Category Archives: Smallholding

The wheelbarrow lives!

Posted on January 26, 2026 by james

My replacement inner tubes arrived today. The courier tried to hide them in the cupboard containing the pump for the well, but I found them eventually. It barely took ten minutes to get one of the new tubes back into … Continue reading →

Posted in Smallholding | Tagged , | Leave a comment

No dig diary, 26th January 2026

Posted on January 26, 2026 by james

One of my garlic cloves has really taken off. No idea why; I’m sure it wasn’t anywhere near this tall just a few days ago. I’m certainly not complaining though. At the other end of the scale, I suspect all … Continue reading →

Posted in Smallholding, Veg plot | Tagged , | Leave a comment

I’ve never been able to see this

Posted on January 26, 2026 by james

I’m a beekeeper with a strong interest in astronomy. There’s an open cluster of around one thousand stars in the constellation of Cancer known by a number of names including Praesepe, Messier 44 and The Beehive Cluster. The latter is … Continue reading →

Posted in Astronomy, Bee-keeping, Smallholding | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Due to the rain today

Posted on January 25, 2026 by james

I have been contemplating automated irrigation for the polytunnels and greenhouses. There are some cheap kits on Amazon these days, but I’m way less than convinced that they’ll flow sufficient water for my needs and after stumbling around trying to … Continue reading →

Posted in Polytunnel, Projects | Tagged | Leave a comment

No dig diary, 25th January 2026

Posted on January 25, 2026 by james

I had a quick check on the peppers under the grow light this morning. They’re looking pretty good now are some are even producing their first true leaves. There are one or two more oddities though, such as these ones … Continue reading →

Posted in Smallholding, Veg plot | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Well that didn’t go quite as well as planned

Posted on January 24, 2026 by james

Removing the tyre and inner tube from the wheelbarrow wheel turned out to be somewhat easier than I was expecting given that the front wheels of the lawnmower are the ones I usually have to deal with, and they’re an … Continue reading →

Posted in Smallholding | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Cutting garden, 24th January 2026

Posted on January 24, 2026 by james

The Antirrhinums were sown last weekend and this weekend it’s the sweet peas’ turn. Forty-seven seeds in all which isn’t many, so I’ve sown them one to a cell in module trays. Hopefully I’ll get decent germination and there’ll be … Continue reading →

Posted in Cutting Garden, Smallholding | Tagged | Leave a comment

Errr, what?!

Posted on January 24, 2026 by james

I’ve just been idly looking at the cheap polytunnel that I’m turning into a polycrub on Amazon. Not sure why. My brain is just in random mode at the moment. In the details for the 6m x 3m polytunnel, it … Continue reading →

Posted in Polytunnel, Smallholding | Leave a comment

No dig diary, 24th January 2026 (part 2)

Posted on January 24, 2026 by james

Given the success of my late new potatoes last year, I’m going to try for some very early ones this year. I’ve saved all the inedible green potatoes from last year’s harvest and today, in the torrential rain, filled six … Continue reading →

Posted in Smallholding, Veg plot | Tagged | Leave a comment

No dig diary, 24th January 2026

Posted on January 24, 2026 by james

I’ve just been out watering the polytunnel. Not something I’d usually do much of during Winter, but having seen how dry the soil was when the rabbit tried to excavate it, I shall be watering every day for a while … Continue reading →

Posted in Polytunnel, Smallholding | Tagged , , | Leave a comment