Back in the 70s John Pertwee created the lovable straw filled Worzel Gummidge. Now the amazingly talented Makenzie Crook has taken up the role. Now I will be the first one to speak out and say that Makenzie is a very fine actor. Think of The Office and the delightful series The Detectorists with another favourite of mine, Toby Jones. But I have to say that I still prefer John Pertwee. He was Worzel, with his amazing talent for voices and his mannerisms. He made it seem so effortless to bring a straw man to life. According to my research, scarecrows go back to Ancient Egypt where they used them when farming on the banks of the Nile. My first encounter with them was as a very young boy travelling up from Brighton to visit relatives in Lincolnshire for our annual holiday. The further North we progressed the more of these creatures we would see. Upon entering lovely Lincolnshire they were everywhere. Staring at us from behind crumbling stone walls or in the middle of a crop filled field. They were always busy, rain or shine. More recently on many visits to Cornwall we have passed through delightful villages where the inhabitants have set the scarecrows to all manner of tasks from speed cop to fisherman. I don’t like to admit this but it must have been some 25 years ago, my sister in law and I were almost lost in the Lincolnshire Wolds, looking for an obscure little farmhouse. A sweltering hot day with not a soul about. We pulled over and I volunteered to go and ask the chap tending his tractor in the nearby field. Now my eyesight has never been fantastic due to an accident when I was a toddler. Well, that’s my excuse. I was well into the field when I realised it was one of our straw friends. I can just imagine a rustic old farmer hiding behind a hedge guffawing and saying “stupid baxxxxx”. But, where are they all now. A few on farms, a few more on allotments. But not as many as in my youth. They are definitely an endangered species. A job for David Attenborough perhaps?.
Sow a seed, grow a world.
Welcome to a really grey overcast day on the Viking Way. This will be my last blog of the year. A year I’m certain most of us want to get over with as quickly as possible. A vast amount of people have taken up vegetable gardening for the first time , which is great. I did a post on a Facebook page last week, telling people about Strawbale Gardening and the response was really good. If you do not know about this method, I will give you a brief rundown now. Not everyone is lucky enough to have soil to grow in. With this method you don’t need soil as you plant and sow into the Strawbales. Meaning that you can site your vegetable garden on almost any surface. Concrete, grass etc. Another advantage is that there is no weeding. And whatever size or shape the space is that you have, a Strawbale Garden will slide in nicely. For a long time now those who wanted to learn this great method had to use information from overseas. But, I now have a DVD and an e-book produced in the UK. Please take a look here.
A compact three strawbale system.
The above system is very compact. You can grow vertically as well as on the surface of the strawbales. Believe me, you can grow a surprising amount of produce in a Strawbale. I am so pleased that I now have my new online seed shop up and running, alongside my “Chilli Vault” where you can purchase a variety of chilli seeds from mild to volcanic. We will be constantly adding new seeds as well as helpful information. I hope you will take a look. I am pleased to say we have used British companies in all aspects of setting up our seed operation. From seed supplies to quality foil seal bags to technical help. Thanks to all concerned. Why not have a peek at the shop and “Chilli Vault” here.
Strawbale Simons Chilli Vault.
All our seeds come with information on companion planting. So if you buy some cabbage seeds, we will tell you what other vegetables you should plant with them, also what flowers and herbs will be beneficial to have around them. All of course will be available instore.
If you have any suggestions and or comments, please drop me a line here. Its been a very hard year for us all. I do hope next year will be much better. Have a happy and safe Christmas. Kind Regards Simon.
Success with Strawbale Gardening.
Hello to you all on the first day of this the second national lockdown. Its going to be harder for some than for others, so if you know of anyone that is finding it especially difficult then please give them a ring and keep in touch. Anyway news from the Viking Way. I was contacted this week by Cat Nettles who lives near Skegness, she informed me of the great success she is having with StrawBale Gardening. She informed me “ there are a lot of tree stumps in my garden which make it nearly impossible to dig over”, so, she looked for another method. Cat found the StrawBale Gardening method on the internet but she says “it was mostly based in America”. She describes finding my website as “ a lightbulb moment”. She thought, “ well if this chap Simon can do it where he lives, then I can to”. Her technique was using my method and boy has she enjoyed success. She says she has had masses of tomatoes and peas. And the brassicas have thrived. I have attached some pictures she kindly sent me. Thanks so much Cat for your endorsement of the StrawBale method which is really starting to catch on this side of the pond. Its a win win situation, no weeds, and if like Cat your access to soil is limited, them this way of gardening will suit you down to the ground, literally. So many people I speak to are wanting to have a go at growing vegetables. There are so many good reasons why you should. Don’t be put off if you have no soil, or an odd shaped garden. If you live in an inner-city area and maybe just have a slice of concrete, no worries. Use my method and get growing. Speak soon and keep safe Simon.
CREATE A GREAT PLACE IN THAT SPACE..
What a great use of the space in this picture. While few of us would contemplate a project on this scale its a good illustration of using what area you have. Awkward concrete corners, spaces between sheds, a wasted decking area all lend themselves to Strawbale Gardening. So many houses being built now are not given any what I would call “growing spaces”. This is why people from many different countries have embraced gardening in Strawbales. The possibilities are endless. An ugly south facing wall in Sussex which was truly an eyesore was transformed by a simple four bale system and bamboo verticals. This last summer four types of tomatoes transformed the wall into a really productive , vibrant area. A real talking point. I often put a Strawbale on the front lawn. Usually for runner beans. I’ve lost count of the amount of delivery people who have commented on it. A northern townhouse with a small concrete backyard. A Strawbale was purchased and the children planted potatoes. Come the great day to break open the bale and what delight to see lovely big spuds piling up. I really love to see how ingenious people can be.
Happy Gardening. Simon.
Runner beans in a strawbale garden.
A three bale system.
VEG PLANS...
My plot at the moment look like a bomb site. In fact its depressing. But I know what I want to do with the space. I’m going to be using the polytunnel that lost its skin as a brassica cage. Buying a second polytunnel and creating 8 new raised beds. This will be achieved over the winter. I try to plan each stage and not think of it as a whole. I have also planned a large space that I could separate off for my strawbales and various trials with them. I enjoy hearing other peoples ideas and plans and am always thinking “cripes what a good idea, now how can I use that here”. I am going to be trialling lots of new seeds from my shop. Also asking a couple of members from each group to help. I never seem to get the time at the moment though.
I plan to plant more garlic this year and trial different types. We seem to get through more and more. I was so impressed by peoples efforts in growing cauliflowers that I had a go. I was very pleased with my effort.
One of my cauliflowers.
This year was not great for me as regards runner beans. No idea why but very disappointing. There’s always next year. If you are reading this and thinking I must give this gardening malarkey a go. Do it, NOW. Join a group. Join my group, we are friendly and hopefully informative. That’s maybe why I named it Friendly And Informative Gardening Banter. We would be happy to welcome you. Please jump aboard here. We are a happy bunch and we have some very knowledgeable people who are always willing to help if they can. As the nights start to draw in it will for many people be out with the seed catalogues. Planning and ordering for the fun of next season. Pleas keep my shop Strawbale Simons Seeds in mind. The brand new shop is almost finished along with the new “Chilli Vault” where there will be a massive range of the hot stuff for you to grow. Happy Gardening Simon.
The new Chilli Vault coming soon to www.strawbaleveg.co.uk
LEARN THE STRAWBALE METHOD VIA WORKSHOPS/DVD OR BOOK.
Hello on a wet and windy day on the Viking Way. I’ve just taken delivery of more straw bales to use over the winter. The interest in this method has increased greatly since this awful Covid was thrust upon us. People simple feel that they want to be more in control of the food they eat. A lady from the midlands contacted me about her strawbales, she was so proud this summer that she fed her family on the onions she grew in her tiny backyard.
GET READY FOR THE NEW SEASON!
There are still so many people who really want to grow some tasty veg but for one reason or another have not taken it any further. We are all making changes to our lives, we have little choice. Sadly I believe there will be many people who will loose their jobs through no fault of their own. So, if one positive thing is that we start to produce even a tiny amount of the food we eat then its a step in the right direction, I believe. If you are reading this and thinking “well I already do grow my own grub” then that is great. But why not try and get a friend to do the same? Share your knowledge. I am always being asked about growing vegetables etc. I love it. Its my job. I am no famous celebrity ultra knowledgeable gardener, but I learn quickly and I love talking.
Onions in a strawbale.
WORKSHOPS 2020
Depending on rules on gathering etc we will gladly hold workshops at your home, work, organisation or club. Its a great hands on way to get a handle on this method that is truly going global for the simple reason its the ANYWHERE method. Fill in the form on the workshop page here and we will be in touch.
DVD AND BOOK
A great little gift.
My e-book.
I am very pleased that so many have benefited from my DVD and now my e-book. They both I think manage to convey the basics of this method and do not over complicate things. Both have my “maturing schedule”. Which is essential for strawbale gardening success. With Christmas fast approaching they really do make very useful gifts. You can view and buy the DVD here and the book here. Please use our get in touch form page if you have any questions.
One more thing. If you have any interesting garden related news or photos please send them in and I will endeavour to get them on either the website or my Facebook groups.
Happy healthy gardening.
Simon.
VIKING WAY AND ITS WINDY..
Hello friends, I do hope that you are well and coping with all the life changes we are experiencing. No one is immune to this virus, not even POTUS. And yet I still here people really objecting to putting on a simple mask. All the health reasons why they are so different than the rest of us. If a mask is too much for you, then why not a face visor. And if you really cannot do that, should you even be outside? Anyway, sorry but it makes me very angry.
My polytunnels blew down in that ferocious wind we had a couple of weeks ago. It developed a tiny tear, I don’t know how, but instead of repairing it then and there, I left it. Big mistake. My mistake. The awesome gales did the rest. I intend to remove most of the skin except the first two feet or so from the ground and using scaffolders netting make a cage for brassicas. I will have another tunnel up and running before Christmas. Lesson learned.
I’m shut up in my tiny office most days cataloguing seeds for my new shop. As I have said before there will be information with every seed on companion plants to grow alongside. Whether it be vegetables, herbs or flowers. I think this will help inform the grower of his or her options to make their garden more environmentally friendly and ultimately much more successful. I hope to be finished within 14 days. Please keep an eye on the seeds page. ALSO I will be massively increasing the range of pepper varieties. I intend calling it THE SEED VAULT…. This will be packed with advice for the newbie chilli grower.
The new range of premium chutneys.
Lastly I am so pleased to have on board the range of premium chutneys by Hicksons of Bassingham in Lincolnshire. They really are home made in small batches. Using the best quality ingredients and also the freshest. They are NOT mass produced in any way. After considerable research and sampling we have come to the conclusion that they represent all that is great in good British fayre. I do hope that you will try them. We can also supply gift baskets etc tailored specifically to your needs. Please visit the page here.
Please continue to visit my Facebook pages. Any contributions are gratefully received.
Good Growing.
Simon.
STRAWBALE GARDENING IN BUILT UP AREAS IS THE WAY FOWARD.
Morning. Back in April, I had an email from a young lady called Alice, who lives in a very built up area. Her child had expressed an interest in growing some vegetables, but it is something she has wanted to start for a long time. She has at her disposal a small backyard which gets a lot of sun. She was aware of the strawbale gardening method through social media and found my contact details. I love it when I can help out people, and get them growing. Every little helps! Gardening can be a bit daunting for a beginner. Strawbale gardening is a form of growing veg in a container except that instead of a plastic or ceramic container, its straw. The inner straw becomes (when matured) a magical growing medium. Able to support your plants growth. I told Alice her yard would be fine to grow in. Having purchased her three strawbales which a good friend collected and delivered she was raring to get started. Following my instructions and the eager hands of her youngster she soon had a crop in place. Having friends round for a drink, she found that her new strawbale garden had become a local talking point. People were actually coming around to see it and ask questions. Her runner beans came and were very welcome. She had a few varieties of lettuce and chard. Onions followed. It was a learning curve for them both, because you cannot bank on mother nature. All in all, it was a great success and she’s hooked. I do hope more people get the urge to sow a seed whatever their surroundings. Speak soon Simon.
THE BREAD AND PUDDER PUDDING DEBATE.
The pukka bread and butter pudding.
Hi Everyone. So after a hard day on the computer, relaxing with a pint of Irish heaven the conversation naturally turned to bread and butter puddings. My own favourite is brioche steeped in whisky marmalade. My long time pal and chef for forty odd years put his threepence worth in. I foolishly suggested using malt loaf. My good friend laughed and called me a stupid txt. Indignant now, I informed him I would make some that very next day.
Rising bright and early I got straight on with this culinary delight. I noticed the malt bread was not absorbing any of the liquid, and I mean non. Once out of the oven it was worse than I feared. It was a very solid consistency you could say. I braved the pixx taking at the pub and my pals hoots of “you should have listened to a proper chef. I can take it. We have an ongoing competition for the best sweetcorn this year, I am vey confident.
Speak soon Simon.
My sweetcorn.
Looking good.
The Chilli Vault.
Greetings from the Viking Way. Chillies have been cultivated for centauries. There appear to be thirty or more species of Capsicum, but there can be many different varieties within each species. Its something that people just love to grow. There has been a huge uptake in people specialising in growing chillies. So many varieties to choose from, starting with the mild easy on the tongue type, to the industrial strength heavyweights. I have decided to add what we call the Chilli Vault to our seeds portfolio. We aim to have a fantastic selection of chillies to choose from. In each packet you will receive helpful advice on growing your chosen chillies. Along with its ranking on the Scoville Scale, a measurement of the spiciness or heat of each variety. This we hope to offer in a few months so please keep a look out on the website strawbaleveg.co.uk
I will speak again soon. Happy Sunday.
Simon.
Strawbale Gardening Is Anywhere Gardening.
Strawbale gardening is anywhere gardening.
Hello. Have you started a strawbale garden yet? No. Okay, but why not try one. You might have tried and failed because you did not get the basics of the method right. No problem. Try again. This method really can change your outlook on gardening. An example. You live in an inner London town house with just a concrete space at the rear that you have squeezed a patio table and four chairs into. It is a suntrap. Or you live in a rented accommodation with a rear lawn that you would love to dig up to plant vegetables, but the lease forbids it. No problem, Its like the man said. Strawbale gardening is anywhere gardening. Squeeze a couple of bales against the sunny wall next to your patio table and grow three types of tomatoes to impress your friends. Get four bales installed on that lawn and grow those runner beans that you love so much.
Flowers appearing on runner beans in a strawbale.
Just follow a few basic rules, and strawbale gardening is enjoyable and rewarding. Buy straw NOT hay. Buy from farm shops or local farms. Cover when transporting because they malt. Install them in their position with as much sun as possible. The most important aspect is the maturing process to get the strawbales composting so that its an ideal environment for seeds and plants to thrive. Without this simply nothing will grow. My new e-book covers all these aspects and much more.
Having a strawbale garden full of vegetables look great as well. Its environmentally good and beats those boring containers. Most any vegetables will be quite happy growing in your new strawbale garden. If this sound good to you then take a look at my book. Here It really will help you on your way. I am always available if you use our get in touch page.
Good Strawbale Gardening.
Strawbale Simon.
Meeting Dear Friends and Planting Something Different on The Viking Way.
Hello. I had a nice afternoon at my local hostelry on Saturday. I met a good friend and we ranged over many topics, as pals do. To cut a long afternoon short so to speak, he very kindly asked me if I would maybe like to hold my strawbale workshops in a beautiful forest setting in Lincolnshire. I, of course said I would love to. So if all goes to plan the said workshops will run for possibly one day a month. And although at this stage I cannot say too much, the setting is truly beautiful. I do love meeting people and learning something about them, as well as hopefully sending them home thinking “Okay that sounds interesting I’m going to give it a grow”. I do not profess to know it all. I’m still learning as well. Please keep reading my blogs and hopefully you will enrol for a day in the forest. I asked my Facebook group members if they could suggest improvements or additions that they would like to see on this website. Anything that they feel is missing. The response has been good. Many people want more information on when to sow seeds. Also they want to know more about companion planting. As I have said in previous blogs, we are greatly increasing our seed range from October. With each variety of seed will be not only detailed information on what other vegetables to plant with your choice, but also what herbs and flowers would be beneficial. And of course a link to those. While on the subject of what to sow, I have been asked to stock as a matter of urgency two vegetables. Pak Choi and Spinach. So we now have both. The Pak Choi variety is called Joi Choi F1. A first class variety with white stems. Sow until the end of August. It is a great source of vitamins A,C, K and B12. The Spinach variety we have chosen is Clarinet F1. Suitable for sowing from March to September. And from October to December under glass. It has smooth dark green leaves with an excellent taste. To sow baby leaf sow sparingly along a trench. It is winter hardy with the leaves becoming sweeter in the cold.
Pak Choi and Spinach.
To order these products please please click on here. My two gardening groups continue to grow with some really useful contributions. Why not come and join us? Join my group strawbaleveguk here where we specialise in strawbale gardening. For all other types of gardening why not join Friendly and Informative Gardening Banter here. Both groups are friendly. We run competitions for bundles of seeds etc. Plus you get all the latest news on gardening. I hope you are now reaping the benefits of all your hard work in the garden. Some tasty tomatoes, and oh those runner beans, my absolute favourite.
Happy and healthy growing.
Strawbale Simon.
View From Viking Way.
Hello and happy Friday. This week I asked our Facebook group to send in their gardening photos. One of which I would use for the banner shot. The winner was Sarah Baddeley. I think you will agree its an unusual take. Sarah wins a goody bag.
Friendly and Informative Gardening Banter banner. Photo. Courtesy Sarah Baddeley.
If you would like to join this friendly group of gardeners please click here. Its been a rather wet week for most of us. I have suffered some damage to my polytunnel. Nothing that cannot be fixed though. A few weeks ago I gave a good friend some of my new stock of sweetcorn seeds Golden Hind and they are doing fantastic. He has green fingers, as they say. I on the other hand have to really work at it. My six year old granddaughter Ruby planted tomato seeds at school. They look great. We will keep an eye on them Ruby. I hope teachers are coming around to the huge benefits of giving the children in their charge a grounding in growing vegetables. Please spread the word that I can put together strawbale gardening classes for schools etc. Please get in touch. I am busy putting together new varieties of vegetable, herb and flower seeds, ready for our new look seeds page. Happy and safe growing x Simon.
My Viking Way Garden 2020.
Hi. We are now supposedly coming to the beginning of the end of the tunnel in this battle we have all been waging. Its a year we all will never forget. When this all crashed upon us , I was undertaking a re organisation of my whole garden, with the help of my second eldest son Craig. With isolating that stopped. My plans are very far from complete, I have another polytunnel to erect and raised beds to build. But compared to some peoples loses, this is nothing.
I WILL get the tunnel up and install strawbales down one side to use during the winter. Obviously obtaining the bales has been a no no. For those who have not tried strawbalveging why not give it a whirl. I know there are a great many people who sit and think “I so want to grow my own veg, but I don’t think I have the space”, or “ Ido not have the RIGHT space”. They watch excellent gardening programmes on the television and see perfectly tended veggie patches oozing with huge cabbages and trellises bending with the weight of hundreds of runner beans, and think, “well I’ve just got that square of concrete by the garage wall”. I’m here to tell you that’s fine, you can have your vegetable garden there, and be the envy of your street. You can drop a strawbale into most any space. Weeding is a lot less, so that’s another plus, if you are time short. Its a method that needs learning, but I think that is half of the fun. Its not too late to get some bales and have a try. I’m going down to my local farm next week because I want to construct a small veg garden in an enclosed space for a video I am planning. This method is really quite low cost. The straw, some good compost, seeds and water and you are about there. There are steps to follow, its not a question of just putting seeds in. You need to feed the strawbales, I call this the “maturing process” which means adding water and a maturing agent over a period of about 17 days. But don’t be put off its perfectly doable. And there is still bags of time this season. I hope this encourages people to give it a grow. Fresh from the garden is so much better than the supermarket. If you need the full SP then my new e-book will certainly help. Its priced very fairly, and is filled with the information you need. If this interests you please take a look here. Please get in touch with me if you need any questions answered, and I will do my best to help. Speak again soon and great gardening.
Strawbale Simon's Seeds and things.
Hello. I hope that you are coping as we continue this fight against the awful virus. Now lets put that aside for a change. Vegetables, there is no doubt that we import a lot from EU countries. We have done for years. We demand out of our season produce, so it must be sourced somewhere. Some “experts” tell us there will be shortages because of Brexit/The Virus (sorry I said it again) and the fact that British farmers cannot get the field workers. I cannot guess what will happen, and I suspect no-one else can either. Doom and gloom sells these poor excuses for newspapers and gets more views on social media. What they do not tell you is about us. I mean you and me. People who grow some of their own food. And the swathes of people young and old who are wanting to learn how. If it ever came down to basics, onions, potatoes and cabbages can be grown very easily. Its getting people to have a grow. But like I said, from my own experiences I know that many more people are turning to the soil. I will start my strawbale workshops and new webinars in September with a hope that they will prove popular. I will swap vegetables with my friends and make sure that none go to waste as many, many of us have always done. But, don’t expect that to be in the news anytime soon, as I said, good news generally doesn’t sell. My own range of seeds seems to be selling very well. Over the next few months we will be adding companion plants that are beneficial to the garden as well. In that I mean herbs and flowers. When we sell you a packet of vegetable seeds we will include detailed information on this. The introduction of flowers and herbs to your vegetable patch is so beneficial. For example lavender attracts butterflies and its scent is beneficial amongst cabbages and cauliflowers, because it upsets pests such as aphids. We can then offer you these seeds and useful information to go with it. With every seed packet you buy from us we include a marker pencil and seed labels. I am always open to suggestions, so please use our get in touch page. I have a dedicated Twitter page to showcase our growing seeds range. Please follow us at Strawbale Simons Seeds here. For the people who really want to get into growing and are thinking “I don’t have any space” or “I don’t have any soil” . Are you sure you have no room. A corner of a patio or front garden, or a sunny room to grow some container veg. No soil? not a problem, most vegetables can be grown in containers and if you fancy something different then this website has all the information you need on strawbale gardening. Take the plunge! have a grow. Cheers Simon.
Just a swede?
The swede, a underrated and forgotten vegetable to some extent. In North America known as Rutabaga, nearer to home in Scotland it answers to Neeps. Its a large round yellow fleshed root vegetable. Very hardy, and doesn’t mind cool climates. Its the perfect winter vegetable. Visiting the Lincolnshire Fens as a child I would see field after field of them. And as my mother was a Lincolnshire lass, she knew how to get the best from this Swedish turnip. The norm is to mash them., with cream , pepper and nutmeg. But there is so much more you can do to with this root. Hash, obviously Sweetish sauerkraut. I love it in curries. Also try using it in Bombay potato. Roasted with a good oil accompanied by beetroot, garlic, onions, carrot and potato. Fresh Rosemary liberally thrown on top. Great with warm crusty French bread. Its a vegetable that if you haven’t tried growing and eating I would suggest you give it a grow. Sow in open sunny sites, moist fertile soil. Use garden compost beforehand. They love a firm bed, (as do !). Sow until the end of June, 2.5cm deep, in rows 15 cm apart and thin to 20cm. They take there time to grow. Up to six months. Make sure to keep that soil moist. If they dry out the taste is ruined. Lift roots Sept/Nov or leave for Christmas. I would use a few before then. Why mot give one to a good friend along with a recipe?. Talking to my seeds expert he suggested the variety Marian Brassica napobrassica. A lovely purple topped yellow fleshed variety. Also a very good cropper. I am sowing it very soon. To try it yourself click here. Thanks, keep safe and great growing.
Strawbales and things.
Hello. I am often asked “where can I buy strawbales”? Its easier than you might think. Obviously local farms are a good starting point. Then farm shops and pet shops. A quick Google on “local strawbale suppliers” often works. I am building a database of suppliers, so if you find your local source, please let me know. Its been difficult this year to get bales delivered and so on. I had some trials I wanted to start, but they must wait until next year now. When my son can come over to me we intend to erect another polytunnel which will be half filled with strawbales throughout the winter months. I intend to do some strawbale webinars from September onwards. Again if you are interested then please contact me. The “grow your own” movement seems to be going from strength to strength which is great to see, but there are still so many people who really could give it a grow but perhaps think its easier to just buy from a super market. The busy lifestyles of many preclude any time for some families, but when we get back to what will be a new normal, peoples perception of what is important might and should change. Parents need to arm young people with the ability to feed themselves once more.
My strawbale growing kits have proved very popular. My own grandchildren were thrilled to receive their parcel and set about sowing the seeds in double quick time. There is still plenty of time to purchase a kit. They make a great gift. I have had some great feedback on our seed range. I am proud to say we did not increase any prices whatsoever. The seed labels, pencil and extra information is proving popular. We will be increasing varieties across the board, to give you more choice. Also you will start to see far more information about each seed on the website , this will include companion planting and recipe suggestions.
I have listed some links below to what I have been discussing. Please get in touch as its good to talk. Sow a seed, grow a world.
Speak soon . Strawbale Simon.
Life on the Viking Way.
Hello. I have been busy planting and sowing, like so many of you. Happily more and more people are growing for themselves. For me one thing that is missing. It is the fun I have with my grandchildren every year at this time. We plant the potatoes together and they generally join in with their “silly grandad”. I miss the toys strewn all over my freshly tilled soil. It must be doubly strange for them. I hope we are now starting to glimpse some light at the end of this tunnel. There is still much to do in my garden. The strawbale full of pea shoots have all gone thanks I think to the wood pigeons. I will be having serious words with Lola my so called “guard cat”. I shall put a selection of lettuces in their place. It was a shame, they looked so damned healthy! Thanks to the people who have supported my small but growing seed business. I welcome any suggestions. My sunflower kits are proving popular. We can send to any destination in the UK for you. I am having my seeds page re- vamped so that I can provide more useful information such as companion plants. I am almost finished planning some strawbale gardening webinars so please keep an eye out. If this might interest you please get in touch. In case you did not know I have two Facebook groups, one dedicated to strawbale gardening and a group for ALL things gardening related. These are called. Strawbaleveguk and Friendly And Informative Gardening Banter. You would be most welcome to join either or both. We are proud to be a business based in the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside. By the way, for all things Lincolnshire related please take a look at www.lincsconnect.co.uk. Lastly I was so pleased to do an article for the May edition of Lincolnshire Life magazine. Please stay safe. Sow a seed and grow a world.
Guide to putting up a polytunnel. Part 5.
Okay now stick the anti hotspot tape along any of the poles that come into contact with the cover. This will protect it from wear due to the sun. Now you need a pal. Stand at either ends of the tunnel and lift the cover over. Try to lift and not slide it over the bars. Pull the ends down. If there are any markings, then line up as per the instructions. Make sure the seams run along the bars neatly. Ensure that the doors zip up.
Putting anti hotspot tape on poles.
Cover ready to go over polytunnel.
Guide to putting up a polytunnel Part 4
Good morning. Okay, now we need to secure the corners. This may seem like overkill, but believe me when the wind gets up and the tunnel fill with wind its got to be secured firmly. I made some wooden pegs to go in each corner. As you can see in the picture. Use HEAVY duty pegs, not the light tent pegs, they simply wont cut it. They need to be driven in deep. Next we need to dig a trench along both sides. A spades depth. I know it is probably obvious but keep the earth you have dug out. Unwrap the tunnel along one side as per instructions.
Pegs on all four corners of the polytunnel.
Dig a trench along both sides.
Unwrap the cover.
