400m² total/180m² beds), alone, and have superb results.
Thanks Sascha, and it's been lovely to see your comments over the years. I did not realise you are growing on such a large area, 400 m² is actually larger than a full-size. British allotment, and we would call that 1/10 of an acre! I am so happy you have plenty of harvests.
Buen viaje a Chile!! y Feliz Navidad !! Saludos desde Tenerife !! 🎉😂🌸🥕🥬🐞🌿🥦🐝
Gracias y feliz navidad para ti también
Compulching is proving very rewarding. Starting my third year this fall. Now one of my favorite things - right up there with cutting, hand splitting, stacking, curing and burning wood. […Don’t forget to get up and move around on those Chile flights]
Nice to hear and thanks :)
Happy solstice, Charles. Thank you for all the info in 2023. See you on the other side 🙂🌻🎴🌳🫑🍅🥕
Thank you and you are very welcome
Absolutely great, thank you Charles. Looking forward to your Chilean postings. As I have grown Claret this year (and as it's survived so far!) I will be interested to see any regional difference in the time when it becomes ready. Happy Christmas and thanks for the year's advice and stimulus to grow.
Nice to hear Alan. We shall see what the winter brings. Cold is to come.
I haven't had great problems with allium leaf miner in onions (I think the harvest comes before the autumn attack), but in leeks it's terrible. As you said you need to cover leeks the whole time if it's a problem in your area.
I'm glad your onions are okay, at least!
Lovely tour again. After 20 years I'm leaving London in January Charles and will be returning to the welsh valleys in South Wales. Am looking forward to seeing how the seasons play out in Wales. I've noticed over the past 20 years in London that we are getting a regular heatwave from April to July with rains throughout August; am hoping Wales is still getting the traditional seasons. In regarding to Allium Leaf Miner, it arrived in London around 15 years ago and have heard it was seen in Cardiff this year so hopefully it won't catch the trains up to where I will be in the welsh mountains.
Oooh that is exciting Sean and I wish you a happy return to your valleys, with pest free leeks! Stay in touch and happy Christmas
Have a wonderful solstice, a joyful Christmas & a fantastic New Year Mr Dowding & Crew !!
Thank you Brian and to you
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all from Tasmania Australia
Thank you and to you
Thank you!
Lovely update. Always good to see how i should be doing things. If you want some more slugs let me know!
Merry Christmas and enjoy your trip to Chile. I'm currently harvesting my yacon, which i reckon is one of the best crops to come out of South America.
Thanks Tony, yes it's an amazing plant
Merry Christmas Charles and everyone🎅
Thank you and to you
12c here in cork to day .great vid
Amazing, here 12.7C, but a wind!!
Truly a wonderful video Charles. Inspiring and I admire your ‘ordnung’ of the beds. Excellent. Great work.
Thanks so much
Awesome Charles-your Chili educational trip. Wish I could be a fly on the wall !
Haha thanks amigo!
Happy Christmas, Charles. Thank you for all you do.
You are so welcome 🙂
Merry christmas 🎉
Thank you and to you Joy
Have a great visit to Chile....look forward to seeing your vids from there....in the meantime I wish you a very Happy Christmas.🍾🥂
Thanks so much!
Merry Christmas Charles! Things look great considering you've been down to the low 20's F. We go down into the 20's almost every night anymore. That being said I'm still harvesting frisee endive and arugula and haven't had to purchase lettuce since last Feb or Mar. My strategy is to get lots of endive and arugula going late summer to carry me into winter and plant spinach in the the Fall to start harvesting in late winter or early Spring ... everything under plastic now. My goal is to go year around without having to purchase lettuce but haven't quite accomplished it yet. Maybe this year if the nights don't get crazy cold. And btw I get those leaf miners in my spring/bunching onions as well as my leeks. I think I suffer from the same pest you do. Thank you for all your great videos in 2023!
I am impressed! That's so satisfying, and health giving. Interesting about the pests, and not good news! Have a great 2024
Hi charles. Thank you for your up date and all your help and advise over the last season. Have a merry Christmas and a good new.
You are very welcome Billy. Thank you and I wish you abundant harvests in 2024!
Still looks a busy time for you Charles, and with those new compost covered beds looking very neat and tidy, just waiting for your next season of produce! Thanks for sharing, also a big thank you for the signed Calendar to us for 2024, beautifully written designed and packed with lots of information and photos to browse over these winter months ! have a great Christmas and prosperous New Year ! 👍👍
Many thanks, glad you like the Calendar 💚
Always inspiring to see your updates. Since it gets a bit colder here in southern Ontario, I'm only growing inside through the winter. Currently rooting cuttings of tomatoes and purple kale. Thanks for the lovely tour! :)
Sounds great considering your weather!
Hi can I ask if the tomato cuttings you're rooting are from a year old plant.?
@@AngelaH2222 Yep, I learned it from one of Charles' videos! Before the frost killed them, I cut one of the growing tips off for a 10-15cm cutting. I buried about half of it in a pot and watered it in. They root very easily, and are actually growing so tall that I'll have to repeat the process to keep them at a reasonable size. Hope that helps :D
I had that problem with my leeks too in my allotment and had last year with my onions 😢I chopped them up and putted in the freezer 😊thank you Charles Merry Christmas and have a nice trip to Chile
Oh wow, and thanks Marister
I was very busy last year didn’t have time to crop my autumn king carrots. I thought I had lost them with the two freezing weeks . When I went to clear weeds from the bed in late spring I found they had survived. Nice to see the over winter crops you have produced . My aim next year is to achieve the right amount of a crop spread over the year 1:06 with a big variety of veg. I have enough compost to use your methods.
Ah good, and that's impressive by the carrots!
I wish freezing weather would kill slugs but I fear they must have antifreeze in their blood. The slugs have been a big Bain for me this year. Good luck on your trip to the Southern Hemisphere and best wishes for Christmas:)
Thanks so much and sorry to hear that, I hope that ground beetles and toads arrive in number
I was quite envious of your carrots Charles, I sowed 2 rows in July however, I had to lift them all at the end of October due to rodents eating them. I would appreciate some advice on protecting them from furry critters in the future?
Sorry to hear that and I have no answer except perhaps a busy cat
I would like a book of yours on gardening.
Cheers David and this is a good primer www.charlesdowding.co.uk/product/no-dig
Hi David, you can find all my publications here www.charlesdowding.co.uk/store/books
Great information as always 🙏 I’ll be interested in how your battle goes with the leaf miner…as much as I love leeks I won’t be growing them going forward. I think it’s their favorite crop, although early spring I discovered them on a few of my scallions and I did have some in my shallots. I love growing allium crops because the deer don’t bother them and so delicious when garden fresh. This fall I planted ornamental allium perennials in my garden and I’m hoping they won’t go there 🤞Happy Holidays
Thanks, interesting. I am wondering it they are worth the extra effort, still risky even meshed over.
Spinosad is an organic control for allium leaf miner. I had never seen it until last year, in NY, but it seems quickly to have become widespread.
Thanks Nancy. I had not heard of it, looks interesting
Merry Christmas to all. Our hope is in the Lord. Happy 2024.
💚
Great stuff as always Charles, would you be able to talk more about the commercial standards you have for crops you sell? Such as leaf condition, what you would sell and wouldn’t etc. Started a no dig csa based on your style of growing, can’t thank you enough for all the information over the years!
Yes grading is important, this little video has ideas on that ruclips.net/user/shortscBh93exbYXQ
Hi Charles, I’m from Thailand, There is the rainy season here.
I have been watching so many of your videos about no-dig gardening and I love it!
Is it work in the countries that have rainy season too? Or do you have some suggestions about adapting/changing some materials or techniques?
Thank you Charles. 😊
Cool, thanks! And yes, because I had visitors last year from Malaysia, who have converted three hectares of farm to no dig, and they say it's brilliant in the tropical rain, because the surface compost does not smash down and go hard from heavy raindrops. Instead it stays soft. All their neighbours have to keep tilling/killing the soil to break up the surface. And to control weeds.
So it's a no brainer! And they can make compost in six weeks
@@CharlesDowding1nodig That’s great to know Charles. Thank you 🙏
In your experience can you plant leeks in the same bed where you had them the previous year that had the Allium Leaf Minor. Thanks! Merry Christmas Charles 🎅🎅🎄🎄
I don't know yet for sure, however I don't need to, and shall not.
However by the time you transplant leeks, the overwintering pupae may have hatched and flown. It may be possible.
Thank you Charles! You’ve inspired me to get ready now. I’m ripping out my fence so I can use an electric fence so in a sense I’m starting fresh. I wondered if had a preference for bed direction. North to south or east to west? Also, do you have a video about growing and trellising tomato plants?
I just watched your other video about bed alignment
Cheers Kevin, see this for tomatoes ruclips.net/video/4b8nP1Y_Js4/видео.html
❤❤❤Desde Chile 😊
💚
Happy new year to all my friends across the pond! I have 5 hours to go!
Happy new year!!
Another great video, thank you. I have recently created another two raised beds on my allotment (my wife prefers wooded sides) can I put partially rotted woodchip (the woodchip from the bottom of the pile) inside then cover with homemade compost (again not quite complete yet) ?
Yes you can.
It may not be completely decomposed, and if you can see many little bits of wood, there will be some nitrogen depletion in the first few months with leaves a little yellow perhaps, although that will be mitigated by decent compost on top
So sorry to hear that Allium leaf miner has got to your neck of the woods. I have stopped growing Onions and possibly the last year I shall grow Leeks. The plot owner across the path from me used to grow 60 rows of leeks now he grows 4 just for himself.
Oh dear, that is sad to hear. Whoever let this passed in did something criminal because onions in particular are such a staple food and everybody should be able to grow them. I don't like using plastic nets! and effectiveness is not guaranteed
bonjour, je suis ici a la suite de la vidéo avec "le potager d'Olivier", j'ai mon jardin, ou je suis pas en no dig, mais un je pratique un travail minimum pour l'instant. j'ai acheter ma maison en début d'année, alors je suis encore en installation. mon but serait de tout faire en non travail, avec une grosse inspiration du semis direct en agriculture. votre jardin et magnifique et fait rêver.
dommage vos vidéo ne sont pas en Français, et je ne suis pas bilingue. bonne continuation
Merci pour votre commentaire, oui dommage pour la langue! Je vous souhaite un jardin productif.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig je vous remercie
Last spring/summer was my first bad experience of Leaf miner , and i came to you for advice more than once Charles , i thought if there was one person who would know how to deal with this issue , it would be you . But seemingly even you seem to be troubled by it . I also asked the question would plants affected by leaf miner still be edible ?? I dumped loads of affected spring onions , beetroots and chard , because i wasn't sure .
Cheers Andy, I remember, and I wish I knew!
Certainly, the plants are edible once you have trimmed off the damaged parts which can be quite a lot! We harvested about 50% of the leeks this year, but it took a long time to trim them!
Very mild here in West Sussex. Couldn’t believe seeing caterpillars eating my brassicas in December!! 😮
Me neither, there are many!
So far the only thing I've caught chewing on our leeks are slugs, which have also been on a rampage here due to the amount of rain and mild temperatures we've had so far this winter. I'm really hoping a killing freeze comes by in January to knock out the cover crops planted over our garlic!
I expect it will and good you have no miners :)