Yesterday was the first decent day after galeforce winds and the worst flood of the baltic sea around here in +100yrs. When I came to the market garden, the #SweetPotato had it. We didn't have frost, yet, but the foliage was wilted. The total yield from 6.4m2 was only 1.9kg tubers. They were just an underplanting of tomatoes though (which failed completely this year due to blight). The sweet potatoes in the minitunnel (3.2 m2) still look ok. #gardening#garden @BroadforkForVictory@Hesperalis
14. Oktober 2023 12:08
Today saw the start of my #comfrey "liquefier" project. Most of the parts were lying around somewhere except 2 brackets for mounting the device on the wall and the caps. A PVC pipe DN110 with caps fits exactly into a DN125. So the DN110 pressing cylinder will compress the comfrey in the DN125 pipe and eventually liquid will drop out. Now the glue has to set before the device is mounted to the wall of the shed and filled with comfrey. The #fertilizer is only for my pot plants. #NoDig#gardening
12. Oktober 2023 14:56
The bed planted in April had a few more green potatoes. That is probably due to the fact, that the October ones got another layer of compost in December. They will all be used as seed potatoes.
12. Oktober 2023 14:54
Update Potato Trial Boxes to left: yield of 1 bed planted in April 85.9kg (134,2 t/ha) humongous in size To right: planted Oktober 2022 81.4kg (127.2 t/ha) normal to humongous in size Average potato yield in Germany 2022: 40.1 t/ha #NoDig#gardening rocks! #smug 🙂 Beds ready for a new layer of compost and some autumn/winter planting. I was too curious about the sweet potatoes (underplanted under tomatoes) and lifted one. Not too bad. This years Christmas dinner will see our own sweet potatoes.
5. Oktober 2023 18:04
The weather forecast says more wet, unstable weather ahead for coming fortnight. I decided to cut my losses on the runner beans and cleared the bed on a day off. Quite a few were already rotten. @needzmoarpaula 14.4kg of pods became 6.33kg of podded beans which need drying before I can store them in glasses. Listened to "Entangled Life" by M. Sheldrake while working. Thanks for the recommendation! @afewbugs This time I pedalled the harvest back. @bike 🙂 #gardening#NoDig#RunnerBeans#beans
30. September 2023 18:41
There was not much time for the #MarketGarden recently. There is still more than weeds to find. 🙂 However, the sweetcorn and courgettes needed to be cleared out. If I were a commercial producer, many of the beds would have already been cleared and replanted. But we run the operation just for two families and friends. After a very long day, the car was full of produce (too much for bike and trailer). Tomorrow is open day in our private #NoDig#garden. Better get a nap. 😴
Aber über den Bedarf hinaus LNG-Terminals beschleunigt bauen, Greenwashing mit "blauem" Wasserstoff aus Norwegen betreiben oder für die Europawahl Carbon Capture Storage vorantreiben, kann man natürlich auch machen.
Habt Ihr schon über Förderung umweltfreundlicher Kernkraft nachgedacht?
Some years ago, I saw an add for 2nd hand #DiffusedGlass from professional greenhouses. I drove quite a distance - with a trailer - bought a quantity stretching the loading limit of the trailer and I've spent a lot of time since sketching plans for greenhouses. Who would have thought, that quality, durable timber has become that expensive? Obviously not this former, skilled cabinet maker... #ImpulseBuy
26. August 2023 11:12
There is an autumnal feeling about the garden - hang on - what's that in background?
Rhododendron in full flower 26 August.
The white rhododendron always had some flowers late in the year. This is the first year of a full flowering in August.
Why are the #Danes among the happiest people in the world although they pay so much #tax ?
Because they get something for their money!
We spent a lovely afternoon in #BotaniskHaveAarhus / #BotanicalGarden Aarhus. Admission to the #garden and #greenhouses (lovely #butterflies) is free. Parking (close to CBD) is free for 2 hrs. A really nice salad with melon, water cress, edamame, feta etc. in the cafe is ~10€. A great way to finish a long weekend away from home in #Søhøjlandet.
A few weeks ago, a journalist from the local newspaper interviewed me for about one hour about #NoDig#gardening Their photographer was all over the #garden. Today the article was published on half a page in all local editions across our state - and I have no subscription nor is it online outside the paywall. ☹️ So later, I have to get out to get the print edition. Anyway, thanks to #CharlesDowding and all the other NoDig practitioners who helped me to get where I am with the garden now.
Last weekend, we were visited by grass snakes again. We are not sure if they got rarer this year or if they just find more cover amongst the plants in the matured pond. Anyway, the green fellas have to be vigilant if they don't want to end up a bump in the snake's body.
24. Juli 2023 10:57
Some juvenile birds have discovered the vaulted ceiling of the greenhouse as their hunting ground. I reckon they could be #WillowWarbler s (wouldn't mind being corrected by more knowledgeable bird watchers). They perch on the strings for tomatoes and cucumbers and pick e.g. hoverflies from the air. #gardening#BirdWatching
21. Juli 2023 16:02
We love the grass snakes in/around our pond, but listening to a #frog being predated by a #GrassSnake is always a gruesome experience. However, without #predation there are no #snakes. Unusual is the late time of the day (about 6 pm) and the overcast sky. Usually the snakes hunt in full sun.
On my blog (German), you find a #vegan recipe for a plate with cauliflower in three ways: - crunchy cauli steaks - creamy cauli curry sauce - fragrant cauli rice
Except cauliflower, you just need a capsicum/bell pepper, Thai basil, oil, pepper/salt, curry powder, white balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and a bit of water.
The literal translation of the German name for this moth is feather ghost (Federgeistchen also Federmotte). #WhitePlumeMoth It was hiding in my basil. When I handled that, it flew off to the greenhouse wall. Not the nicest photo, but I didn't want to intimidate it any further.
16. Juni 2023 12:43
When I tell my wife something about plans in the #garden like, "Let's do this and that and in about just 6 yrs - max 8 - it will look great!", she just nods. I get the ok and - sometimes - 6-8 yrs later the plan works out. That is definitely the case with rose Perennial blush, which I planted about 7 yrs ago against the wall. For 2-3 weeks/y it turns into a waterfall of flowers.
Planted into a hole with green waste compost surrounded by sharp sand. Annual top-up of green waste compost. #NoDig
It took me a bit more than 6 yrs to get to 200 followers on Twitter. The amount of people I had regular, meaningful interactions with was rather limited. Here in the fediverse, it took a bit more than 6 month to get to 200 followers (thanks @roastinghouse !) and there are plenty of nice, helpful, knowledgeable people around the globe sharing their world and skills with me.
Kommt gerne vorbei und sagt es weiter bzw. teilt den Tröt. Eine Anmeldung wäre prima, ist aber nicht zwingend.
26. Mai 2023 20:49
For dinner, my wife treated me with a very special quiche. In the filling are #GarlicFlowers and fresh #tarragon shoots. The tarragon is not chopped up, so you get nice bursts of aniseed in the mouth with every other fork. There is usually just this one shot at a good recipe with the garlic flowers a year. This was perfection (which might not be reflected in my photo).😉 #recipe#gardening #GarlicScapes
edit: alt text added, hashtag added
24. Mai 2023 11:13
We had some rain the last days, and the #garden looks lush. Lots of things to appreciate and to be done - but I'm mostly in bed with flu for the 5th day in a row, probably still a few days to go. Short forays out and then back again. The backlog of veg from the pipeline to be planted is getting bigger (as are the plants...). I prefer my flu in Dec or Jan - #gardening planning can be done from the bed and there's not much to do outside. 😁
23. Mai 2023 15:24
#Kokedama After a clean-up of another garden area, I've had some potted up ferns standing around near the garden shed for years. So today, one of them was made to a fern kokedama or a #MossBall. Since we don't have any lawn left, the bit of moss I could find in the wildflower meadow locks a bit scruffy. That made for a scruffy kokedama. The root ball of the fern is covered in moss which is hold in place by some string. For the next one, I'll get some nicer moss! #mosstodon
16. Mai 2023 13:48
In my current blog post https://feinschmeckergarten.de/index.php/category/blog/bastelprojekte/ you find a (German) description of my attempt at a wicking bed. Wicking beds are very water efficient and can support plants for a sustained period without the need of watering. My two new wicking beds are my insurance policy for the summer holiday when our teenage daughter will do the watering. 🙂 Though she did a good job last year - except for my beloved, first time fruiting finger lime...😭
15. Mai 2023 19:55
Super quick and better than Chinese takeaway! #Radishes are flash fried (<1min) in a #wok. Add some starch and water, the coarsely chopped greens of the radishes & chard, finely chopped #KaffirLime leaves, ginger and garlic. Add cooked noodles. The finer mie noodles are better than these! Season with five spice, dark/light soy sauce and sambal. Finish with some groundnut oil. Adding ginger and garlic towards the end gives better, fresher aroma. <15 min prep <2 min cooking time
Had a lovely day in the sun at a car boot sale / plant exchange at a farm 2 villages (10km)* away. Had lots of nice chats, sold a few surplus plants, met interesting people - but was completely exotic because I came by bicycle with a little trailer. Sure, if it had been a commercial enterprise a proper stall and more plants would be necessary, but there were no commercial traders just locals. Many visitors came by bike though. 🙂
Exciting 1st results of the #potato trial: Bed with slightly better developed plants (left) was planted 16 Apr directly into #compost. The other was planted 31 October last year with tatties freshly harvested on another bed into compost. The bed received a new layer of compost of ~4cm in Dec. All October tatties sprouted. Depth at planting 5-10cm.
If the yield is comparable, the autumn planting at harvest will save me storage and time.
#Gardening is not really pleasant today. Despite a storm warning for today & tomorrow, the farmer tilled the field behind our house yesterday. Now sand is blowing everywhere. As it's late in the season, I guess we get corn for #AnaerobicDigesters - again. Before it was tilled, there were #larks in the air and hares on the ground. 1 young hare moved into our garden & had a nibble at the oregano this morning. Last few hrs it's huddled against the workshop wall, that is warmed by the sun.
The first #SweetPotatoSlips are potted up and moved to the cold greenhouse. They were broken off #SweetPotatoes rooting in water and then put in glasses with water to root. 10 slips from 3 tubers so far (more to come). The stack with module trays in euroboxes is skyrocketing again. #CosyStart#propagation QUESTION Common knowledge says to sow 2 seeds of corn and to thin for 1 plant, but the cob suggests clusters of plants in nature. Has anyone tried growing #sweetcorn in modules/clusters of 2?
26. April 2023 18:54
Today, I made Mark II of my home-brew #compost aerator. The idea was pinched from #GardeningAustralia (as far as I can remember). It is an old tomato spiral with two pieces of metal pipe as handles, bent in a vice. Mark I had only 1 piece of pipe. The electric compost sieve was a gift from friends, who didn't have a use for it. For me, it's a game changer. #Sowing almost everything for the #MarketGarden in module trays means, huge amounts of compost are needed this time of the year.
25. April 2023 06:09
The weather forecast predicts stormy, rainy conditions. So before closing up the mini #polytunnel, I had a quick morning pick of #SaladGreens for later in the day. The complete re-design of the veg patch meant I had a late start to the season this year and no over-wintering veg. Still, the mini tunnel and greenhouse have produced ~2kg of #salad in 3 weeks and the #lettuce is just kicking in. #AsiaGreens in the greenhouse are beginning to shoot. #zone7a
23. April 2023 20:29
Just watched last #GardenersWorld#GW What a great episode with @francestophill! And - looking at the plants and garden - I found my gardening twin in Cliff Curd - with one difference. For years, I tried to convince my wife that we need a #FruitCage. Today, Cliff totally sold her the idea with quails living in it as pest controls. I need to get building fast before the memory of the cute birds fades... 🙂
18. April 2023 16:37
Today's #garden visitors: The young #hare has been here for a few days. Today it had a nibble on the meadow and checked out our terrace. The blue tit seems to be attracted by my grow lights and checks on the plants several times each day. The goldfinch unfortunately found a plastic fibre, we were not aware of, in the herb garden.
18. April 2023 08:50
Food for thought: From my home town in the very north of Germany, I can cross the Baltic Sea 3x and get by rail through Denmark to Sweden in 5h. I wouldn't make it in this time to my mother-in-law near Göttingen though.
Today in news: Federal government is planning 988 new kilometres of Autobahnen (motorways).
Another of my fixpoints in #Copenhagen is the #BotaniskHave with the #PalmHouse. The #garden outside didn't make that much this time of the year. But the #butterflies in the palm house were just amazing. A #glasswing landed on my hand and didn't leave me for 10+ minutes, probably drinking my salty sweat (it was warm!). I can't remember how often I've taken the shot of the palm house terrace - but it is a tradition for each visit. Next time, I'll bring my camera. My phone doesn't cut the mustard.
15. April 2023 07:59
When in #Copenhagen, I have to visit #NyCarlsbergGlyptotek I love how the buildings provide light for the #sculptures and how the sculptures are sometimes put into different contexts / light situations. 1st picture of Death 2018, 2nd 2023. Old woman and nude couple 2018. The mixture of the (formerly private) collection is eclectic - you might say wild, but the atmosphere makes up for that. So cheers to all #beer drinkers of the 19th century, who financed this #museum.
4. April 2023 17:23
Running the wood chipper all afternoon is not good for the brain.
"So true funny how it seems Always just peas, but never lines of beans ... Growing marrows all year long this is the veg of my home this is the veg ... I bought a ticket to Wisley but now I've come back again Why do I find it hard to sow the next line? Oh I want the veg to grow
Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Wenn sogar die Energiewirtschaft die Vereinbarungen der Koalition wie folgt bewertet, läuft es wohl mit dem #Klimaschutz
- leider nicht:
"Energiewirtschaft kritisiert Ampel-Einigung als »Farce« Für den Klimaschutz sind die Ampelbeschlüsse Gift, warnt die Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft. Der Kompromiss sei ein »Schlag ins Gesicht« der Branche."
That's a bit of a disappointment @opensourcegardens The germination rate of the seeds in my starter kit from the #ConnectingGardens initiative is between 0% for #Märchenglanz, #Märchengranat and #Märchensnack (marked orange in photo) and ~50% for #Vivaroma (green) , #sunviva (blue) The rest of the seed tray is mostly self saved seed. Some is 6+yrs old. Germination rate is ~100%.
I left the #BreadRolls in the fridge from Friday to Saturday to prove. The knive for cutting the crosses into the dough was not sharp, that gave a slightly messy look.
The oven was misted with water from a atomiser for an good rise.
This yeast dough is idiot-proof (I can make it) and I use it for bread as well as donuts. https://feinschmeckergarten.de/index.php/2021/04/08/donuts-oder-lieber-ein-osterzopf/ 1kg fine flour 2 sachets dried yeast 100g sugar pinch of salt 500ml milk 100ml rapeseed oil Mix and knead the dough. Form bread-rolls or Hefetaler, cover with teatowel and leave in the fridge overnight to prove. Heat oven (fan) to 175°C. Spread jam. Crumbles: 2:1:1 flour:sugar:oil + cinnamon and vanilla extract
Bread-rolls wait in the fridge for tomorrow
16. März 2023 11:55
Last year's harvest of beetroot and potatoes coming together with this year's harvest of claytonia, wild garlic and spring onions.
Method: Saute cubes of beetroot and potatoes in olive oil. Pound coriander, fennel and cumin seeds in a mortar. Add together with mace, chili and salt to taste.
Serve with Greek yoghurt with some lemon zest and the salad on top.
Running out of space in the utility room, I built this makeshift propagation shelf for my office window. The #GrowLights are made from LED strips. They are not very powerful so I used folded aluminium foil as a reflector. The strips have adhesive tape by which they attach to a piece of wood. That is hold by some 4mm wire which was bent around a pipe of the same diameter as the wood. The pieces for the shelf were leftovers from some other projects. Self-watering boxes: next toot
The #rhubarb breaks through and it is time to empty the freezer of last year's harvest. The #cake looks prettier with fresh fruit, I have to admit, but the taste is delicious.
Increase backing time with thawed fruit by 10-15 minutes.
8. März 2023 13:08
The #weather is interesting today: #MiniPolytunnel in snow at 8 am, -4°C. #MiniPolytunnel in sun at 2 pm, 7°C. In the shade of the house, the hellebores still feel a bit sorry for themselves. In the greenhouse, the temperature is in the high twenties - with windows open.
8. März 2023 06:43
I reckon, I won't be planting out seedlings today... 🥶
8. März 2023 06:29
2 articles I read yesterday: a) An article in a German magazine about the influence of food production on the climate. In the forum massive hate against the science behind it and comments like, we should "eat humans to reduce the root cause" (sic!).
It's a really windy/stormy day in northern Germany. Nevertheless, 5 of 8 #WindEnergyConverters in my sight are idling. Probably because some %§!&%$ in #Bavaria and #Swabia neither like the view of turning rotors nor overland power lines. Best part about it: Because the operators are paid anyway, people in the north have higher energy bills than Bavarians as the operators are compensated from regional grid usage charge. 😭 #RenewableEnergy #Energiewende At least the #MiniPolytunnel does well-ish
2. März 2023 12:24
My first attempt at #opuntia (cactus fig) seems to turn out results. 2 seedlings out of 10 seeds (sown 15 Feb) is not great, but it is early days.
The tender plants are still under LEDs in the utility room. The surrounding aluminium foil reflects the light for the plants.
Chillies, aubergines (eggplants) and bell peppers (capsicum) sown 15 Feb look fine.
Unsurprisingly, globe artichoke seeds best before 1 2013 did not produce anything - so far. 🙂
Another stack of euroboxes with #SeedTrays is on the way in the utility room (cabbages, asparagus and annual flowers). The mid-February predecessors (onions, leeks, cauliflower, claytonia, kohlrabi, salad crops) made it to the greenhouse and spend the cold nights under fleece. Broad beans needed heat mats. The #WildGarlic under the workbench is almost there. 😋 #pesto The #chitting potatoes are my insurance for an experiment with planting potatoes in autumn.
Lovely weather today! The frosty start means beginning the working day at the desk (after a cupper and walk through the garden 😃). But the fields behind the house look fantastic. The roe deer were a bit nervous at first, but then they went on with their business. Maybe I can take the rest of the day off later when the ground isn't frozen - the garden is calling.
27. Februar 2023 20:25
@troety Can you help me with a visualisation, too? #troety
15. Februar 2023 06:27
Tempo bei der Mobilitätswende statt beim Autobahn-Ausbau
Petition von Fridays for Future an den deutschen Verkehrsminister:
Die Petition hat schon fast 82.000 Mitzeichnende, kann aber noch ein paar Hunderttausend vertragen.
12. Februar 2023 15:19
Slightly disappointed: After #RaisedBeds made from cheap scaffolding boards (fir) gave in to rot after about 10 yrs, I thought I'd better spend some money on more resistent #larch 4x20cm. After 7 yrs the posts (10x10cm) have gone and I had to brace the sides with metal strips.
One reason more to change to #CharlesDowding style beds without wooden sides in the revamped veg patch.
Outside it's still freezing. In the utility room the #propagation is on its way. I use a stack of euroboxes on rollers to start e.g. onions in the warmth of the house. Once they germinate, they go under fleece to the cold greenhouse. More tender plants like chillies stay inside under LED lights until there are no more frosts. The repurposed veg punnets stack fairly well, too.
The mini polytunnel had its first test: 2 days gusts of 6-9 bft winds. The cobblestones were thrown of the edges. An ad-hoc, middle-of-the-night solution with boards and heavier concrete blocks seems to do.
Structural it did well.
There is some work to be done for a quick, practical solution to weigh down the sides. Otherwise the tunnel wouldn't make it through our rough autumn, winter or spring storms - or a severe summer storm. Well, we have some wind here near the Baltic and North Sea. 😁
28. Januar 2023 18:39
Good on you, Innes!
The Guardian: Teenage athlete asks not to be considered for world cross country championships because of impact of air travel
On Fridays, we leave the working week behind with #CakeFriday. Since my wife usually knocks off later than I, I’m left with the task to put something new on the table each Friday. In a variation of a recipe by S. Colloca https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/yoghurt-and-olive-oil-cake I used the last blueberries from the freezer in the dough. There is enough for 18 (smallish) muffins. The cream is whipped cream with lemon juice, icing sugar and mascarpone.
Freitags lassen wir die Arbeitswoche beim Kuchenfreitag ausklingen. Da meine Frau meistens länger arbeitet als ich, ist es an mir Freitag immer mit was Neuem auf den Tisch zu kommen. Abgewandelt von einem Rezept von S. Colloca https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/yoghurt-and-olive-oil-cake habe ich die letzten Blaubeeren aus der Gefrierung eingebacken. Die Menge reicht für 18 (eher kleine) Muffins. Dazu gibt es Schlagsahne-Mascarpone, Zironensaft-Creme mit etwas Puderzucker drin.
19. Januar 2023 16:42
In the last light of the day, I finished the distribution of woodchips between the new veg beds. The idea behind the #woodchips is to encourage fungal activity. The #fungi provide (most) veggies with water and nutrients and get sugar in return. To protect this fungal web is one reason for #nodig gardening. Decaying woodchips compete with plants for nitrogen. So mostly it is not so good to incorporate them in the soil.
19. Januar 2023 09:16
Rotting wooden sides of the beds in the veg patch made a re-design necessary. It was heartbreaking to destroy beds grown in years of nodig plus the last of the winter veg. The work was getting ahead and I got nearly 2 tons of greenwaste compost from the council (8€ !). Nearly finished, we got snow and I'm stuck. Anyway. The new beds are all 1/2 the size of the beds in the market garden. Now everything should be easier: calculation of needed plants/seeds/compost, use of fleece etc.
19. Januar 2023 09:00
Mein #nodig#Marktgarten und unser naturnaher Ziergarten im Dezember 2022.
My #nodig#MarketGarden and our naturalistic ornamental garden in December 2022.
