Veg Plotting Test Blog

Supertrees at Night 1 - Photo Credit: Darren Chinn October sees the nights really drawing in, which I find a bit depressing. However, one bright spot on the horizon is the start of this season's talks at the University of Bath Gardening Club (aka BUG). I'm particularly excited about the first one next week, because it features the pictured Gardens by the Bay . I first saw their Avatar like presence in one of the gardening magazines a while back and I've been itching to find out more about them ever since. It just so happens the landscape architects responsible ( Grant Associates ) are based in Bath and offered to come to talk to BUG, so we have Andrew Grant and Patrick Bellew coming to tell us all about their work :) By coincidence Grant Associates' PR company contacted me recently and gave me permission to use the above image. It also means I'll have plenty more for when I write up next week's talk. Not only that, I'm hoping Andrew Grant will be...

A few of this year's windfalls - Court of Wick, Falstaff, Kidd's Orange Red,  Princesse,  Saturn, Scrumptious and Sunset October 21st is now firmly established as Apple Day in the calendar thanks to the sterling efforts of Common Ground over many years. Until 2010 they published a great calendar of events which made it ultra easy to find a suitable one to attend. Sadly the calendar is no longer kept up to date, though their  Apple Day page is still worth a visit to find leads for possible events in 2012. There's also lots of information about apple lore and traditions, apple based games and a 'toolbox' of ideas to help you arrange your own event. I've decided to go to a local Apple Day this year, so here's what I've found so far in case you'd like to go to one too. What's on in Wiltshire 2012 Holt - Punkie Apple Day at The Courts - October 29th @ 12 - 4pm (included in admission price) Lacock - Apple Day  at Lacock Abbey- October ...

My emergency rocket supply - to replace the rather moribund plants I mentioned a couple of  weeks ago This post is for my new commenter Black and Tabby (welcome!) who asked after my Rich Pickings post recently: Hi, have been following 'salad days' for a while but only just got my allotment up and running so only just sowing. Is it worth putting in a row of beetroot, or salad leaves now, or is it getting too cold for them. Appreciate any advice! #newbie I gave some advice on what she could do then (too late now) in my comment reply, but her question and its timing got me thinking on what can be done when things don't quite go to plan e.g. we don't get the timing right for a particular crop because other tasks got in the way rampaging slugs and snails eat up everything in sight (how many posts and tweets have we had on that subject this year?!!!!), or some other plague or pestilence lays our salads low our lovingly sown seeds don't come up (like my no...