Just wanted to drop you a note of encouragement Charles. I discovered you last year so didn't get the full benefit of no dig, but this year everything is no dig with timings based on your calendar, multi sowings of spring onions etc. I work with large, corporate businesses in process optimization and want to compliment you on your 'minimum effort, maximum output' philosophy. You've made a gardener out of me.
Ah cool! I really appreciate your comment because it's not easy to start afresh in gardening, and I am happy that you have managed it. Plus as you say for less effort!
I slept in here in michigan 8am lol. But it was a beautiful sunrise this morning. And warm. Yesterday morning we has a frost and this morning its 65°f and feels like spring finally. Have a lovely spring day. (Or fall if any viewers are in the southern hemisphere!)
A good alternative for hoops for fleece is a couple large-ish plant pots upside down in the middle of the bed. It keeps the fleece of the leaves and keeps a nice low profile for the wind.
Thankyou Charles Dowding for loving green growing things. I really appreciate your passion and the fact that you actually interact with your audience. I won't subscribe to a channel that hasn't even answered a person if it's been weeks ago. I just wanted you to know I see the time you take to interact with us and just wanted to say thankyou for taking the time.
Charles, after years of losses from early plantings to frost even in my tunnel,I now use two layers of fleece,inside and out.a double layer on the plants under a layer on hoops.its working very well. Great programme as always.
A huge compliment, I not only watch your videos to learn so much, I’ve also take to watching your videos every night at bedtime. Your voice is very soothing.
@@thetessellater9163 very lol. It’s refreshing especially since most videos these days, even gardening videos, have hosts who speak loud, fast and almost spastically. I don’t know why they think they have to yell at people to get them to listen. 🤣🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
My mum and gran always used old net curtains in the summer. More to do with keeping the pesky birds from nibbling at the greens than for the extra warmth.
I can't thank you enough for all your work, your research, your experiments... You are giving the two most valuable resources to us all, knowledge and the time it takes to acquire it. Your work will continue to send out echoes in the vast canyon that is horticulture.
Thankyou for your advice Charles. This is my first year growing and you are helping so much. I have put my name down for an allotment I am enjoying growing organically following all your methods. (I only have an area of 3sq yds max outside). I am eating lettuce and pea shoots already, and have many seedlings started, not sure where they will all go! I have managed to start 2 okra indoors which I will container plant in the conservatory, fingers crossed. 'A Thousand Thank-You's' for your information.
I found a nice trick to extend the life of my fleece. When I get holes in them, usually from the birds, I use clear packing tape to close them up. Being plastic on plastic it holds really well. Cheers from Norway Charles.
David-do you put the tape on both sides like sandwiching it over the hole? Because of Charles I've started using the floating row covers/fleece/agrogrow (its called a lot of different names here) Started last year and ill never go back, but I found a small hole and was thinking I should fix that before it gets bigger
@@neil9505 If you find one that works, do tell. I tried that on 8°F ag fabric and the fabric glue didn't hold. I may just sew a piece to it, if I need to.
@@joanies6778 Will do. I’m only in my second year as a gardener (thanks mainly to Charles’ courses) so still new to all this. I’ve used ultra fine veggie mesh but not fleece yet. I put a hole in the mesh within a week thanks to a combination of laziness and a strimmer. 😁
Thank you, Charles, for sharing that covers can anyway cause frost damage. That is valuable information. I am only in my second garden season and got my allotments last year quite late (April and May) and started with common sense and EM (effective microorganisms), then was so surprised that my chard and some carrots made it over the winter...now I know that there are many other people who are practicing winter gardering...:)) This year I started with compost and fleece and about 1000 seedlings, some of them I constantly carry from the living room to the balcony and back as I do not have a green house yet. The spring here (very north of Germany, at the Baltic Sea) is also so cold and windy this year, no comparison with last year. Today I saw that my potatoes are already 8 cm high and I thought - nothing to worry, there is fleece on them. But no, now I know that this might not be enough. So if there will be still frost the next 10 days, normally then the danger should be over, I will take your experience and advice into consideration and find a way to lift up the covers so that they do not touch the plants.
You could make a tv series & even more with everything you have done for us so far! Thank you for everything you showed in ur video's. running a medicinal/veggy garden the last couple years but only started outside last summer, thanks for everything!
Dear Charles Thanks for your video advice. My new allotment has been successful using your no dig method. The fleece in particular has been protective and helpful. Keep up the good work. Kind regards Yarong
Thanks Charles. Fleece really helped getting my carrots going after late March sowing. Now quite a bit ahead of the sowing I did without fleece which took at least a couple weeks longer to germinate!
Another excellent, informative video from the Dowding family, thank you both. What can be quite amazing is how many people from all over the world find these useful; maybe say where you're from in your comments, as some already do. (Buckinghamshire, England)
"Light surplus, temperature deficit"... Perfect way to describe what I'm experiencing now, but didn't quite know how to articulate! Into my garden journal this phrase shall go.💡This video has helped me. Thank you!
Charles to the rescue again, here in Sheffield we've been having frost every morning, what a weird weather this year, looks like it's gonna be another month of low temperatures also gonna be a wet one, might have to plant in June this year. Top man Charles. Cockney Kurd.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig similar here! but i have totally no confidence to transplant sweet corns after mid-May, would you consider to delay transplanting them for one or two weeks? Thanks.
Your videos are so informative and wonderful as usual. You’ve definitely been a pandemic-relief staple of this household! An essential worker! :) I love when you compare different “technologies” like mesh, super helpful. In terms of the different weights of fleece I think it really makes a big difference. We learnt it the hard way, here in Rome the temperature excursion between day and night is really quite big on a frosty month like February and March, and we inadvertently got fleece that was too heavy, thinking it was the usual lighter one we always get. Bad idea!! We almost wilted to death two lemon trees before catching on and uncovering the trees by day when the sun is out. The lighter mesh really seems better for that reason - good wind and light frost protection, but won’t wilt your plants in the sun nearly as much . Especially if you are not going to hold guard next to them on a daily basis to remember to uncover them or water them for fear they might wilt!
In Ohio in the US, the squirrels are quite awful with digging up my plantings, even if they don’t eat them. I started using fleece last year and it has been a game changer with anything I plant in the garden. This spring when we had some hot days right after frost, it helped with protecting the small plants from getting scorched. My kale did not like the heat and seemed to do better under the fleece. It did not bake them like I expected. I think it reflected some of the sun that would bake the dark soil. Some of the edges were slightly open, so it functioned more like a sun shade. I overwintered kale and beets under the fleece and have been harvesting leaves since February. My intestines are grateful. Out of all my purchases, the 5x25 feet white thin fleece has protected my crops like nothing else. I tried it because I saw it in your videos. Thank you Charles!
Brilliant! I love my row covers. They’ve saved my crops from wind, deer, and cold. For me, It’s been sort of difficult to find over here. So I cherish it. Also, loving your Veg Course book! Going to try some new veg this year. Thank you Charles!
Love how your new beds in the new land are going about! I'm finally starting my very first no-dig beds right now. With my disabilities, no dig is something I can definitely do on my own. Wish I had learned this sooner, however, never too late to learn new things! Thank you so very much, Charles, you've been an enormous source of hope and inspiration. Greeting from sandy soil Florida!
Thank you for this video Charles! I was asking you about when to take off the fleece a while back and now you've made an in depth video about this and much more, wonderful! I've run into the problem that I need more covers than I can afford at the moment, so I've come up with some alternatives. Maybe someone else can benefit from this as well, so I'll share what I've done: - I've been using scaffolding fabric / netting as cover. Obviously not meant to be used in gardening, but I got mine for free, and I figured I'd rather use what I have than do without. It looks a bit like mesh, but less fine. It is designed to block the wind and quite a bit stronger than mesh in my experience. I don't think it does much for warmth, but it does protect against birds and other animals. - I've also used large black plastic pots (with the bottom cut out) definitely You mentioned the hungry gap: I've planted purple sprouting broccoli last year after reading your book. I have been harvesting quite a bit since the second half of march. It really is a wonderful crop. I do think it deserves its own video if you have the time.
Cool and yes broccoli is amazing now. We can't make all the videos for free, and there is one about broccoli in this lesson here, part of my new online course charlesdowding.co.uk/product/from-seed-to-harvest-5-broccoli/
Thank you for explaining this so thoroughly. I've had netting over my plot since late autumn, raised off the ground by using my tall-plant restrainers that came straight from holding up my summer flowers to protecting my cabbages and broccoli. I actually witnessed how effect this was when the local collared doves tried to get at my produce. I am very grateful for all your great advice!
I daren’t plant outside yet.......northern Scotland is still minus most nights poor greenhouse is bursting! Think next year I shall invest in some good quality fleece......thanks Charles 👍🌱
Charles I have also read about putting two layers on, so the outer layer takes the brunt of the frost and the inner layer touching any leaves doesn't affect them so much. A bit like double glazing I suppose.. I have been doing this with the thinner stuff, albeit on a much smaller scale over a few patio raised beds.
Excellent video, Charles! Your brazen bunnies were a hoot (I've never seen them so springy-they remind me of my Australian Shephard, how he jumps and leaps), and you always provide so much useful and interesting information. I love the aerial views of your beautiful property too.
I love that you tried the cotton! My father used to run around throwing old sheets over things as frost protection and it always worked perfectly fine! NY state zone 6a 💗
Good job Eduard for editing the videos. You are doing a great job inserting pictures and footage of pre and post, this is what I like the most, and I mean in all the videos, specialy the ones with seed to plant, and harvesting time. And thank you Charles for the tons of Information that you provide us. I always watch with a lot of intrest all of your videos. 👍 Good job to the entire team, in front and behind the cameras. 👋
I use a lot of covers and netting in the Spring as well in Central PA, but we use sand bags apposed to rocks, if rocks are very jagged they tend to tear the covers, I find.
Nice to hear Felix, I hope all is growing well now. I am actually quite surprised how well many of my plants have coped with the cold. Now for a change we have wind!
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Well, the increasing light levels certainly help and growth seems to speed up now, especially after a few rainy days! We even had some light hailstorms and wind is always an issue, so I was double lucky to have the fleece to protect the young plants! So far only a few salads had slight frost damage, but like you said in the video, nothing serious. It's still cooler than usual at this time of the year, but I think in about 1-2 weeks it's forecast to be more average again...we'll see :)
I love the birdsong throughout the video and to see the rabbits playing! I was surprised to find that the fleece sold out in a couple of days here! It hasn’t come back in stock. I guess there are a lot more people gardening now.
Love the videos as usual. The 4mm high tensile galvanized steel was especially useful info, I have been using 13mm EMT/conduit excessively and think the 4mm will be longer lasting and more affordable for a lot of applications. Thanks again!
I used rebar mesh to support the fleece this spring. Worked beautifully! No leaf contact so no frost damage. On warm days i lift off the fleece and put it back on for the night. Such a great way to speed up the early crops... we are well over a month ahead of usual simply with using fleece.
I remember working in a garden centre and they'd wrap things without suspending the fleece, no matter how many times I told them and they'd constantly get frost damage
Suggestion: If you get a pallet load of small size bricks they work better than stones for holding the fleece down because the flat surface grips the fleece better. The bricks are easier to handle and can be placed close enough to keep the wind from blowing under the fleece. When the season is over, they are much easier to store in a neat stack. And more can be transported to and from the field in a wheelbarrow than odd-shaped rocks. ✔ The bricks I use are 7"x3.5". There is a one-time investment, however amortized over 20 years they pay for themselves in saved crop damage and labor. 👍🥦
Wonderful to see all the choices in covers especially the cotton muslin! I am using 60 mesh unbleached cheesecloth (5 feet wide sewn two together to make 10 feet wide) over my beds. I like it for all the reasons you shared and also in our California 9b heat, it gives some reduction of the glaring sun. Also, I like watering right through it knowing it is natural and not degrading plastic.
I just want to throw out for those of us in the US, I recently bought a roll of 9-gauge galvanized wire from the local hardware store and it made nice hoops for my beds.
For people that can't afford that I've been using(only as I had 2 we were not using the kids stopped playing with them)hula hoops from the dollar store. On the 3rd year using them to hold up the mesh off the cabbages/broccoli. So far (I do store in the shed in winter) while faded the hoops are still not brittle or breaking. In the long run might be too expensive but for people like me that has to pick up stuff here and there the hulahoops work beautifully. They have a seam and pop apart I just poke chopsticks in each raised bed corner and slide the hoops right over. I've also used the left over red/blue pex pipes from redoing our water under the house. But I'd love to buy this metal you've posted about as I've also collected many of thevsquared off political sign metal- those signs were everywhere so I just pull the paper off recycle and keep the metal frame. I have many that are over 10 years old and still holding up. Sure my gardens are not orderly matching beds, but I do kind of enjoy my weird mod-podge stream punk vibe my found items garden has lol.
We use pvc pipes, they last for years, but need to store in winter. Cheap and sometimes even free at building sites where they throw away pieces they cannot use.
How wonderful it is for you to be in a climate where you can grow almost all year... we have such a short growing season here in Eastern Canada... I’m Jealous... it limits so much what I can grow, even using cloches, domes and cold frames to extend the season.
What a timely video! I’d love to hear how you get on with the cotton muslin, presumably it can be washed and reused. I’m keen to reduce my plastic use in the garden and this seems to fit the bill. My site is quite windy and I find the fleece gets torn to shreds and I end up buying a new lot almost every year, last year I invested in some enviromesh in the hope it lasts longer but if the cotton muslin works well I’d prefer to change to it. Thanks again for a very useful video.
Covers are must have in every garden. My climate is different (Serbia 6b), with strong winds and wet snow which destroy all high tunnels around my place. I am using 4mm composite armature for loops, besause it lasts for more than 100 years and is very cheep and easy to get it from the neighboring factory. You are right, fleece shouln't touch the herbs. But it also protect against downpour, hail, locusts invasion and sun burns, among others. Using string and knowledge of knots is a little bit difficult than fix cover with stones, but it gives a huge possibilities for manipulation, automatization and modifications. Thank you for your share.
I have invested in some enviromesh which fortunately I was able to buy in pre-cut sizes that work well on my beds. I decided against scaffold netting - which works out at half the price when you take into account the 2m width - in favour of the longer-lasting enviromesh. I also use both the cheap, thinner fleece and the 30gsm version. They have to be kept away from mice! At the moment I have more covers than crops 😄
Thank you,Charles 🙂 In one of your previous videos you mentioned Gardening - Naturally, bought brassicas net from them and took plenty of inspirations from pictures in their catalogue 🙂🙂 This April was so cold but still May frosts ahead, looks like everyone is prepared as all fleece on G-N is sold out 😅🤣🤣 Have a lovely weekend in your gardens,people 🙂🙃🙂
I also buy a light/medium muslin for making patterns or cheese making or over my rising bread. I've also used it to make cheap hankies for my husband as hes a cloth hankie guy but has a horribly filthy job that covers him with black grease so with muslin I can make 4 large hankies per yard and not feel bad when they are so stained I have toss out. It seems to have a million uses. And I think I only paid like 45cents(USD) a yard when I bought the bolt of it. I never thought about using in the garden I was worried it would hold too much moisture. We tend to be really wet to really dry.
@@thetessellater9163 well I know spelling is very hard for some people. I'm slightly dyslexic myself so I really watch my spelling but I think you've confused muslin with Muslim Muslin-is a very plain woven cotton cloth. Muslims-people who follow or practice Islam. Super close but not the same. You should see how hard a time I have with homophones. You know different words that sound alike but are spelled differently. Example to/too/two or rode/road ot the biggest offenders. There/they're/their!
Instead of stones you could use strings and hooks to secure and tighten the hoop cover. Another advantage is that you can easily pull up the cover like a shutter and work under it.
These covers are too fragile for that and would rip in the wind. I have used the string method for much stronger polythene. It's actually quick to roll back stones along one path and flick the cover to the other path when working
I've found a hoop on the exterior placed close to an interior hoop sandwiches the fleece and it holds well to wind , nothing worse than row cover whipping in the wind and rain 👍🏻
Thanks Charles. My 3.5mm (spent weeks searching for 4mm) high tensile steel wire came wound to less than about 1m diameter. So in use the lengths I’ve cut are trying to ‘pull’ back to a tighter radius. I tried everything, even supporting it with stakes and using doubled loops but it was super floppy! Then the penny dropped. All I need to do is straighten my cut lengths out, and then in use they will be trying to spring back straight again. It was your mention somewhere of your hoops being easy to store as they spring back to nearly straight that did it.
I use fleece in the summer as well, even though it is very hot here it still works good, I use it over zucchini,carrots, potatoes and brassicas. I use agribon 19.
I’ve covered Kale this year which I never do. Even last years Chard needed some cover to rejuvenate. I’m a few miles from you and my garden is on the non sunny side of a valley so until recently those frosts hung around all day. Now the sun is higher it’s much better. I’m growing peas and carrots in large boxes in the greenhouse and they are lovely. It’s certainly been a challenge.
Had a light frost in Cornwall near the sea on Friday.Never seen this so late in the year ! Potatoes are shooting away, onions slow , cabbage o.k.Have been wondering about seedlings of sprouts , and when to put out.I am buying fleece and hoops today and Charles Dowding seedling trays!
Good morning Charles and Greetings from Windermere, Florida zone 9b 🌞🌿 Do you ever need shade cloth? Here, we are already getting 90°F and the nights are 70°. Great weather for mosquitoes, yellow fly, aphids and, and, and. I try to do battle organically. But with the Sun I am trying to make teepees and get bean runners to grow up and provide a little shade. And this is just the very beginning of our hot weather. Happy Gardening 🌿💚🌿
I'm resisting the urge to put my brassica seedlings out now, a bit too early for zone 4. We could still get snow. It's been a mild winter, only 2 or 3 real snowstorms and only a few nights of temps under -- 25°. Some of my kale that was protected by the cedar hedges actually survived the winter and is growing back!!!
The rabbits playing was adorable - thanks for including it. Cutest pests I’ve ever seen! 😍
Just wanted to drop you a note of encouragement Charles. I discovered you last year so didn't get the full benefit of no dig, but this year everything is no dig with timings based on your calendar, multi sowings of spring onions etc.
I work with large, corporate businesses in process optimization and want to compliment you on your 'minimum effort, maximum output' philosophy.
You've made a gardener out of me.
Ah cool! I really appreciate your comment because it's not easy to start afresh in gardening, and I am happy that you have managed it. Plus as you say for less effort!
Yeah corporation experts on beeing quite a " parasite" philosophy 🤭
6am here in Ohio, the sun isn't even up yet and I'm drinking coffee and watching Dowding videos! This is a very helpful one! Thanks
7 a.m. here on Cape Cod and me too! Cheers and enjoy your day.
I slept in here in michigan 8am lol. But it was a beautiful sunrise this morning. And warm. Yesterday morning we has a frost and this morning its 65°f and feels like spring finally.
Have a lovely spring day. (Or fall if any viewers are in the southern hemisphere!)
Great to hear folk from all over the world love these Dowding family growers...
@@thetessellater9163 isn't it great? Love the idea of the early risers all around the world having their coffee at the start of a fresh spring day.
You are one of my favorite people to listen to on RUclips. My time with you is never wasted. Thank you!
Father and son team, producing another informative vlog.
Respect from Africa 🇿🇦
I appreciate you showing frost damage and bolting plants. It helps me remember that anyone can make mistakes.
A good alternative for hoops for fleece is a couple large-ish plant pots upside down in the middle of the bed. It keeps the fleece of the leaves and keeps a nice low profile for the wind.
I use canes with bottles on the top dotted about as required, works pretty well.
Thankyou Charles Dowding for loving green growing things. I really appreciate your passion and the fact that you actually interact with your audience. I won't subscribe to a channel that hasn't even answered a person if it's been weeks ago. I just wanted you to know I see the time you take to interact with us and just wanted to say thankyou for taking the time.
I thank you for your comment Sarah. Sometimes I cannot get to all but I try.
Charles, after years of losses from early plantings to frost even in my tunnel,I now use two layers of fleece,inside and out.a double layer on the plants under a layer on hoops.its working very well. Great programme as always.
Sounds great Mick
A huge compliment, I not only watch your videos to learn so much, I’ve also take to watching your videos every night at bedtime. Your voice is very soothing.
Almost ASMR !
@@thetessellater9163 very lol. It’s refreshing especially since most videos these days, even gardening videos, have hosts who speak loud, fast and almost spastically. I don’t know why they think they have to yell at people to get them to listen. 🤣🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
Many thanks
My mum and gran always used old net curtains in the summer. More to do with keeping the pesky birds from nibbling at the greens than for the extra warmth.
I can't thank you enough for all your work, your research, your experiments... You are giving the two most valuable resources to us all, knowledge and the time it takes to acquire it. Your work will continue to send out echoes in the vast canyon that is horticulture.
Lovely comment, cheers Robert.
Thankyou for your advice Charles. This is my first year growing and you are helping so much. I have put my name down for an allotment I am enjoying growing organically following all your methods. (I only have an area of 3sq yds max outside). I am eating lettuce and pea shoots already, and have many seedlings started, not sure where they will all go! I have managed to start 2 okra indoors which I will container plant in the conservatory, fingers crossed. 'A Thousand Thank-You's' for your information.
Keep it up Linda!
I found a nice trick to extend the life of my fleece. When I get holes in them, usually from the birds, I use clear packing tape to close them up. Being plastic on plastic it holds really well. Cheers from Norway Charles.
Great tip!
I wonder if cutting patches to size and sticking with an appropriate fabric glue would work?
David-do you put the tape on both sides like sandwiching it over the hole? Because of Charles I've started using the floating row covers/fleece/agrogrow (its called a lot of different names here)
Started last year and ill never go back, but I found a small hole and was thinking I should fix that before it gets bigger
@@neil9505 If you find one that works, do tell. I tried that on 8°F ag fabric and the fabric glue didn't hold. I may just sew a piece to it, if I need to.
@@joanies6778 Will do. I’m only in my second year as a gardener (thanks mainly to Charles’ courses) so still new to all this. I’ve used ultra fine veggie mesh but not fleece yet. I put a hole in the mesh within a week thanks to a combination of laziness and a strimmer. 😁
Thank you, Mr. Dowding. I actually purchased 3 frost cloths after watching your video on their benefits. 🌹
Thank you, Charles, for sharing that covers can anyway cause frost damage. That is valuable information. I am only in my second garden season and got my allotments last year quite late (April and May) and started with common sense and EM (effective microorganisms), then was so surprised that my chard and some carrots made it over the winter...now I know that there are many other people who are practicing winter gardering...:)) This year I started with compost and fleece and about 1000 seedlings, some of them I constantly carry from the living room to the balcony and back as I do not have a green house yet. The spring here (very north of Germany, at the Baltic Sea) is also so cold and windy this year, no comparison with last year. Today I saw that my potatoes are already 8 cm high and I thought - nothing to worry, there is fleece on them. But no, now I know that this might not be enough. So if there will be still frost the next 10 days, normally then the danger should be over, I will take your experience and advice into consideration and find a way to lift up the covers so that they do not touch the plants.
Amazing work, well done
Thankyou for directing me to this video Charles.Very useful.
Glad it was helpful!
You could make a tv series & even more with everything you have done for us so far!
Thank you for everything you showed in ur video's.
running a medicinal/veggy garden the last couple years but only started outside last summer, thanks for everything!
You are so welcome! In fact the boundary between RUclips and TV is getting narrower so yes, we are making television if you like!
Dear Charles
Thanks for your video advice. My new allotment has been successful using your no dig method. The fleece in particular has been protective and helpful. Keep up the good work. Kind regards Yarong
Sounds great! Thanks for feedback
Thanks Charles. Fleece really helped getting my carrots going after late March sowing. Now quite a bit ahead of the sowing I did without fleece which took at least a couple weeks longer to germinate!
Those rabbits playing were adorable, thank you for sharing Charles and have a fantastic day.
Thanks Charles. I use fleece and mesh in much the same way you do. Mesh is great in the summer on my brassicas in keeping the cabbage moths away!
I have some larger weave, green mesh from Gardening Naturally which keeps the bloody cabbage whites at bay.
Perfect timing! I needed guidance on this right now. Thank you, Charles. Cheers
Another excellent, informative video from the Dowding family, thank you both.
What can be quite amazing is how many people from all over the world find these useful; maybe say where you're from in your comments, as some already do. (Buckinghamshire, England)
Middleton-on-the-wolds, East riding of Yorkshire, England.
"Light surplus, temperature deficit"... Perfect way to describe what I'm experiencing now, but didn't quite know how to articulate! Into my garden journal this phrase shall go.💡This video has helped me. Thank you!
Cool! You are very welcome!
Charles to the rescue again, here in Sheffield we've been having frost every morning, what a weird weather this year, looks like it's gonna be another month of low temperatures also gonna be a wet one, might have to plant in June this year. Top man Charles.
Cockney Kurd.
Warmer on 8th May, latest forecast!!!!! Not sure it will last
@@CharlesDowding1nodig You see what I mean, to the rescue again, you made me feel better already, Thanks Charles.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig similar here! but i have totally no confidence to transplant sweet corns after mid-May, would you consider to delay transplanting them for one or two weeks? Thanks.
Your videos are so informative and wonderful as usual. You’ve definitely been a pandemic-relief staple of this household! An essential worker! :) I love when you compare different “technologies” like mesh, super helpful. In terms of the different weights of fleece I think it really makes a big difference. We learnt it the hard way, here in Rome the temperature excursion between day and night is really quite big on a frosty month like February and March, and we inadvertently got fleece that was too heavy, thinking it was the usual lighter one we always get. Bad idea!! We almost wilted to death two lemon trees before catching on and uncovering the trees by day when the sun is out. The lighter mesh really seems better for that reason - good wind and light frost protection, but won’t wilt your plants in the sun nearly as much . Especially if you are not going to hold guard next to them on a daily basis to remember to uncover them or water them for fear they might wilt!
I am happy to read this Guiseppe, and thanks for your feedback on mesh thickness, I quite agree. It's a pity that 25gsm is now hard to find.
In Ohio in the US, the squirrels are quite awful with digging up my plantings, even if they don’t eat them. I started using fleece last year and it has been a game changer with anything I plant in the garden. This spring when we had some hot days right after frost, it helped with protecting the small plants from getting scorched. My kale did not like the heat and seemed to do better under the fleece. It did not bake them like I expected. I think it reflected some of the sun that would bake the dark soil. Some of the edges were slightly open, so it functioned more like a sun shade.
I overwintered kale and beets under the fleece and have been harvesting leaves since February. My intestines are grateful.
Out of all my purchases, the 5x25 feet white thin fleece has protected my crops like nothing else. I tried it because I saw it in your videos. Thank you Charles!
Thanks very much for this feedback Melissa and I am thrilled to have helped you so much. Bon appetit!
Brilliant! I love my row covers. They’ve saved my crops from wind, deer, and cold. For me, It’s been sort of difficult to find over here. So I cherish it. Also, loving your Veg Course book! Going to try some new veg this year. Thank you Charles!
Great to hear Patricia
Great timing for this video! We had hailstones yesterday even though we had sat out having our coffee! ☘️☘️☘️☘️
We got hailstones yesterday, then sun, then rain and then we sat on deckchairs in the sun again.
Great vlog Charles so appreciate your knowledge and tips given re: the use of fleece thanks 👍
Love how your new beds in the new land are going about! I'm finally starting my very first no-dig beds right now. With my disabilities, no dig is something I can definitely do on my own. Wish I had learned this sooner, however, never too late to learn new things! Thank you so very much, Charles, you've been an enormous source of hope and inspiration. Greeting from sandy soil Florida!
Lovely to hear this, and thanks for your feedback, go well
it looks Amazing with the extra space you have there, Charles. looking forward to your future projects on the land.
Charles thank you for the knowledge and tips you share 🙏
Thank you for this video Charles! I was asking you about when to take off the fleece a while back and now you've made an in depth video about this and much more, wonderful!
I've run into the problem that I need more covers than I can afford at the moment, so I've come up with some alternatives. Maybe someone else can benefit from this as well, so I'll share what I've done:
- I've been using scaffolding fabric / netting as cover. Obviously not meant to be used in gardening, but I got mine for free, and I figured I'd rather use what I have than do without. It looks a bit like mesh, but less fine. It is designed to block the wind and quite a bit stronger than mesh in my experience. I don't think it does much for warmth, but it does protect against birds and other animals.
- I've also used large black plastic pots (with the bottom cut out) definitely
You mentioned the hungry gap: I've planted purple sprouting broccoli last year after reading your book. I have been harvesting quite a bit since the second half of march. It really is a wonderful crop. I do think it deserves its own video if you have the time.
Cool and yes broccoli is amazing now.
We can't make all the videos for free, and there is one about broccoli in this lesson here, part of my new online course charlesdowding.co.uk/product/from-seed-to-harvest-5-broccoli/
G'day Charles.
Informative and enjoyable video as always and very well captured on video by your son.
Love your channel so much,
Daz.
Well done Charles aquiring a bit of the back field!
Blessings as always
💖🙏🌻
Thank you for explaining this so thoroughly. I've had netting over my plot since late autumn, raised off the ground by using my tall-plant restrainers that came straight from holding up my summer flowers to protecting my cabbages and broccoli. I actually witnessed how effect this was when the local collared doves tried to get at my produce. I am very grateful for all your great advice!
😀
Very useful advice for those of us who prepare the winter garden. Thanks Charles! Greetings from Argentina.
Glad it was helpful! Hope winter is ok for you
I am following all your advice as my allotment site is very windy and I am in the North West . Seems to be working so thank you very much .
I daren’t plant outside yet.......northern Scotland is still minus most nights poor greenhouse is bursting!
Think next year I shall invest in some good quality fleece......thanks Charles 👍🌱
Charles I have also read about putting two layers on, so the outer layer takes the brunt of the frost and the inner layer touching any leaves doesn't affect them so much. A bit like double glazing I suppose.. I have been doing this with the thinner stuff, albeit on a much smaller scale over a few patio raised beds.
Thanks for the info Reggie
Excellent video, Charles! Your brazen bunnies were a hoot (I've never seen them so springy-they remind me of my Australian Shephard, how he jumps and leaps), and you always provide so much useful and interesting information. I love the aerial views of your beautiful property too.
Glad you enjoyed it Jeanne. Edward did good photography :)
Your son did an excellent job with the videography. Loved the lighting.
Very useful information like always! Thank you Charles! Have a great weekend! 🤗
Love the rabbits!
Nice!! I see you have a good start on your new property.
I love that you tried the cotton! My father used to run around throwing old sheets over things as frost protection and it always worked perfectly fine! NY state zone 6a 💗
Thank you for this video.
Good job Eduard for editing the videos. You are doing a great job inserting pictures and footage of pre and post, this is what I like the most, and I mean in all the videos, specialy the ones with seed to plant, and harvesting time.
And thank you Charles for the tons of Information that you provide us. I always watch with a lot of intrest all of your videos. 👍
Good job to the entire team, in front and behind the cameras. 👋
Thank you very much!
@@CharlesDowding1nodig ❤️🌱
Mil gracias por los subtítulos y por compartir su conocimiento 🌱💚 Saludos desde Chile 💚🌱
I use a lot of covers and netting in the Spring as well in Central PA, but we use sand bags apposed to rocks, if rocks are very jagged they tend to tear the covers, I find.
these magic fleeces for Spring!
For us here in northern Germany, April was quite the same, not much warm temperatures and a lot of frost. That makes using fleece very, very helpfull!
Nice to hear Felix, I hope all is growing well now.
I am actually quite surprised how well many of my plants have coped with the cold. Now for a change we have wind!
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Well, the increasing light levels certainly help and growth seems to speed up now, especially after a few rainy days! We even had some light hailstorms and wind is always an issue, so I was double lucky to have the fleece to protect the young plants! So far only a few salads had slight frost damage, but like you said in the video, nothing serious. It's still cooler than usual at this time of the year, but I think in about 1-2 weeks it's forecast to be more average again...we'll see :)
I love the birdsong throughout the video and to see the rabbits playing! I was surprised to find that the fleece sold out in a couple of days here! It hasn’t come back in stock. I guess there are a lot more people gardening now.
Such is the power of the Charles Dowding influence. : -)
Thank you, Charles 😊
Love the videos as usual. The 4mm high tensile galvanized steel was especially useful info, I have been using 13mm EMT/conduit excessively and think the 4mm will be longer lasting and more affordable for a lot of applications. Thanks again!
Might shed a few zinc ions into the ground, which adds plant nourishment!
Love the idea of using cotton muslin. I have tonnes of it and its biodegradable.
I used rebar mesh to support the fleece this spring. Worked beautifully! No leaf contact so no frost damage. On warm days i lift off the fleece and put it back on for the night. Such a great way to speed up the early crops... we are well over a month ahead of usual simply with using fleece.
Great tip!
I love the identification of the rabbits! 😅
Absolutely fantastic lol
Lovely video. As always a pearl of knowledge.
Love the passion you got about it.
Thx master Dowding. 🙏✌️❤️🐝
My pleasure Al!
I remember working in a garden centre and they'd wrap things without suspending the fleece, no matter how many times I told them and they'd constantly get frost damage
Thankyou soo much.
Still freezing here.
Started a new no dig plot and most anxious to get Growing!
Connie Bublitz
Clearwater, B.C.
Canada
Sounds great! weather warming next weekend I hope
Suggestion: If you get a pallet load of small size bricks they work better than stones for holding the fleece down because the flat surface grips the fleece better. The bricks are easier to handle and can be placed close enough to keep the wind from blowing under the fleece. When the season is over, they are much easier to store in a neat stack. And more can be transported to and from the field in a wheelbarrow than odd-shaped rocks.
✔ The bricks I use are 7"x3.5". There is a one-time investment, however amortized over 20 years they pay for themselves in saved crop damage and labor.
👍🥦
That's what i use as well. Had lots left over from projects over the past many years.
Good tip Don. I like rocks though 😀 and have loads here
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Same here Charles, if rocks were worth money I'd be a millionaire!!
I like metal water pipes..or similar..nice and smooth and continuous...less tearing
Broken bricks work just as well
Brilliant!
Brilliant thanks Charles - logical and well explained as usual ( Emmanuel served you well - you have earned a revisit for sure)
Many thanks Leo 😀
@@CharlesDowding1nodig I was meaning a revisit to Emmanuel for dinner!!
Ty for introducing me to fleece saved many of my too early planted plants. What can I say ...ADHD.🙃
Nice result Lisa!
Wonderful to see all the choices in covers especially the cotton muslin! I am using 60 mesh unbleached cheesecloth (5 feet wide sewn two together to make 10 feet wide) over my beds. I like it for all the reasons you shared and also in our California 9b heat, it gives some reduction of the glaring sun. Also, I like watering right through it knowing it is natural and not degrading plastic.
That's a great idea!
Bought your book! Excited to see how it turns out on a newly bought 2000 m2 plot! You wonderful man.
Awesome! Thank you and I wish you success Patrick
I just want to throw out for those of us in the US, I recently bought a roll of 9-gauge galvanized wire from the local hardware store and it made nice hoops for my beds.
Thanks Marc!
For people that can't afford that I've been using(only as I had 2 we were not using the kids stopped playing with them)hula hoops from the dollar store. On the 3rd year using them to hold up the mesh off the cabbages/broccoli. So far (I do store in the shed in winter) while faded the hoops are still not brittle or breaking.
In the long run might be too expensive but for people like me that has to pick up stuff here and there the hulahoops work beautifully. They have a seam and pop apart I just poke chopsticks in each raised bed corner and slide the hoops right over. I've also used the left over red/blue pex pipes from redoing our water under the house.
But I'd love to buy this metal you've posted about as I've also collected many of thevsquared off political sign metal- those signs were everywhere so I just pull the paper off recycle and keep the metal frame. I have many that are over 10 years old and still holding up.
Sure my gardens are not orderly matching beds, but I do kind of enjoy my weird mod-podge stream punk vibe my found items garden has lol.
I did the same. It is a bit of a chore to make them, but they last a lifetime.
We use pvc pipes, they last for years, but need to store in winter. Cheap and sometimes even free at building sites where they throw away pieces they cannot use.
@@Mrs-Emcee The aluminum conduit pipes never cave in when covered with lots of snow nor blow over. Hold in place with two foot rebar rods.
How wonderful it is for you to be in a climate where you can grow almost all year... we have such a short growing season here in Eastern Canada... I’m Jealous... it limits so much what I can grow, even using cloches, domes and cold frames to extend the season.
Maddening!
You're so good at what you do ❤ I love all your videos, they're so very helpful to me. Thank you so much
You are so welcome!
I transplanted my broccoli starts outside, and they looked a little sad so I put fleece over them and they perked right up!
What a timely video! I’d love to hear how you get on with the cotton muslin, presumably it can be washed and reused. I’m keen to reduce my plastic use in the garden and this seems to fit the bill. My site is quite windy and I find the fleece gets torn to shreds and I end up buying a new lot almost every year, last year I invested in some enviromesh in the hope it lasts longer but if the cotton muslin works well I’d prefer to change to it. Thanks again for a very useful video.
Thanks Charles x
Covers are must have in every garden. My climate is different (Serbia 6b), with strong winds and wet snow which destroy all high tunnels around my place. I am using 4mm composite armature for loops, besause it lasts for more than 100 years and is very cheep and easy to get it from the neighboring factory. You are right, fleece shouln't touch the herbs. But it also protect against downpour, hail, locusts invasion and sun burns, among others. Using string and knowledge of knots is a little bit difficult than fix cover with stones, but it gives a huge possibilities for manipulation, automatization and modifications. Thank you for your share.
Nice feedback and thanks for sharing your experience in a very different place! The high winds sound difficult
Thanks for the tips. I think we have the same climate in the Netherlands.
I have invested in some enviromesh which fortunately I was able to buy in pre-cut sizes that work well on my beds. I decided against scaffold netting - which works out at half the price when you take into account the 2m width - in favour of the longer-lasting enviromesh. I also use both the cheap, thinner fleece and the 30gsm version. They have to be kept away from mice!
At the moment I have more covers than crops 😄
Nicely put!!
This was so great and I love it 🙏
most enjoyable
Thank you,Charles 🙂
In one of your previous videos you mentioned Gardening - Naturally, bought brassicas net from them and took plenty of inspirations from pictures in their catalogue 🙂🙂
This April was so cold but still May frosts ahead, looks like everyone is prepared as all fleece on G-N is sold out 😅🤣🤣
Have a lovely weekend in your gardens,people 🙂🙃🙂
💚
Hola señor dowding gusto de verlo. Saludos de su amiga de Honduras. Dios lo bendiga por sus lindos videos ❤️
Gracias Sandra
Sandra Fuentes - Translation:
Hello sir Dowding nice to see you. Greetings from your friend from Honduras. God bless you for your great videos
@@thetessellater9163 gracias gracias
Used fleece this year from your recommendations and already had harvests of salad, radish and spinach. In N.Yorks too!
💚
Her in Quebec 2 weeks ago we have heavy snow and I really appreciate my heavy fleece it work it is a good investment 🥰
It really is Chantal!
What a lovely surprise, just come in from checking for slugs under my fleeces. We've got frost here this morning too in Cornwall!
Cornwall the new Scotland!! Change this Saturday 8th May though
@@CharlesDowding1nodig time to get down Helston for some Spingo and a dance.
Bravo.
Muslin is often used in dress pattern making, cheese making or other interesting tasks. I've been thinking of getting Muslin myself.
I also buy a light/medium muslin for making patterns or cheese making or over my rising bread. I've also used it to make cheap hankies for my husband as hes a cloth hankie guy but has a horribly filthy job that covers him with black grease so with muslin I can make 4 large hankies per yard and not feel bad when they are so stained I have toss out.
It seems to have a million uses.
And I think I only paid like 45cents(USD) a yard when I bought the bolt of it.
I never thought about using in the garden I was worried it would hold too much moisture. We tend to be really wet to really dry.
But won't you have to study the Koran?
@@thetessellater9163 well I know spelling is very hard for some people. I'm slightly dyslexic myself so I really watch my spelling but I think you've confused muslin with Muslim
Muslin-is a very plain woven cotton cloth.
Muslims-people who follow or practice Islam.
Super close but not the same.
You should see how hard a time I have with homophones. You know different words that sound alike but are spelled differently. Example to/too/two or rode/road ot the biggest offenders. There/they're/their!
Instead of stones you could use strings and hooks to secure and tighten the hoop cover. Another advantage is that you can easily pull up the cover like a shutter and work under it.
These covers are too fragile for that and would rip in the wind. I have used the string method for much stronger polythene. It's actually quick to roll back stones along one path and flick the cover to the other path when working
I've found a hoop on the exterior placed close to an interior hoop sandwiches the fleece and it holds well to wind , nothing worse than row cover whipping in the wind and rain 👍🏻
Great tip! Thanks
Thanks Charles. My 3.5mm (spent weeks searching for 4mm) high tensile steel wire came wound to less than about 1m diameter. So in use the lengths I’ve cut are trying to ‘pull’ back to a tighter radius. I tried everything, even supporting it with stakes and using doubled loops but it was super floppy! Then the penny dropped. All I need to do is straighten my cut lengths out, and then in use they will be trying to spring back straight again. It was your mention somewhere of your hoops being easy to store as they spring back to nearly straight that did it.
Nice to hear Neil!
I use fleece in the summer as well, even though it is very hot here it still works good, I use it over zucchini,carrots, potatoes and brassicas. I use agribon 19.
Cheers Dan, nice tip
Danke für die Infos der Feinheiten.
Lg aus der Eifel
Que hermoso todo
Hola. Charles.....comparto de protejer los cultivos...Todo depende del clima de donde estemos....gracias desde BS.AS 🖐
I’ve covered Kale this year which I never do. Even last years Chard needed some cover to rejuvenate. I’m a few miles from you and my garden is on the non sunny side of a valley so until recently those frosts hung around all day. Now the sun is higher it’s much better. I’m growing peas and carrots in large boxes in the greenhouse and they are lovely. It’s certainly been a challenge.
That's awesome adaptation
Saludos desde Tenerife,!! 🥕🥬🌶
Had a light frost in Cornwall near the sea on Friday.Never seen this so late in the year ! Potatoes are shooting away, onions slow , cabbage o.k.Have been wondering about seedlings of sprouts , and when to put out.I am buying fleece and hoops today and Charles Dowding seedling trays!
Happy growing, plant Brussels any time from now
There are Charles Dowdling seed trays?! Crikey.
Good morning Charles and Greetings from Windermere, Florida zone 9b 🌞🌿
Do you ever need shade cloth?
Here, we are already getting 90°F and the nights are 70°. Great weather for mosquitoes, yellow fly, aphids and, and, and. I try to do battle organically. But with the Sun I am trying to make teepees and get bean runners to grow up and provide a little shade. And this is just the very beginning of our hot weather.
Happy Gardening 🌿💚🌿
Almost never Peggy!
I'm resisting the urge to put my brassica seedlings out now, a bit too early for zone 4. We could still get snow. It's been a mild winter, only 2 or 3 real snowstorms and only a few nights of temps under -- 25°. Some of my kale that was protected by the cedar hedges actually survived the winter and is growing back!!!
Great! I would set out the brassicas, they are hardy as you see :)
Super film, u nas też zimna wiosna...
To była niezwykła wiosna w całej Europie Północnej
@@thetessellater9163 Tak, to prawda, ale może jak już się zacznie to na dobre ;)