Archive for April, 2016


PicPost: Skyscrapers for Worms

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22/04/2016
Giant Holt mushrooms by Brad Rosie Damms

Giant Holt mushrooms by Brad Rosie Damms

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Tim Peake sends good luck message to Rocket Science participants

Filed under: School and childrens' Gardening — Leave a comment
21/04/2016

Ther RHS national schools science project starts this week

Today (18 April) British astronaut Tim Peake sent a special message from space to the hundreds of thousands of children who will be beginning our Rocket Science project in partnership with the UK Space Agency experiment this week.

Tim, who delivered the message from the International Space Station where he’s been since December, wished the 600,000 young people signed up to the experiment good luck with their investigations into the impact of micro-gravity and space travel on seed germination and growth. The results will help to form a clearer picture of the potential for astronauts to grow their own food to sustain them on long-term missions.

Speaking while 400km above the surface of the Earth, Tim said:

“This is a really exciting week for the hundreds of thousands of young people across the country who will begin their Rocket Science experiments. I’d like to wish everyone taking part the best of luck with their investigations and I look forward to seeing some of the results.

“It’s possible that among those pupils taking part in the project are the young people who will help mankind reach the next big milestones in space exploration for the benefit of people on Earth. I hope the RHS Campaign for School Gardening’s Rocket Science experiment will spark curiosity and wonder amongst young people who may become the next generation of horticultural scientists.”

With more than 8,600 schools and educational groups poised to begin their Rocket Science experiment this week, the project is now among the biggest mass science experiments conducted in UK schools.

Rocket Science will see school pupils across the country spend 35 days analysing the growth and development of two batches of seemingly identical rocket seeds. However, one batch of seeds has spent time in space with Tim on the International Space Station, orbiting the Earth at 17,000mph. The aim of the experiment is to enthuse young people about science and horticulture and provide the European Space Agency with key insights into some of the challenges of growing food in space.

Results of the experiment will be published later in the year but keep an eye on our website, Facebook page and Twitter page for updates!

Source: RHS

 

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PicPost: A Triumph of Hope over Expectation?

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20/04/2016

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Why we should all be Composting…

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19/04/2016

chocolatejoolz's avatarEating Green, Living Clean

Well I have had a dirty weekend away getting down and grubby with compost and worms (…and Karen!) What a fascinating weekend 🙂

20160319_093544 Karen and I arrive at Garden Organic

When I signed up to become a ‘Master Composter’ I wasn’t sure what to expect and how they were going to fill two solid days of training  talking about compost, was beyond me. I can honestly say I enjoyed every minute.

There were about twenty of us willing volunteers being trained from all walks of life and three different councils, with a variety of reasons for being there but with a common aim: to pass the composting message on.

Kate, Alex and David, our knowledgeable & enthusiastic trainers for the weekend all work for Garden Organic and what they don’t know about composting and wormeries isn’t worth knowing.

20160320_201327 Bed time reading!

Manuals, books and information sheets were handed out to all the volunteers…

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Basic Training at Blickling

Filed under: Blickling Hall- rebirth of the Walled Garden, Community Gardening, Heritage Gardens & gardening — Leave a comment
The Black Garden with its newly gravelled surface -one of the best views in the garden

View across the Black Garden with its newly gravelled surface; the ‘classic’ view of Blickling

It’s Thursday, so it must be …digging at Blickling!

My latest session involved working with ‘Aussie Pete’ in preparing the soil on some of the paths, ready for turfing next week. you may recall that there are two areas where grass paths cross two of the quarters of the Walled Garden? I’ve lost count of the times we seem to have moved soil, dug it over etc, but after being trodden and barrowed over for a few weeks, it certainly needed ‘fluffing up’ to ensure the turf, when it’s laid, takes easily to the soil underneath.

Aussie Pete 'fluffing up' the soil for some grass paths

Aussie Pete ‘fluffing up’ the soil for some grass paths

‘Norfolk Pete’ was off putting in the remaining lengths of metal edging around the Walled Garden, whilst the remainder of the volunteers were set to weed and aerate the soil in the border beds which are being used to grow cut flowers. Gardener Rebecca was confined to the potting shed sowing trays of veg which are starting to fill the greenhouses.

Weeding in the Cut Flower border

Weeding in the Cut Flower border

During the day we met three new volunteers who will join us next time (assuming they haven’t been put off!) and ‘Aussie Pete’ disappeared for an hour or two in the morning to do some initial training as a ‘Garden Guide’- one of those volunteers that take people around the gardens and give them useful information on its history, layout and challenges. I’ve thought of volunteering to do this as I enjoy meeting the public, but for now my schedule doesn’t allow this…still in a year or two, maybe?

Having made pretty good progress with the soil forking over, I think Project Manager Mike must have felt sorry for me, as he asked if I’d like to do some work on the newly planted soft fruit bushes. I do enjoy pruning and tying in, and so this was a welcome relief from the digging.

Newly planted fruit bushes beign given ‘basic training’ by Project Manager Mike..
A fan trained Redcurrant after I’d been to work…

You may recall that a week or two ago I mentioned some oak trunks being taken to a local sawmill to be turned into posts and other items? The posts will secure wires that these fruit bushes will be trained against, and Mike was keen to get them pruned and tied in to temporary canes to begin their ‘basic training’. So, I set to work on three varieties of gooseberries, and some redcurrants and wine berries (volunteer Pam says these are gorgeous). Some of the plants are being grown as straight cordons, others as fans.

Though a bit fiddly (I’d succeeded in cutting my finger with a bread knife the day before, so my elastoplasted finger wasn’t the most nimble), this was an enjoyable task that took me up to lunch time. After that ‘Aussie Pete’ returned and we continued to finish off fluffing up the soil for the grass paths …so we will possibly be turf laying next time….

Daffodils alongside the main avenue…
..tulips starting to do their stuff…
…in the double borders…
…gravelled surface in the Black Garden…
…and this is the progress we’ve made in the Walled Garden over a year…phew!

Further Information:

Blickling Hall website

Blickling Hall Facebook page

A 360 degree tour of Blickling Hall

Old School Gardener

 

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PicPost: Blossomed

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18/04/2016
Crab Apple blossom- picture by Christine Grubbs

Crab Apple blossom- picture by Christine Grubbs

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Pallets in the Garden- latest projects

Filed under: Recycling projects — 1 Comment
17/04/2016

It’s about time I updated you on the latest projects in the garden to use recycled pallets or other cheap wood and materials. I continue to be astounded by the creativity and skills out there! All images from the wonderful site 1001 Pallets which includes lots of tutorials, in case you want to have a go yourself!

Old School Gardener

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PicPost: Tulip Time

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16/04/2016
Picture by Atie Post

Picture by Atie Post

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Top Tip: Climbers- Do’s and Don’ts

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15/04/2016

g-yellow-climber-on-fenceGrowing climbers against boundaries or internal screens adds interest to a hard or unattractive surface, and is the best use of space in a small garden. choosing the right plant for then right site is the key to minimising work; in particular, you will need to consider the plant’s eventual size, and its preferred aspect.

Also, choose a support system that’s right for the plant- some will cling on without much help, others twine, others need to be tied onto a wire or some other support.

Differetn climbers need different support systems

Differetn climbers need different support systems

Here are some other things to consider:

Do put up the support before planting. Make sure it is the correct size and strength for the climber.

Do kill weeds before planting.

Do add compost when planting and use a mulch to reduce the need to water and weed.

Do invest in long-handled pruners or loppers to cut back tall climbers.

Don’t plant large plants where they will need constant cutting back to keep them within bounds.

Don’t remove canes from new climbers (though if the plant is taped to these you can cut the tapes). Position the canes to enable the plant to clamber easily onto the support.

Source: ‘Short Cuts to Great Gardens’- Reader’s Digest, 1999

Further Information:

‘Social climbers: How to cover a house in plants’- Daily Telegraph

‘Insulating a house with climbing plants’

Old School Gardener

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PicPost: Pest Control

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14/04/2016
Picture by Barry Simmons

Picture by Barry Simmons

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