It is very encouraging to read when young people foster a love of growing things! All the best luck in your garden! Wales is a beautiful, green country. I live next to the ocean in a semi mountainous desert 😅 I have to drive miles out of the way to see green like yours.
@@jessicajordan680 Excuse the random question but where you are, if you could only grow 3 veg what would they be? Totally agree btw, always a good sign when the next generation/s shows an interest early on!
I also live in Wales, and am 70. It can be a very challenging place to grow, especially after all the rain this year. Well done you, enjoy your growing.
Great to see a younger person gardening. I also live next to the sea, please free to get in touch regarding the joys and challenges on such a situation. Happy gardening 😁
Ben, I know our zones couldn't be more different (10a southern california) but I enjoy watching your channel so much. You are cheerful and enthusiastic and your videos are paced and edited so nicely it feels like I'm watching a real TV show! You are a wonderful gardener and a lovely person. Thank you for encouraging us all to get our hands dirty and steward the earth with beauty and food ❤😊
I am in Connecticut, zone 5B and planted carrots and beets last October under a row cover and have been eating fresh salads for about a month now. They did very well outside.
What was your coldest temp and how long did it last? Ive found in my 6a garden when the temps hit single digits or lower everything freezes even under a cover.
Ben, you truly are one of life’s blessings, adored & respected by so many of us around the world. From composting to harvesting, I’ve learned so very much from you, which I’m able to pass on to my children as well as their friends whom are now old enough to help with various tasks & they LOVE every aspect of growing things. Thank you so very much ✌️❤️
Love your "levy" method around the squash instead of the plastic bottle. I'm trying clay flower pot ollas next to my tomatoes this year to help them get more consistent moisture and avoid blossom end rot. Going to plug the drainage hole with a wine cork and use the saucer as the lid. If it doesn't work...well there's always the wine for consolation 😊
Thanks Ben for answering so many questions I didnt even know I had. As a new Vegetable Gardener with a small 60 m2 garden, your videos, website and garden planner is making this journey so much more enjoyable. Thank you so much for sharing with all of us your knowledge.
Good morning Ben, thank you for another most informing garden chat. Your enthusiasm never fails and you always encourage as you "plant" along. A spice I enjoy eating with the sweetcorn is a light dash of chilli pepper and sometimes a bit more, depending on my taste buds for the day!! I found quite a lot of Australian mealy bugs on the Japanese Maple, I pick those horrors off by hand and drop them on to the bricks and I love destroying them under foot. We try to use as little poisonous sprays as possible. Well we are in the winter season, but the days have just been so beautiful, not cold at all. Not really a good thing as we do need those seasonal weather changes. Trying my best to keep the Basil plants growing, they are in a container and looking great but at night I cover with plastic garbage bags to keep unexpected cold wind off them, so far so good. Remember my tomatoes from last winter, I love a challenge in the garden. Some we win some we loose, just keep giving it your best shot. Enjoy today, ease off with a good cup of Ceylon's best and a slice of fresh cake out the oven. Happy days. Many blessings.
Hi there. Loving your vids!!! Have noticed through my own personal experiences that when making the levees around things such as squashes, cukes, eggplants etc etc that I needed to make sure the water was quickly absorbed down into the soil. If it sat a might bit too long it would rot the stems at the ground level. Bright blessings in all of your endeavors. Keep the wonderful vids coming. BTW…. Anxiously awaiting another book by you! LOL.
I live in West Virginia and I use straw bails for extended winter gardening.helps keep frost away from roots.i grown corn, tomatoes, squash,and poll beans in November
Thank you Ben for the great clips. They are so good. I'm new to growing but I'm learning a lot from you. Thank you so much. Have a good Bank Holiday weekend!
Instead of the plastic bottle, you could try terra cotta pots, or the olla watering system. I haven't tried it myself, but it seems to be gaining in popularity.
i harvested some potatoes already! so easy to grow. just water when dry! it’s crazy how many you get from only a few plants. also the taste and flavor is so FULL. it’s like a superchargered potato lol. nice video.
Hi Ben. Great video as usual. The levy method you use around your courgettes is traditional used here. We also have terracotta pots which do the same as the plastic ones maybe they are available in the UK. We are a little bit in front of you guys (zone 9b/10) board beans, carrots, beetroot and broccoli have all been harvested. Still cropping are runner beans, spring onions, strawberries, leeks and peas. Transplants going in now are of course tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, tahitian melon squash, melon and we are trying a new found plant called "Rat Tailed Radish". Happy gardening,
I am testing out five gallon buckets with holes in the bottom and a few smaller ones on the side. Filled with compost, soil, plant refuse from the yard and kitchen(paper towels, tea bags, coffee grinds, etc.) I will set the bucket near any plants that need a boost, fill it with water, and let that water seep in to the soil slowly. Then when not in use the bucket will be left open and unfilled with water to allow airflow. May even try putting a disk aerator in the bottom to keep the holes from clogging and to give the good bacteria plenty of oxygen. Also using five gallon buckets to collect rainwater at all my downspouts, because my basement floods due to the downspouts not going far enough from the foundation. Thanks for all the tips! Tearing up my straw bale garden that has gone over and using it as a brown component in my compost pile along with cardboard! ❇️🟢🌻🌼😏🥳🫂
Once I used straw spread around my zuchini plants… too bad it was loaded with seeds… 😅 Sooo much work to get rid of everything… Thanks Ben, nice as always! 🌱
Last year I grew an eggplant with round fruit, about 4" in diametre. It was so prolific! I used your method of pollination, using an electric toothbrush. A total success! I have used the toothbrush to help my brandywines produce more fruit, as well. Great tip!!!!!
Thanks for the belly laugh with your old sprouting broccoli. 😂 flea beetles caused me more problems than anything else last year, I really don’t like them, my favourite beatle has to be John 😊
Love all your tips, Ben! Thank you for another wonderful and relaxing video! Looking forward to my patch of Leni Lenape black corn this year, and mini pink popcorn. It’ll be my first time growing corn, so I don’t have any expectations. Just hoping to have fun!
As always thank you Ben, exciting times for the garden. Just put my "Guinness Record" runner beans in and also Cabbage(s) as well as Collards, Sprouts etc. Running out of room already :)
This year im trying a test trail of a straw bail. Collected my used up straw from across my garden beds . Packed aome into my biggest of containers and planted potatoes into it as my trial crop. This far along i've already seen some growth of them sprouting along with my other batch of potatoes i pla ted into my raised hugel bed. First year planting seed potatoes and im so proud & excited of my progress. Also forsy year groing fava/broad beans and its such a new plant to me but i planted it with my spring brassicas. (Cabbage red & green, busselles sprouts, purple mustard) . Thus far their doing well together too. As per usuall love your videos always eases my gardeners amxiety about planting and sewing out my plants. Plus your close in zones to myself so its helpful that someone else experinces some of the same conditons as myself.😊
So fun to watch! I am in zone 8 (used to be 7b until a few months ago, harumph). I’ve had my salad greens, radishes, onions, carrots and leeks growing for about 5 weeks now. Harvesting lots of salad material as well as ripe strawberries. Raspberries are just starting to turn red (my fave!). I’m all done with veg seeds and transplants now…it’s prime growing season. I’m a bit late getting my perennial flowers planted tho, oops. Now it’s time to watch the magic! ….and water…..and fertilize…..and weed…..more weeding……didn’t I just weed that area this morning? Miss Rosie! Happy gardening!
Thank Ben! What is that caterpillar at 04:31 please? I use my old brassica stems as temporary canes. They are staked when they are growing to keep them straight to keep them off the ground and to give space for other plants. Not sure why they are called dwarf curled green kale when mine are nearly 6ft and flowering now?! It's not great for the environment to mail order but if your starts fail then it's best to go to a local garden centre or DIY store with a garden section on your next usual visit. I have had bad experiences with mail order tender transplants before arriving DOA. I am taking off the old triple glazed windows tomorrow (that were broken during the reno) off the old sandpit that we have repurposed for the 3 sisters - courgettes, sweetcorn and beans. Growing some Yellow Kentucky Wonder Wax beans in there, this year. Making a change by growing our courgettes in ground, rather than containers this year as it is too hot and dry in our London garden. Also with it being square i can block plant out some sweetcorn and direct sow some for staggered crops. I am so behind on things due to sicknesses but i think that it is not to best stress about things too much. We are zone 9a here where i am in London and some of our cool crops are starting to bolt. This is why i have decided to move them to crates now so i can now move them into the shade, transplant new ones and re sow. We already transplanted our runner beans last week and planted out our cucumbers today. I am so desperate for pots as we gave so many away and asked for the pots back as low income but didn't get them back! Same with canning jars. The London community seems to have left the building when people are happy to take £7 plants in the shops from you for free but can't return the stuff back for next year and still look down on you for growing these?! My spares are in fizzy and milk bottles this year and the snobs can either take it or leave it. I was mortified when some told me that they binned the pots and jars too!
That caterpillar is a tomato hornworm - a pest in North America, not the UK (thank goodness!). Great to have your beans and cucumbers planted already. Summer's not far off now! :-)
Hi, I grow my zucchini vertically. It has been very successful in my small garden. The leaves can be cut off below the vegetable and allows air to circulate to reduce powdery mildew. J
Hi Ben, Long time no see. For aubergines I have tried grafted plants and they are brilliant. I have also tried grafted toms, melons, and Chillies with great success. Bring in West Wales has changed the way and what I grow. I find dwarf varieties brilliant, so my favourite aubergine now is Jackpot. I am not growing it this year though along with some other things because it has been extraordinarily cold all Spring and Summer. Thank you for your video.
Zone 6b 🇨🇦 Corn on the cob: lots of butter and salt. 🤤 I use a sprinkler system on a timer to water my garden because I work shifts and there are times I'm not able to get into the garden to refill ollas or other eco inground watering methods. When I retire I will be setting my garden beds up with ollas. 💚
Instead of the plastic container for watering, I've been using terracotta ollas (or terracotta flower pots buried under the soil). Then I just fill pots rather than surface watering.
I've got a couple of 4L ollas that I've been using this year, one per raised bed! Works wonders and it's been keeping the whole bed moist despite irregular deep watering. Just make sure to top them up regularly, they can really empty out quickly! And don't forget to take them out when your nearing the risk of frost.
My potatoes are going great. I'm thinking they will be ready to harvest in about a month. The mustard is growing fast. I'm going to take my second harvvest from it Monday, or Tuessday, and my first harvest of Swiss chard too. I have salad onions ready to harvest. The peppers and tomatoes are flowering and have fruit on the vine. The ground cherries are covered with clusters of fruit. The zucchini, lemon squash, crookneck squash, cucumbers, and cantaloupe are flowering. The pole beans are starting to climb the tunnel trellis. The kohlrabi are getting big. All my herbs, chives, marjoram, dill, basil, parsley, chicory, yarrow, oregano, cilantro, catnip, lemon thyme, comfrey, spearmint, and peppermint are growing well. I am harvesting radishes, lettuce, and strawberries. The Goji Berry bushes are almost large enough to transplant. With the spring warmth, 29C, the bugs are comming out, and doing damage. The peppers in my raised be are under attack, so I had to break out the Spinosad. The ones in my GreenStalk towers are pest free, so far. Now that the garden is fully planted, it is time to start making plans for the fall garden.
Could you give us an idea of the location? Must be a zone 9 or 10. Quite a variety of veggies, herbs, and mints you mention. Certainly with that diversity it would seem safe to assume that you've got many different pollinator plants mixed in there too. Sounds like a wonderful place to just stand and look around. I love doing that in my garden.
@@brianmoore4299 I'm in north central Alabama, zone 7b. I have marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, bachalor buton, and strawflower growing for pollinators. There is also a lot of flowering clover in my yard too.
Mijn tomaat krijgt al bloemetjes moet ik deze eruit halen? Want het plantje is nog heel klein Bedankt voor uw leuke filmpjes ik word er helemaal blij van ❤
As I watch this, it’s snowing outside, and my “Utah Gardeners” (USA) Facebook group is getting post after sad post from people who planted yesterday and are regretting it. 😢 I was nearly one of them! 😬 I’m definitely jealous of your weather, Ben!
Weather can make cool weather plants impossible. It’s May 4 in northern Ohio and 75-80 F. I’m guessing my peas, spinach, radishes and kohlrabi will FAIL. These are late June early July temperatures. I’m to about to go all in summer planting and that far from normal.
Great video again Ben. I've personally had a pretty rough week in my garden. Only one night (turned out to be the stormy night last week), Iforgot to put the lid on for the giant plastic containers that I'm using as cold frames for my seedlings. As I've mentioned a couple of times in you comments, my seedlings were too leggy and they died/snapped. Pretty heart breaking for a new gardener! Not getting any encouragement at all to do all the efforts again!
Hello Ben, I have a general question for you. My City Council have now banned the use of cardboard on our Allotments. They say that they could pose a health risk in the soil for years to come as the solvents used in the process of manufacturing. I'm no dig and have already done so on my beds, but I wanted to use it on my paths and covering with woodchip. Could you please advise. It's just yourself, Stephanie Hafferty, Charles Dowding and Huw Richards all use cardboard. With gratitude, Alison.
I would just use it covertly when no one is looking. Get down there at 5am. Lay the cardboard and wood chips. And no one would know. I think it's ridiculous to ban cardboard. The plain stuff - all tape and staples removed - should be fine to use.
I have a question: with all the effort that goes into raising these beautiful vegetables, how much do they actually yield? Do you - creator and viewers who have a garden - manage to depend on your self-grown crops? Thanks, love the channel!
They yield a fair amount and make a very meaningful contribution. My small veggie garden in summer produces more than enough zucchini/courgettes, tomatoes, beans, salads etc. to keep us all satisfied. :-)
So sorry that I have to unsub from this awesome channel... I just lost my beloved garden project and I don't know when or if I will have a garden to turn into a food growing paradise ever again. Thank you so, so much for all of the awesome content and information on this channel. It's too painful to stay right now. If I can I will return. Keep growing.
I tried using the straw bales they have been left outside in my rainy Washington weather for 4 months I did the conditioning method and they are not breaking down. So now one of my boys gets to use straw bales for archery and the others will be used for mulch.
I used to do straw bale gardening before the prices got too high, and when the bales refused to condition on my schedule I chopped deep narrow holes in the top and stuffed compost in the hole, then inserted the plant in the compost. It’s just like mounding compost on top of the bale- provides a growth environment for the transplant until the bale breaks down sufficiently. Good luck! Yet another entertaining and inspiring video, Ben! I too got a belly laugh at the broccoli stalk mustache. You are a refreshing antidote to these trying times.
Straw can make an excellent mulch around plants set into the soil, but planting directly into straw mulch might be trickier - really the straw bales are best as they are tightly packed and offer loads of room for the roots to reach down and explore.
Thank you Ben really helpful tips. I was wondering if you can advise me. Last year we put out bell peppers but they did not flower so didn't produce fruits? We left them in the ground over winter they have got bigger and we have been using liquid feed. Any ideas why they did not fruit?
Could be a number of reasons. Plants just not big enough, or a very high nitrogen soil this promoted leafy growth over flowers and fruits. Now they are in their second season and you’re feeding them I reckon there’s a much higher chance they should flower this summer.
How much soil do I need over my early tatties before I add the mulch? I am growing them in pots in the greenhouse. I live in Scotland. It's been too cold to plant them outside. Only just starting to warm up this week.
I would fill the pots to the brim with soil/compost then add your mulch to the top once this is done. :-) More on that here: ruclips.net/video/A6zhvmVuPZc/видео.htmlsi=IMiYKckrMdCac9Ur
Hi Ben just wondering. This is my first year growing cucumbers in my greenhouse and I was wondering what is the best type of feed or fertiliser to use?
Hi Ben. Ive noticed with your salad beds that you havent put any protection on them, as in a cover. Do you need to? Ive tried to cover mine against 🐌 but wonder if i need to actually do it? Thanks.
I have had them covered, literally up until filming, with a fleece row cover. But they are now open and uncovered, with no ill effect. Thankfully the pigeons are leaving the salads alone too!
Im in a new garden 2years now starting from scratch we have put in a pond and have frogs already. I’m passionate about wildlife in my garden, but find it difficult to deal with snails and slugs of which we have many. What do we do with them when I’ve caught them? I’ve only heard that you ‘despatch’ them what does this mean - do I kill them? Seems harsh as they are part of food chain? It’s a dilemma-help?
Yes, despatch means to kill them. But if you don’t fancy that, you could just relocate them as far as you can from your susceptible plants. I often put them onto my compost heap where they can get to work on the plant material in there instead.
They are a cool weather crop. You plant them late in the summer and allow them to grow through the fall up until the first frost. Unlike traditional radishes they take longer to grow, about 90 days. A frost makes them much more tasty
@@connecticutwormsgardens I sowed them in the autumn for an early harvest, because I was told I could, but I don’t know how early to harvest them; is there anything I should look for as an indicator to harvest?
I would just harvest them when you feel they are a reasonable size. They grow up to around tennis ball size, so harvesting at any point up to that would be fine. :-)
If you are watching calories ( or even if you are not) try my trick - eat your corn with a squish of fresh lime juice and I agree with Ben lots of Pepper!
This is quite normal. Kale is a biennial and bolts (or flowers) at the start of its second summer. So your plants have just reached the end of their productive life. You could leave the flowers for the bees/butterflies, or just clear them away to the compost heap ready for the next crop.
Does anyone have issues with getting bitten by harvest mites? Any advice on how to avoid getting bitten? Socks tucked into trousers and still got eaten alive
Are you watering enough? It sounds like they could be struggling. Also, if they are under cover, check it's not getting too hot, and move them outside if it's warm during the day.
@@GrowVeg No shortage of rain here so they get plenty of water 😅, also I water them frequently on dry days. I keep them in a clear area of the garden with no cover. We had a late frost a few weeks ago, that’s the only thing I can think of.
Thanks ben, I'm 13 and I use your tips all the time. I live in wales and the seasons are pretty short so your tips help me organise my planting
It is very encouraging to read when young people foster a love of growing things! All the best luck in your garden! Wales is a beautiful, green country. I live next to the ocean in a semi mountainous desert 😅 I have to drive miles out of the way to see green like yours.
@@jessicajordan680 Excuse the random question but where you are, if you could only grow 3 veg what would they be?
Totally agree btw, always a good sign when the next generation/s shows an interest early on!
I also live in Wales, and am 70. It can be a very challenging place to grow, especially after all the rain this year. Well done you, enjoy your growing.
Great to hear you gardening at 13 - this is very encouraging! :-)
Great to see a younger person gardening. I also live next to the sea, please free to get in touch regarding the joys and challenges on such a situation.
Happy gardening 😁
Ben, I know our zones couldn't be more different (10a southern california) but I enjoy watching your channel so much. You are cheerful and enthusiastic and your videos are paced and edited so nicely it feels like I'm watching a real TV show! You are a wonderful gardener and a lovely person. Thank you for encouraging us all to get our hands dirty and steward the earth with beauty and food ❤😊
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that. Happy gardening! :-)
Totally agree!
How long is the growing season in Southern California? E.g. can you grow things like tomatoes almost year-round?
Hi Ben , I am a 70 year old gardener and love your tips! I'm quite new to gardening need all the help I can get! 👍😉
What a great hobby to have found - you'll love gardening! :-)
Holy moly, please more of this time-based season based checklists!! so helpful!
I am in Connecticut, zone 5B and planted carrots and beets last October under a row cover and have been eating fresh salads for about a month now. They did very well outside.
Adding that to my calendar!
What was your coldest temp and how long did it last? Ive found in my 6a garden when the temps hit single digits or lower everything freezes even under a cover.
Ben, you truly are one of life’s blessings, adored & respected by so many of us around the world.
From composting to harvesting, I’ve learned so very much from you, which I’m able to pass on to my children as well as their friends whom are now old enough to help with various tasks & they LOVE every aspect of growing things.
Thank you so very much ✌️❤️
Oh wow - this is so kind of you to say, thank you! It's so rewarding to be able to pass on a love of gardening to children too. Happy gardening! :-)
May the 4th be with you!
I feel way behind this year! It will be autumn by the time I get sorted lol 🙈😂
Love your "levy" method around the squash instead of the plastic bottle. I'm trying clay flower pot ollas next to my tomatoes this year to help them get more consistent moisture and avoid blossom end rot. Going to plug the drainage hole with a wine cork and use the saucer as the lid. If it doesn't work...well there's always the wine for consolation 😊
Sounds like a great idea. :-)
Your videos are a welcome blast of cheer, Ben. Thankyou
Thank you again. My garden is absolutely beautiful. Your videos helped a lot.
I understand your excitement over the first tip of corn. It always seems like magic, doesn't it?
Totally! :-)
Thanks Ben for answering so many questions I didnt even know I had. As a new Vegetable Gardener with a small 60 m2 garden, your videos, website and garden planner is making this journey so much more enjoyable. Thank you so much for sharing with all of us your knowledge.
This is so lovely to read, thank you for the feedback. :-)
Just when I feel like giving up, your cheery chops gives me a poke with a pointed stick. Thank you from South Wales.🌳🐾🌹
Good morning Ben, thank you for another most informing garden chat. Your enthusiasm never fails and you always encourage as you "plant" along. A spice I enjoy eating with the sweetcorn is a light dash of chilli pepper and sometimes a bit more, depending on my taste buds for the day!! I found quite a lot of Australian mealy bugs on the Japanese Maple, I pick those horrors off by hand and drop them on to the bricks and I love destroying them under foot. We try to use as little poisonous sprays as possible. Well we are in the winter season, but the days have just been so beautiful, not cold at all. Not really a good thing as we do need those seasonal weather changes. Trying my best to keep the Basil plants growing, they are in a container and looking great but at night I cover with plastic garbage bags to keep unexpected cold wind off them, so far so good. Remember my tomatoes from last winter, I love a challenge in the garden. Some we win some we loose, just keep giving it your best shot. Enjoy today, ease off with a good cup of Ceylon's best and a slice of fresh cake out the oven. Happy days. Many blessings.
Sounds like a splendid way to ease off the day! Happy gardening! :-)
I always love the knowledge you share. Your enthusiasm is infectious!
I’d love a behind the scenes of one of your videos!
Thanks for the suggestion - may well do one of those one day. :-)
Hi there. Loving your vids!!! Have noticed through my own personal experiences that when making the levees around things such as squashes, cukes, eggplants etc etc that I needed to make sure the water was quickly absorbed down into the soil. If it sat a might bit too long it would rot the stems at the ground level. Bright blessings in all of your endeavors. Keep the wonderful vids coming. BTW…. Anxiously awaiting another book by you! LOL.
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, best not to have plants sitting around in wet for too long. :-)
I’ve been enjoying your videos more and more. Thanks!
Hi Ben, another great video with lots if useful advice. Thanks for sharing and take care 😊
Excellent advice! It's been so chilly here, my salad greens are so tiny.
I live in West Virginia and I use straw bails for extended winter gardening.helps keep frost away from roots.i grown corn, tomatoes, squash,and poll beans in November
Hello Ben,
Thank you for your expertise.
Thank you Ben for the great clips. They are so good. I'm new to growing but I'm learning a lot from you. Thank you so much. Have a good Bank Holiday weekend!
And you! :-)
😁 Thanks for the Knowledge Friend 🙏
Ah dude, each one your new videos get better and better! I really appreciate your advice!
Thanks so much - really appreciate it. Happy gardening! :-)
Absolutely love your planner! Thanks for another great video 😊
Instead of the plastic bottle, you could try terra cotta pots, or the olla watering system. I haven't tried it myself, but it seems to be gaining in popularity.
Ben, you are brilliant. Thank you
i harvested some potatoes already! so easy to grow. just water when dry! it’s crazy how many you get from only a few plants. also the taste and flavor is so FULL. it’s like a superchargered potato lol.
nice video.
I always love your videos ❤
Hi Ben. Great video as usual. The levy method you use around your courgettes is traditional used here. We also have terracotta pots which do the same as the plastic ones maybe they are available in the UK.
We are a little bit in front of you guys (zone 9b/10) board beans, carrots, beetroot and broccoli have all been harvested. Still cropping are runner beans, spring onions, strawberries, leeks and peas. Transplants going in now are of course tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines, tahitian melon squash, melon and we are trying a new found plant called "Rat Tailed Radish".
Happy gardening,
Sounds like you guys are a long way ahead. Lovely to be enjoying melons - delicious. Happy gardening! :-)
Melons will be available in a few more months. 🤣
I am testing out five gallon buckets with holes in the bottom and a few smaller ones on the side. Filled with compost, soil, plant refuse from the yard and kitchen(paper towels, tea bags, coffee grinds, etc.) I will set the bucket near any plants that need a boost, fill it with water, and let that water seep in to the soil slowly. Then when not in use the bucket will be left open and unfilled with water to allow airflow. May even try putting a disk aerator in the bottom to keep the holes from clogging and to give the good bacteria plenty of oxygen. Also using five gallon buckets to collect rainwater at all my downspouts, because my basement floods due to the downspouts not going far enough from the foundation.
Thanks for all the tips! Tearing up my straw bale garden that has gone over and using it as a brown component in my compost pile along with cardboard!
❇️🟢🌻🌼😏🥳🫂
Sounds like a great idea! :-)
a lot of weeds you can just add to your salads too ;)
or let some nettle grow! the most nutritious plant on earth, and a nettlesoup is super tasty (:
Once I used straw spread around my zuchini plants… too bad it was loaded with seeds… 😅 Sooo much work to get rid of everything…
Thanks Ben, nice as always! 🌱
Same issue happens with grass clippings if you cut your grass too late and have some weed seeds in there!
@@ahealthkit2745 Thank you, I was wondering already… 🤷♀️
Last year I grew an eggplant with round fruit, about 4" in diametre. It was so prolific! I used your method of pollination, using an electric toothbrush. A total success! I have used the toothbrush to help my brandywines produce more fruit, as well. Great tip!!!!!
Thanks for the belly laugh with your old sprouting broccoli. 😂 flea beetles caused me more problems than anything else last year, I really don’t like them, my favourite beatle has to be John 😊
Haha - yes, a good choice of Beatle!
Love all your tips, Ben! Thank you for another wonderful and relaxing video! Looking forward to my patch of Leni Lenape black corn this year, and mini pink popcorn. It’ll be my first time growing corn, so I don’t have any expectations. Just hoping to have fun!
I hope you get a fab harvest from them - what fun to be trying them for the first time. Nice job! :-)
As always thank you Ben, exciting times for the garden. Just put my "Guinness Record" runner beans in and also Cabbage(s) as well as Collards, Sprouts etc. Running out of room already :)
This year im trying a test trail of a straw bail. Collected my used up straw from across my garden beds . Packed aome into my biggest of containers and planted potatoes into it as my trial crop. This far along i've already seen some growth of them sprouting along with my other batch of potatoes i pla ted into my raised hugel bed. First year planting seed potatoes and im so proud & excited of my progress.
Also forsy year groing fava/broad beans and its such a new plant to me but i planted it with my spring brassicas. (Cabbage red & green, busselles sprouts, purple mustard) . Thus far their doing well together too. As per usuall love your videos always eases my gardeners amxiety about planting and sewing out my plants. Plus your close in zones to myself so its helpful that someone else experinces some of the same conditons as myself.😊
Great to hear this. I hope your straw potatoes continue to grow well. Keep up the good work! :-)
Great tips-thank you!
So fun to watch! I am in zone 8 (used to be 7b until a few months ago, harumph). I’ve had my salad greens, radishes, onions, carrots and leeks growing for about 5 weeks now. Harvesting lots of salad material as well as ripe strawberries. Raspberries are just starting to turn red (my fave!). I’m all done with veg seeds and transplants now…it’s prime growing season. I’m a bit late getting my perennial flowers planted tho, oops. Now it’s time to watch the magic! ….and water…..and fertilize…..and weed…..more weeding……didn’t I just weed that area this morning? Miss Rosie! Happy gardening!
Rosie will be in in a few videos coming up, don't worry. Enjoy those raspberries - and happy gardening! :-)
Thank Ben! What is that caterpillar at 04:31 please?
I use my old brassica stems as temporary canes. They are staked when they are growing to keep them straight to keep them off the ground and to give space for other plants. Not sure why they are called dwarf curled green kale when mine are nearly 6ft and flowering now?!
It's not great for the environment to mail order but if your starts fail then it's best to go to a local garden centre or DIY store with a garden section on your next usual visit. I have had bad experiences with mail order tender transplants before arriving DOA.
I am taking off the old triple glazed windows tomorrow (that were broken during the reno) off the old sandpit that we have repurposed for the 3 sisters - courgettes, sweetcorn and beans.
Growing some Yellow Kentucky Wonder Wax beans in there, this year. Making a change by growing our courgettes in ground, rather than containers this year as it is too hot and dry in our London garden.
Also with it being square i can block plant out some sweetcorn and direct sow some for staggered crops.
I am so behind on things due to sicknesses but i think that it is not to best stress about things too much.
We are zone 9a here where i am in London and some of our cool crops are starting to bolt. This is why i have decided to move them to crates now so i can now move them into the shade, transplant new ones and re sow.
We already transplanted our runner beans last week and planted out our cucumbers today.
I am so desperate for pots as we gave so many away and asked for the pots back as low income but didn't get them back! Same with canning jars.
The London community seems to have left the building when people are happy to take £7 plants in the shops from you for free but can't return the stuff back for next year and still look down on you for growing these?! My spares are in fizzy and milk bottles this year and the snobs can either take it or leave it. I was mortified when some told me that they binned the pots and jars too!
That caterpillar is a tomato hornworm - a pest in North America, not the UK (thank goodness!). Great to have your beans and cucumbers planted already. Summer's not far off now! :-)
Good information, I will do it
Hi, I grow my zucchini vertically. It has been very successful in my small garden. The leaves can be cut off below the vegetable and allows air to circulate to reduce powdery mildew. J
Fabulous stuff Ben. I love to brush my corn with coconut oil and put them on the bbq. Definitely a game changer for me.
Hi Ben,
Long time no see. For aubergines I have tried grafted plants and they are brilliant. I have also tried grafted toms, melons, and Chillies with great success. Bring in West Wales has changed the way and what I grow. I find dwarf varieties brilliant, so my favourite aubergine now is Jackpot. I am not growing it this year though along with some other things because it has been extraordinarily cold all Spring and Summer. Thank you for your video.
Grafted veggies do seem to give an extra boost in changeable weather that's for sure. :-)
Zone 6b 🇨🇦 Corn on the cob: lots of butter and salt. 🤤 I use a sprinkler system on a timer to water my garden because I work shifts and there are times I'm not able to get into the garden to refill ollas or other eco inground watering methods. When I retire I will be setting my garden beds up with ollas. 💚
I'm going to have to try these ollas - so many people are recommending them. :-)
Instead of the plastic container for watering, I've been using terracotta ollas (or terracotta flower pots buried under the soil). Then I just fill pots rather than surface watering.
I've got a couple of 4L ollas that I've been using this year, one per raised bed! Works wonders and it's been keeping the whole bed moist despite irregular deep watering. Just make sure to top them up regularly, they can really empty out quickly! And don't forget to take them out when your nearing the risk of frost.
Oh I dream of inexpensive bales of straw! lol
I use tomato cages for my eggplants in containers 😊
Great idea! :-)
🐝thanks for the great video🌻
My potatoes are going great. I'm thinking they will be ready to harvest in about a month. The mustard is growing fast. I'm going to take my second harvvest from it Monday, or Tuessday, and my first harvest of Swiss chard too. I have salad onions ready to harvest. The peppers and tomatoes are flowering and have fruit on the vine. The ground cherries are covered with clusters of fruit. The zucchini, lemon squash, crookneck squash, cucumbers, and cantaloupe are flowering. The pole beans are starting to climb the tunnel trellis. The kohlrabi are getting big. All my herbs, chives, marjoram, dill, basil, parsley, chicory, yarrow, oregano, cilantro, catnip, lemon thyme, comfrey, spearmint, and peppermint are growing well. I am harvesting radishes, lettuce, and strawberries. The Goji Berry bushes are almost large enough to transplant. With the spring warmth, 29C, the bugs are comming out, and doing damage. The peppers in my raised be are under attack, so I had to break out the Spinosad. The ones in my GreenStalk towers are pest free, so far. Now that the garden is fully planted, it is time to start making plans for the fall garden.
Could you give us an idea of the location? Must be a zone 9 or 10. Quite a variety of veggies, herbs, and mints you mention. Certainly with that diversity it would seem safe to assume that you've got many different pollinator plants mixed in there too. Sounds like a wonderful place to just stand and look around. I love doing that in my garden.
@@brianmoore4299 I'm in north central Alabama, zone 7b. I have marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, bachalor buton, and strawflower growing for pollinators. There is also a lot of flowering clover in my yard too.
Loads to enjoy there - brilliant! :)
So lovely! Thank you! We bought a young blueberry plants - any tips on how to grow these please? We are in Norfolk, UK. Thanks again!
They need an acidic soil or ericaceous compost. More in this video: ruclips.net/video/mBFufBKH7hc/видео.htmlsi=7ZK-bOudLCsC5GRo
@@GrowVeg Thank you so much!!
Mijn tomaat krijgt al bloemetjes moet ik deze eruit halen? Want het plantje is nog heel klein
Bedankt voor uw leuke filmpjes ik word er helemaal blij van ❤
Yes, if the plant is still very small, I would remove flowers and let the plants grow on a bit before letting them go ahead and flower.
@@GrowVeg thanks ❤
As I watch this, it’s snowing outside, and my “Utah Gardeners” (USA) Facebook group is getting post after sad post from people who planted yesterday and are regretting it. 😢 I was nearly one of them! 😬 I’m definitely jealous of your weather, Ben!
Hope it warms up soon for you. :-)
I eat corn on the cob with ketchup 😋
thank you from ny very pleasant video
Amazing stuff, great video
Great video,,,,,
Weather can make cool weather plants impossible. It’s May 4 in northern Ohio and 75-80 F. I’m guessing my peas, spinach, radishes and kohlrabi will FAIL. These are late June early July temperatures. I’m to about to go all in summer planting and that far from normal.
That's very warm already. :-(
might do this,, may do this
Great video again Ben.
I've personally had a pretty rough week in my garden. Only one night (turned out to be the stormy night last week), Iforgot to put the lid on for the giant plastic containers that I'm using as cold frames for my seedlings. As I've mentioned a couple of times in you comments, my seedlings were too leggy and they died/snapped.
Pretty heart breaking for a new gardener! Not getting any encouragement at all to do all the efforts again!
That is heartbreaking. But I hope you have the fortitude to carry on. :-)
Good information
Hello Ben,
I have a general question for you.
My City Council have now banned the use of cardboard on our Allotments.
They say that they could pose a health risk in the soil for years to come as the solvents used in the process of manufacturing.
I'm no dig and have already done so on my beds, but I wanted to use it on my paths and covering with woodchip.
Could you please advise.
It's just yourself, Stephanie Hafferty, Charles Dowding and Huw Richards all use cardboard.
With gratitude, Alison.
I would just use it covertly when no one is looking. Get down there at 5am. Lay the cardboard and wood chips. And no one would know. I think it's ridiculous to ban cardboard. The plain stuff - all tape and staples removed - should be fine to use.
I have a question: with all the effort that goes into raising these beautiful vegetables, how much do they actually yield? Do you - creator and viewers who have a garden - manage to depend on your self-grown crops? Thanks, love the channel!
They yield a fair amount and make a very meaningful contribution. My small veggie garden in summer produces more than enough zucchini/courgettes, tomatoes, beans, salads etc. to keep us all satisfied. :-)
@@GrowVeg Wow, I really should finally start my garden, even if it’s just for greens! Thank you so much!
So sorry that I have to unsub from this awesome channel... I just lost my beloved garden project and I don't know when or if I will have a garden to turn into a food growing paradise ever again. Thank you so, so much for all of the awesome content and information on this channel.
It's too painful to stay right now. If I can I will return. Keep growing.
I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope you will get a chance to grow again. :-)
I tried using the straw bales they have been left outside in my rainy Washington weather for 4 months I did the conditioning method and they are not breaking down. So now one of my boys gets to use straw bales for archery and the others will be used for mulch.
I used to do straw bale gardening before the prices got too high, and when the bales refused to condition on my schedule I chopped deep narrow holes in the top and stuffed compost in the hole, then inserted the plant in the compost. It’s just like mounding compost on top of the bale- provides a growth environment for the transplant until the bale breaks down sufficiently. Good luck!
Yet another entertaining and inspiring video, Ben! I too got a belly laugh at the broccoli stalk mustache. You are a refreshing antidote to these trying times.
Lime juice on corn.
I know you mention straw bales but how about straw mulch? Could you use that as a comparator to straw bales?
Straw can make an excellent mulch around plants set into the soil, but planting directly into straw mulch might be trickier - really the straw bales are best as they are tightly packed and offer loads of room for the roots to reach down and explore.
Which zone is Hampshire in England? Thanks Ben love your channel.
I would say the same as mine (in Oxfordshire) - so zone 8.
Another way of watering your courgette roots without using plastic is to sink unglazed clay pots or gourds into the soil by your plants.
Great idea. :-)
blumming size of that caterpilla!! i better not see them i dont think icould pick them off like that lol , crikey !!
Gardening gloves !
Thank you Ben really helpful tips. I was wondering if you can advise me. Last year we put out bell peppers but they did not flower so didn't produce fruits? We left them in the ground over winter they have got bigger and we have been using liquid feed. Any ideas why they did not fruit?
Could be a number of reasons. Plants just not big enough, or a very high nitrogen soil this promoted leafy growth over flowers and fruits. Now they are in their second season and you’re feeding them I reckon there’s a much higher chance they should flower this summer.
Do you ever get a double harvest by inoculating your straw bales with mushroom spawn?
I've not tried that, but that could certainly be possible - perhaps with oyster mushrooms.
How much soil do I need over my early tatties before I add the mulch? I am growing them in pots in the greenhouse. I live in Scotland. It's been too cold to plant them outside. Only just starting to warm up this week.
I would fill the pots to the brim with soil/compost then add your mulch to the top once this is done. :-) More on that here: ruclips.net/video/A6zhvmVuPZc/видео.htmlsi=IMiYKckrMdCac9Ur
I got to my allotment earlier and quickly felt overwhelmed with marestail and couch grass. They’re NOT taking their time!
Best corn is grilled with oil or ghee, salt, lime and chili
Hi Ben just wondering. This is my first year growing cucumbers in my greenhouse and I was wondering what is the best type of feed or fertiliser to use?
I would recommend literally any tomato fertiliser, which would be great for other fruiting vegetables like cucumbers and peppers.
@@GrowVeg Thanks Ben your videos are fantastic and very educational. Thanks again
Great video as usual,I was wondering would it be suitable to grow herbs in the ridges when you hill your potatoes
Probably not as the potatoes will soon close over above (the foliage) and aren't in the ground that long anyhow before they'd be dug up.
Hi Ben. Ive noticed with your salad beds that you havent put any protection on them, as in a cover. Do you need to? Ive tried to cover mine against 🐌 but wonder if i need to actually do it? Thanks.
I have had them covered, literally up until filming, with a fleece row cover. But they are now open and uncovered, with no ill effect. Thankfully the pigeons are leaving the salads alone too!
@@GrowVeg thank you Ben.
Im in a new garden 2years now starting from scratch we have put in a pond and have frogs already. I’m passionate about wildlife in my garden, but find it difficult to deal with snails and slugs of which we have many. What do we do with them when I’ve caught them? I’ve only heard that you ‘despatch’ them what does this mean - do I kill them? Seems harsh as they are part of food chain? It’s a dilemma-help?
Yes, despatch means to kill them. But if you don’t fancy that, you could just relocate them as far as you can from your susceptible plants. I often put them onto my compost heap where they can get to work on the plant material in there instead.
Do you know when I’m supposed to harvest Spanish black radishes?
They are a cool weather crop. You plant them late in the summer and allow them to grow through the fall up until the first frost. Unlike traditional radishes they take longer to grow, about 90 days. A frost makes them much more tasty
@@connecticutwormsgardens I sowed them in the autumn for an early harvest, because I was told I could, but I don’t know how early to harvest them; is there anything I should look for as an indicator to harvest?
I would just harvest them when you feel they are a reasonable size. They grow up to around tennis ball size, so harvesting at any point up to that would be fine. :-)
@@GrowVeg ta 👍🏻🤙🏻
Chickens love to eat the bugs 😂
Pest caterpillars? Pest butterflies?
Yes, please let us know which zone you are gardening in
I think Ben is in zone 8…?
@@antoniawildmedia Indeed he says so around 17:00
I'm in zone 8. :-)
If you are watching calories ( or even if you are not) try my trick - eat your corn with a squish of fresh lime juice and I agree with Ben lots of Pepper!
Hi my kale plants have yellow flowers on them. What is the cause?
This is quite normal. Kale is a biennial and bolts (or flowers) at the start of its second summer. So your plants have just reached the end of their productive life. You could leave the flowers for the bees/butterflies, or just clear them away to the compost heap ready for the next crop.
Thank you. Very useful to know. Does that also apply to thyme too as mine have purple flowers on them.
Does anyone have issues with getting bitten by harvest mites? Any advice on how to avoid getting bitten? Socks tucked into trousers and still got eaten alive
Essential oil of lavender on the top of your socks. (works well for me)
what is a potato called when it not in a pot a tato🤣
My tip broke off my pole bean plant so I'm thinking not many beans from this plant to be expected.
You'll probably find it sends out side shoots which can then be trained and grown up, creating an even fuller plant!
Any advice on my second early potatoes’ leaves yellowing? They are well watered and ventilated
Are you watering enough? It sounds like they could be struggling. Also, if they are under cover, check it's not getting too hot, and move them outside if it's warm during the day.
@@GrowVeg No shortage of rain here so they get plenty of water 😅, also I water them frequently on dry days. I keep them in a clear area of the garden with no cover. We had a late frost a few weeks ago, that’s the only thing I can think of.
I’ve never grown veg in straw bales; worried about Grazon and other herbicides from unknown sources
Just be sure to check with the farmer for any treatments they've used.
ONCE IVE COOKED MY SWEETCORN I PUT IT IN TINFOIL WITH A CUBE OF BUTTER AND PUT IT IN THE OVEN FOR 5-10 MINUTES
Yum! :-)
I need a green house 🏡
where does this guy live? england right?
Im in west of ireland and its still bloody cold. Nothing in the veg garden is growing!
I'm in southern England. Warmer weather on the way for all of us I hope!
its high phos/cal you should be most focused on at first signs of flower, not potassium..
❤❤❤
could have peeled and eaten those broccoli stems??
I would consider that with younger, thicker stems, but these guys were very, very tough!
Can anyone in the USA suggest a mail-order garden center?
Thank you ❤
Johnny's Seeds is awesome! They are in Maine.
@@leahwithheld783 thank you 😊
Pinetree Seeds, also in Maine, smaller but also less expensive. Others are Baker Creek, Burpee and MI Gardener.
@@davidnichols4660 oh wow! Thank you so much 💗