It's slowly coming together now. We've just planted some blackcurrants, wild garlic, wild and climbing roses (petals are lovely in a salad), very small lavenders, foxgloves (not to eat, but the pollinators love them) and the Jerusalem artichokes have just started to show. With some of the money we raised at the Spring Gardening Event, we've [...]
There is a bacterium in soil called Mycobacterium Vaccae that when ingested and breathed in increases Serotonin! Increased Serotonin not only decreases anxiety making people happier it also makes people (and animals actually) smarter. So the kids are onto something when they're eating the dirt? (Dogs too) It's great that a lot of schools over recent [...]
On Sunday the 22nd April there will be the annual Plant Swop at the Crown and Sceptre pub on Horns Road. It begins at 2pm and ends at 4pm. Sunday lunch at the Crown and Sceptre has a great reputation so perhaps Lunch, Plant Swop and a couple of drinky's in the beer garden would be [...]
Wild garlic (or Ramsons) is a bulbous, perennial plant which grows wild in damp woodlands. It can be found from late January through to late spring and all parts of it can be eaten. Some care needs to be taken when forgaing for Wild garlic because it does resemble Lily of the Valley. However it is [...]
We can see the progress we're making now. Most of the veg side is cleared, digging is well under way and the soil seems very good. We planted some jerusalem artichokes at the back of the plot and some raspberry canes on the fruit side. Tea and coffee are always on the go and most weeks [...]
Work getting the Selsley land cleared and ready to use as a Community Growing Space and Training ground is still happening each Monday if anyone would like to join us. It's amazing what can be done in a couple of hours a week - we've started to lay a path (re-cycled chippings) and put an edge [...]
Down to Earth, Transition Stroud and Gloucestershire Coppice Group, are organising a Spring Gardening Event for Sunday 15th April at Victory Park in Ebley. It's aimed at people who are interested in growing their own food and various people and Organisations will be there to share their growing advice and sell their garden related wares. Down [...]
Down to Earth has began clearing a piece of land up at Selsley which we hope to use for growing commercial crops, training, and work experience opportunities. It's very over grown at the moment but we are slowly but surely clearing it each Monday morning. If anyone would like to come and join us they'd be [...]
Position Potatoes like to be in an open sunny site and will grow in most soil types without much effort. They like to be grown in soil that has been manured for a previous crop, or you can add your own compost the autumn before. Otherwise you can apply a nitrogen rich fertiliser in spring. Potatoes can also be a [...]
Another successful potato day and like last year's another half a ton of seed potatoes (that's over 3,300) were sold! There was a good stream of customers all day! Some were new to growing potatoes and others were old hands just looking for a new/different variety to try out. The first potato to sell out was the [...]