With no hope of an allotment plot, discovering the Secret Greenhouse began my journey to grow my own veg in London Town.
3 raised beds, some tyres, plastic containers, a (secret) greenhouse and a shed, with the freedom to make what we want from this opportunity.

Found through the Land Share website, this community spot presented itself as a great chance for me and my girlfriend Sally to have a go at growing our own veg.

This blog will follow me, a gardening novice, through the seasons and beyond!

Wednesday 11 July 2012

Summer Harvest

I have been busy with moving house, but lack of blog posts dont mean lack of plot activity!

We harvested a small amount of produce a couple of times recently



Broad beans which survived a blackfly onslaught 

Peas grew hassle free with not much support (a wigwam system would make it tidier though!) and taste so good fresh.

Beets also grew no problem, tasted great and there's more to come!


Tuesday 10 July 2012

Potato no show

After much anticipation, I knocked down the tyres that we were growing potatoes in.

Success was in the form of a huge ant colony.

Failure was in the crop.



I emailed the helpful folks at JBA Seed Potatoes

After a couple of emails we got to the bottom of the issue, THE WEATHER and that I used Growmore General Fertilizer rather than one high in potash.


"Ah growmore is a general fertiliser 7-7-7npk. So the nitrogen levels are too high compared to the potash and that has resulted in tremendous foliage growth but poor crops below as all the plants energy is going into the foliage.

In a normal year I would say that growmore would be ok but with this years lack of sun and excess of rain I think the growmore has dissolved quickly and the plant has taken up the nitrogen and grown you some lovely foliage."