17th September Tour Part 1, problems and solutions

[@Im-just-Stardust]

The problem and solution videos are among my favorite ones :) Not that we want them ... but that's part of gardening. Thank you Charles, I repeat myself every single years but I feel the obligation to do it. You changed my life 5 years ago when I found your channel and decided to give it a try. Nothing been the same since. My world went from black and white to colors! Cheers !

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

How lovely!

[@HoneyLodge1]

We've followed your no dig method for the first time this year and although we've had the odd loss with rodents, high winds and caterpillars, we're converts for sure. We have 4 x 6m x 1.2m beds and have harvested 40lb pentland javelin new potatoes, 75lb sagitta potatoes, broad beans, carrots, garlic, onions, kale, spinach, chard, sweetcorn, swede, cauliflower, calebrese, cabbage, beetroot, peas, celery and runner beans and we're still harvesting. We still have leeks, spring onions, sprouts, winter leaves and savoy cabbages, more swede, more carrots and beetroots and desiree potatoes in. We didn't believe we could grow so much and such a wide variety until we tried no dig and interplanting and with no backbreaking work. It has been and continues to be such a pleasure to have the opportunity to appreciate truly organic vegetables that have such wonderful flavours. Thank you so much Charles for your fabulous channel and for bringing your method to so many of us ❤

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

How exciting and I'm very pleased for you. It's my pleasure to help out, and do you spread the word yourselves!

[@stlmama7643]

Lovely tour. Nice encouragement to keep me from getting antsy and cutting the squash off too soon!

[@deebrownsell412]

I am OBSESSED with what to do with the squash as soon as frost appear ( UK Bristol) ! I pick them , Keep in the sunny window, keep them warm, keep them cool, watch the humidity etc etc! Every year they start to rot despite the cosseting I give them! Fingers crossed for this year!

[@prubroughton1864]

I grow yacon ( Peruvian ground apple) instead of Jerusalem artichokes. They are cousins and grow huge tubers and also have lovely small sunflowers pretty frost hardy and will grow in very poor soil. I use them chopped in my fresh fruit salad when I have them lovely crunch

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I used to grow them, like them, found propagation less obvious

[@onamactavish9352]

I love your garden, its a picture of sheer abundance. Another really informative video, thank you Charles for sharing your knowledge with us. The amount ive learned over the years from your videos and no dig book is great, you are an inspiration 😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Many thanks, lovely to hear 💚

[@shihtzusrule9115]

Cinnamon basil is really great. I love the smell, it's not so much cinnamony but still very good. Juicy Fruit gum and something else I can't identify. Lemon basil is prolific and seeds itself at end of summer and can come up in the spring voluntary like a carpet. Lemon is great, I think you could cook with it. Rubbing the leaves on your skin tears up the leaves but puts the oil and can repel mosquitoes. If you start them and pinch off to fork, that part can root too.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks for sharing. Lemon basil is my favourite of those

[@jamesbounsall5478]

@charles I am sure you know this, but I find slugs LOVE citrus peels, so I put them in amongst my vegies.

[@janebaldwin8040]

Thanks for sharing all your practical tips Love the channel and we have had great success with no dig for eight years. Re: your polytunnel blight. I think you have an air flow issue. Try adding a couple of cheap 18”floor fans, but suspended from the roof hoops one at one end and a second halfway preferably blowing in the direction of the prevailing wind direction on different speeds according to temperatures. Probably cost around £50 each , and around 60watts at full power. Worth a punt.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Jane, and you are absolutely right because there is very little blight in the shorter polytunnel. Most years it's okay, and I don't have electricity there so I'll take the hit!

[@jasonhughes726]

Charles it's been one of the worst Summer's in my 30 years of working outside and growing Toms and cucumbers like you .

[@donavancaton2042]

Geo engineering? 😢

[@Dirt-Fermer]

@@donavancaton2042 el nino or whatever it was

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

Oh I dunno about that. 2012 was pretty bad. We've had some of the wettest summers since records began since 2000. 2008 was very wet too. Depends where you are in the UK I guess. Grow blight resistant tomatoes or get a polytunnel, they can be pretty cheap now. Probably less than a 15 cm wide sheet of metal 10 metres long!

[@Agui007]

Hi Charles, without people like yourself who truly make a difference as to we can improve our self sufficiency and being more independant in this money grabbing mass productive world we live in. Not only that, we can enjoy organic food as best as it can be! ☺🙏🏼

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Go you, and I am happy to help

[@marking-time-gardens]

Great tips and information! Always learn something new too! Looking forward to part 2, thank you! Blessings on your growing season sir. 🌻🐛🌿💚🙏💕

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you, and you too!

[@suedfrucht44]

Charles remembering all those dates for sowing, planting, starting heaps etc. is really something - I can't even remember where I planted the five plants I can fit into my beds!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚

[@nancliff51]

Great vid , reassuring that even experts have problems , looking forward to part 2

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@FHRider-o1m]

It’s a pleasure to watch your videos, and read your book, thank you. I’m re-using dumpy sacks to grow compost in this first year, as a quick solution before we build properly. I forgot the pipe! This glorious spell of hot sunshine in U.K. has me moving seedling trays around the garden like a merry go round 😂

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Ah great Jesse! Hope the build goes well.

[@067captain]

So informative and no nonsense. Had a great day at your open day recently Charles, it was lovely to chat to you. Just spent a week in Cornwall on a campsite. The people camping next to us also attended! What are the chances! Spent a day at the Lost Gardens of Heligan. In the walled garden they were running an experiment with different vegetables. Four beds of identical veg, one no action, one dug, one top dressed with own compost (no dig) and the final one their own soil concoction. In every case the no dig veg was so much larger and healthier. Read a book about sleep recently. Many years ago a sunflower was locked in a lead lined box. The scientist occasionally opened the box briefly, and every time he did, the sunflower was facing the sun. Turns out the flower can’t physically sense the sun, but like all plants has its own circadian clock!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

That is a wonderful coincidence! I'm sure you found plenty to talk about. And thanks so much for sharing those results of the trial at Heligan. And yet from what I hear, they are still busy digging!! I really don't get it. Fascinating about those sunflowers, I'd forgotten about it. A really decent and worthwhile trial to do.

[@627hjc]

Im in New Zealand and we have been experiencing a very warm later winter/early spring in Christchurch, South Island. Weeks of 15-20 degrees with cool nights are quite common right now... then the freak hail storm and snow levels creeping down the mountains again. Fruit trees all finishing their blossoming and its not even week 3 of spring... Thanks for the videos :) always love them.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks, and I'm glad you like the videos. I love it when people share their weather experiences, and I hope that does not end in tears with a blast of cold which I guess could still happen.

[@mikepapa3196]

Mean while 'over the hill' it won't stop raining and it's a slug fest! Twice now my carrots seedlings have been munched completely. Have noticed the last few years Charles's weather has mirrored ours to a degree.

[@azamshakoor3098]

Like always pleasure to watch your videos sir ji ,,watching it from India 🇮🇳 ,,that powdery mildew on grapes 🍇 looks bad ,,but liked your no worries attitude towards it ,,👍 like always learned alot by just watching your videos 👌🙏 didn't see minty around in this video ,,must be busy sleeping 😴 🐈😺😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks for watching all the way from India! It's a lovely time of year here. You're right, Minty was sleeping of her breakfast!

[@prubroughton1864]

I sow my seedlings ( I used to have a small organic seedling nursery) as you do and a trick I learned was to let the tiny seedling get a bit drier and then found they were very easy to separate. We used to remove a clip out of tray and drop gently onto bench and because the mix was a bit drier they separated easily without damaging rootless and we always handled seedlings by seed leaves never stems😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Excellent Pru thanks

[@tinkeringinthailand8147]

A wonderful update Charles. It's getting close to the time where I will be sowing my beetroot, cauliflower, carrots and other Thai cool season crops.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I am glad you enjoyed it and great to hear 🙂

[@pascalxus]

I’m very impressed with the size of your beets!!!!!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks. They are tender too

[@marymcandrew7667]

I find your garden tours showing the good and bad, so helpful! We had frost on Sept. 11th, then another two days later, earliest yet living here in the Scottish Borders three years. Our runner beans have had it, I picked all I could and shelled them green. The real small beans I popped in the freezer, the larger white ones I'm trying to dry on the radiators. My crown prince and uchiki kuri really struggled to get going, and then suddenly they picked up. But to no avail, the frost killed the leaves and damaged the tender small fruits! Sigh, none for storage here. I had good success with peas this year, my Alderman peas were superb. I learned about that variety from you! Now were trying to weed and clear some beds so I have time to sow some green manures. Thank you Charles, looking forward to part two!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Great to hear this Mary. You are making the best of a difficult season!Especially in your cooler climate. 11th September is drastically early for frost

[@StaceyHerewegrowagain]

I just love hanging out with you in the garden. Your such a peaceful person to watch ❤❤

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you Stacey, I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@Zinnia82]

Still looking good Charles. Not bad at all to say we`ve had a funny growing year. Our leeks were awful this year, i think the early temperature changes whilst they were young did something to them, as they all seem to stop growing early and go straight to flower. Very woody leeks, only a few were edible! Such a shame.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks, but oh no! Try Sowing later - mine were sown 9th April for example

[@Zinnia82]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig I am in Yorkshire, would this date still be ok to try?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I reckon yes!

[@waynesell3681]

Absolutely amazing Charles! Two parts for sure, Homeacres is huge with alot going on. Unfortunately my health has been affected with cancer this summer. Have started chemotherapy six weeks. It's kept me out of the garden and I have a mess. Looking forward to better days! Thank you for your encouragement shared with your videos!

[@venusebilkova5830]

Přeji brzké uzdravení. Zvládne vše, zahrada Vám to příští rok vynahradí. Hodně štěstí.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Oh dear, I'm so sorry to hear that Wayne. Brave of you to say it in public here. That's a nice reply from the Czech person and I join them in wishing you a speedy recovery. Be in the garden as much as possible, because there is a healing energy there.

[@waynesell3681]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig thank you sir. I do believe in the healing power of gardening. Body, mind and soul! Always have liked being around a garden now seeing the seasons change, good times.

[@waynesell3681]

@@venusebilkova5830 thank you

[@cindyhollings2079]

It is a rough ride but get out and commune with the garden and soil whenever you get the chance, and dream of the abundance next year xxx

[@samanthahoos9827]

😊I bought Elsa onion seed that’s supposed to be good to grow in my area and makes a large onion by end of summer. I was going to start them in the greenhouse this weekend to grow over winter. If I have to I can bring them in the house over winter or put a heater in the greenhouse, last year’s variety survived over winter growing in the greenhouse without heat (made small onions tho).

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sounds promising Samantha. More compost on the bed perhaps.

[@TheFriendlyStranger7]

Pink beafsteak tomato cultivar looks like 'Oxheart'. Luffas: we take ours off the plants at the end of the season and submerse them in water which rots the skin (smelly!) so it can be easily peeled-off and the flesh/seeds removed with a hose. They can then be left to dry for storage/use. Thanks for all you do, Charles!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Many thanks 💚

[@rasserfrasser]

Mr. Dowding, your landscape is breathtaking. Thanks for taking the time to show us what can go wrong with tomatoes. Mine are all covered with fungal brown dots from North Carolina rain, but they keep fruiting. LOL. I'm seeing people putting their tomatoes in greenhouses. I'm sensing a pattern. Shade cloth next year for sure. Best wishes.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

It's my pleasure, and that's fascinating about your tomatoes, which I'm guessing have been stressed by heat and sunlight. I should have mentioned that my outdoor tomatoes do not have the blight at the moment and it shows how the issue in that polytunnel is ventilation, lack of!

[@rasserfrasser]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig That's good to know. I'll remember that one. Thank again!

[@Fatherfarmer-01]

Wishing you increasing health and weekly video releases.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚

[@nicholassawyer799]

Thank you Charles

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

You are welcome Nicholas

[@johnnysattin1722]

As always, fascinating to see the change of season at Home Acres. I would love to see the turnover of the Small Garden going forward. Such a helpful source of inspiration for us allotmenters! Thanks for all you do, Johnny

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Great to hear Johnny and I am glad you enjoy the content.

[@walkingbacktogardening381]

Brilliant segment Charles, keep empowering the people. ❤

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@gotalove1362]

You have such a Gift Charles and sing your Song so well....I have a Dream of a Soft Cotton Blanket Across the UK, on a warm summer's evening and snuggle to sleep is what we Need....Look at the World through Our eye and the World will Grow Strong....A Family Tree Building Game is the Way the Rat Race is Broken....❤

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Lovely comment 💚 great dream, we need them

[@gotalove1362]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig I mean it I hear them Fighting outside my Window over Scraps, they call me the Caretaker lol Forest Gump with a Good Idea lol Eddie Hall to make them a Game of Tig kis/teens then Adults 9 thousand rev's or i was not Happy when i was a lad they will love it, if we the People can ask the Elite to help us make a Foundation to Be Proud of and replace Hate with Respect 4 Humanity, i see you like Lucy when see looks at the Tree we will be a Trillion one Day 200 and Happy to get there is my Dream 4 Humanity 4 i am a SMITH in Time lol ye Right i'm Just a old man with a Big Heart....All Around the World....❤

[@cindyhollings2079]

I hope you washed your hands between touching the blighted tomato in the polytunnel and visiting your beautiful pointy Tom’s in the greenhouse ?. They look like a heart style, maybe Eastern European? We are just starting our crazy tomato season in Tasmania. 🎉 Best wishes and thankyou for the very informative videos

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

@@cindyhollings2079 nice to hear, and I did not wash my hands, and those tomatoes were fine right until we removed them a few days back! Good luck with your season

[@kerryl4031]

The blooming planes have been busy the past few days - it's felt cool - no surprise there! Seems clear today but hazy. Very humid. Very frustrating and I'm keeping my fingers crossed the aubergines and peppers ripen in time! Tomatoes in the greenhouse were late plantings of leftovers - they look fabulous, but the ones in the poly are very hit and miss! Flies in the compost were a pain too.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I wish you success, and depending where you are, it's not obvious because growth is slowing down so fast at the moment. I was just pruning some higher trusses of tomatoes where I had been too optimistic! The weak sunlight is not helping.

[@David-xh9cw]

I've the little brother of that Bosch, they're brilliant! Ran enough branches through it this year to set up my entire 110m2 potager lol. Great video btw!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

That is awesome!

[@stevendowden2579]

crops are looking great charles

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Cheers Steven

[@susanturner1171]

We switched this year to all raised metal beds and have had zero slug problem

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice to hear though a pricey option, I hope it continues for you

[@susanturner1171]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig yes expensive but at 77 with a really bad back not having to lean over has been a blessing.

[@rosemaryjane9455]

Thanks for mentioning the problems with Tamar Organics seeds. I have had poor germination with some of their seeds this year. Very disappointing as they were good the previous year.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sorry to hear that and it's frustrating indeed

[@prubroughton1864]

I had a short season and got late blight here form about April in New Zealand. I had outdoor tomatoes dying from lower plant up. Most of cherry tomatoes ripened well and I just ate fresh or froze them in bags. I pulled last plants at end of July so by leaving the plants I got another 3 months fruit 😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Great to hear thanks. I do need the space for planting winter salads.

[@cristiano7878]

In my little experience, blight is controlled by regular applications of zeolite (clinoptilolote) in order of 20 gr per liter once every 10/15 days. Last year, despite very dry summer, I've had lot of blight on tomatoes and other solanacee and cucurbitacee. This summer, with regular applications of zeolite, blight wasn't a problem. In center Italy, the real problem was the oddly hot temperature, that caused stop growing issues. Now the vegetable garden is thriving, but the weather is cooling so fast now. However it's always a pleasure seeing you in your beautiful homeacre. Thanks for sharing with us and for all your advices. Cristiano

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks for sharing this Cristiano. Your weather sounds challenging to say the least. I shall be in Italy near Bergamo on 12th October, giving a workshop at a beautiful no dig garden, please tell your friends if anybody might be interested www.charlesdowding.co.uk/product/workshop-in-bergamo-italy

[@marinamarcolini9114]

Ciao Cristiano mi fa piacere trovare un italiano che segue Charles😊 Nel mio orto no dig nel Veneto dove ha fatto caldissimo questa estate non ho avuto problemi perché ho seguito il consiglio di una signora campana che mi ha detto: l’orto va fatto sempre vicino all’ombra di qualche albero. Ho creato l’orto nodig dietro un melograno alto e frondoso e un paio di arbusti alti. È andato benissimo!

[@cristiano7878]

Eh, Charles è il mio mentore da anni ormai! Si anche io in parte ho fatto l'orto all'ombra di alcuni alberi e ho utilizzato i mais come protezione. Purtroppo non è bastato, perché ad agosto le piante erano completamente bloccate dal caldo. Tieni presente che ho l'impianto d'irrigazione, ma bisogna pensare a metodi alternativi per ombreggiare e rinfrescare. Stavo pensando ai teli anti uv e ad anticipare la messa a dimora

[@BumblebeeAdventure]

🐝thanks for the great video🌻

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

you are very welcome 🙂

[@AAHomeGardening]

i got loads of blights on my tomatoes as well

[@ForagersGarden]

I’ve always thought of beans as the fruits of the plant but I just realized when dry they are literally seeds (and I guess fruit as well)

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Just everything! 😊

[@kamilfrancoolczak]

After having 6 years of late blight on the tomatoes in my greenhouse, this year I did put a layer of wood chip as a mulch. Less watering, actually very much less. No blight. A little bit of wood lice. Cheers

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Less watering :)!

[@raysouth1952]

Last season we were forced to harvest unripe luffa because of impending frost. They ripened fully indoors and we got good seed and luffas!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Oooh good to hear Ray!

[@RawLondonGardener]

Top amazing tour! 👏🏼

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@thecsslife]

This has been the first year of no-dig, after growing for nearly 20 years. And I have never had such success in my life, despite the poor weather this year. So many tomatoes, cucumbers, cougettes, broadbeans, potatoes, onions, cabbages, lettuce, beetroots and leeks, like never before. Your wisdom has helped me out so much, thanks a lot!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Wonderful to hear, thanks

[@myslicechannel]

Great video. I also got blight on my tomatoes but I think now that I have 2 polytunnels, next year I'll grow tomatoes in one and cucumbers in the other. I do grow my beetroot multisown but they are always so small - completely unlike yours! Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Thanks for showing the good as well as the bad.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks. Try adding seaweed for beetroot, a maritime vegetable

[@myslicechannel]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you, I will get some and try that.

[@nitbad5291]

I suggest you to use neem and karanj oil for spray. And its organic. Love from India.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks for the tip!

[@lelandshanks3590]

I'm learning Spanish as well, I've got a new discovery Charles. In the fall cop off all of the Aspearagus ferns and you get a 2 week harvest . We accidently discovered this year's ago, try some of your row and see for yourself.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Amazing thanks. Only if a warm autumn

[@freckles2437]

Amazing tour, it's certainly been a very challenging year, I'm sorry about the blight in your polytunnel. Jo Devon 🙂

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@FloridaGrowing]

I'm sorry to see that you got an early frost❤ I'm in Florida and would love some cooler weather after such a hot and humid summer. I've done my fall planting

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Good luck!! Your fall planting is like here for summer!

[@dennisscribner9949]

good morning charles. from far northern calif.. we had a tiny bit of rain the past 2 days. has helped clean the air.. and cool us down a bit

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Hello Dennis, amazing and good! Hard to imagine here.

[@kylenmaple4668]

The rain gave all my outdoor tomatoes blight 😂😢

[@gosiamazur8790]

Dziękuję za napisy w języku polskim 👌😁😍

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Zapraszamy Gosia

[@kirstypollock6811]

Love the tour. I can sympathise with the broccoli issues, none of my brassicas did well, one lovely Romanesco, but cauliflower were small and broccoli only side shoots or nothing (my June sown). I have hopes of my red cabbage though which is just coming away now. I've had a Tomatopocalypse... In a good way. Planted way too many because it was one thing that slugs left alone this year. Despite losing 2 plants very early to blight, and harvesting 5kg of green tomatoes from their neighbours, I've kept on top of them and am reaping the benefits. Most had many leaders, interestingly, and were fine with just general thinning of anything too bushy or sad-looking. So if recommend people try that if they have room. I hard pruned in 2 rounds in late August and it's worked to get the ripening going nicely. All heirloom except 2, the hybrid not doing better or worse. My own home saved seeds germinated fastest, best and were the most healthy, including the saved seeds of a hybrid... But I'll clone that one, just in case! But the real shocker was the bit at the end where you say what you make selling your magnificent veg. £30k? For 110 hrs of work a week? I'll assume that's 2-3 people. Something is wrong in this world is that's all such fabulous healthy and abundant veg can make for you and your team. Oh well, it's not the only thing your garden produces, we get to enjoy your videos, books and courses. Keep up the good work.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Kirsty for sharing this. It sounds like the broccoli could be suffering a boron deficiency, someone else commented on that and I'm going to spread seaweed plus rockdust. Yes, I know what you mean about the lack of income! The garden runs at a loss, financially. But the gainss are magnificent in other ways. We get to eat amazingly, I have vegetables for my course days here, am running trials, and can do all this teaching. But there is no doubt that vegetables are significantly undervalued, and the baseline price is set on ones that are grown hydroponically and with big inputs of synthetic chemicals.

[@kirstypollock6811]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig thanks! I will try something to boost the boron a little bit. Probably cant hurt. And best of luck with all your ventures!

[@guylamullins3602]

Green tomatoes make a good salsa verde.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚 we are making chutney!

[@kirstypollock6811]

I had a USA Vs UK green tomato preservation day a while back. Green tomato relish Vs green tomato chutney. The USA stuff was edible right away, very nice. I must dig out the UK chutney and do a taste test.... It's been long enough now maybe.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sounds great, and a way for enjoying your tomatabundance!

[@livus3787]

The flowering asparagus patch looks so magical 🥺 everything really meanwhile, today I ate ALL of my No Dig red cabbage harvest, that 200 grs of 2 heads 😌😆

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks so much. At first, I thought you were being very greedy, but now on reflection, I see your point!

[@sarahtrew9331]

I got virtually no tomatoes before blight hit, definitely my worst growing year so far 😢 but I had one plant of primabella from real seeds and they have been fantastic! Every other tomato plant infected but these ones are going strong and they are delicious so highly recommend trying some next year 😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Great to hear Sarah

[@karltraunmuller7048]

Thanks for the update Charles. It has been a good year here, especially since I installed a drip irrigation system in my garden, which sent the plants ballistic. I'm already thinking about next season, it's just so much joy tending to a garden 👏🏻 A spray of baking powder (one pack dissolved in half a liter of water) can get tomato blight under control. I do this every year. I grow about 40 tomato plants each year, fyi.

[@JVSwailesBoudicca]

Cor, wish I'd known about the baking powder when I was growing toms.......!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Great to hear Karl, and thanks for sharing that

[@kirstypollock6811]

Yeah, the locals here in Germany recommend baking soda too!

[@PriestessKikyo1]

It would be great if you would put out calendars tailored to each different growing zone. I'd love to have one!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

@@PriestessKikyo1 if only that were economical

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

my tomatoes outside had a hammering, the ones in the greenhouse are fine thus far

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Same here, greenhouse has dry air thankfully

[@martinhorridge4794]

Having practicing no dig now for 3+ years I am now trying to save more of my own seed. Would really appreciate videos on this subject showing what you do. Thanks for the tour always very interesting

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Good to hear Martin, and see this video we made kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHmpmGmQetiAedk

[@lksf9820]

My beetroot Boldor bolted about a week or two ago now, I caught it and pulled them before they actually flowered and found them to be firm, but not woody. I grew some huge ones this year and again was worried they'd be woody, but weren't. Given it tastes better than the red i'm thinking of growing more of it and less, if not no red.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice to hear

[@christophermee5214]

I'm slowly covering my allotment up for the winter. Tried to maintain a winter crop last year but to no avail so cover up and wait till next season.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Good luck!, that's a solution

[@ForagersGarden]

You could always throw down some cover crop seed like daikon or turnip or oats to cover for winter as well if you have time

[@tobruz]

Odd thought, I saw a chair and it occurred to me I have never never seen Charles sitting…

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice, you saw that! Actually, I'm standing, even as I write this!

[@tobruz]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig please sit down you are exhausting me!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

😂

[@ilricettario]

Same here, Tomato plants typically don't recover from a late blight infection; tomatoes real waste of time, effort and money all gone to shit - same next year I suppose. My Gourd Luffa (Loofah) second sown a bit too late, early plants eaten by something.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Oh dear, sorry to hear. Even my big loofah is so slow to ripen

[@jean-pierregesquiere533]

Hello Charles, Superbe vidéo et quel magnifique potager avec les réussites et les échecs 😉 Idem pour mes tomates,elles ont fini par avoir le mildiou la semaine où les températures sont tombées et l'humidité était présente ( semaine du 11 au 18 septembre) J'étais parti à Alicante ( Espagne) pour le mariage de mon neveu qui habite justement à Londres,il y avait des Colombiens ( famille de la mariée) ,des Espagnols,des Anglais et bien sûr des Français ( notre famille) 😁 J'ai remarqué aussi que pour faire germer plus facilement les laitues,on devrait les recouvrir légèrement ou pas du tout comme tu le fais ,idem pour le basilic😉 Cette année,jaiis des courges sucrine du Berry,sur 2 plants j'en ai récolté 29 entre 900 grammes et 3,760 kilogrammes 😲 Bonne semaine 👍

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Une belle histoire de mariage multi-national! Oui c'était une semaine de l'humidité! Et ca, quelle recolte 😀

[@jean-pierregesquiere533]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank's Charles 😉

[@kateintheartery8281]

Thanks. Have you any tips for avoiding injury to earthworms please? For example, when digging out couch grass. Thanks

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Only to do as little digging out as possible! Like, I never remove such weeds before mulching at the start. Only the ones which survive first mulching, mostly in year one of many subsequent ones with no more regrowth to remove

[@kateintheartery8281]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thanks. Just taken over an allotment with no compost this year so dug some couch grass up to get some plants in before winter.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

See if you can find old leaves or any decomposing organic matter to cover the surface between plants

[@kateintheartery8281]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you 🙂

[@brightshadowdenmark]

shallow roots for raspberries ? i had them escaping out the bottom of an 80cm high barrel (cut down 220L)

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Wow!

[@smas3256]

Correction. Compost. Hubby building one up off the ground. CORRECTION compost feeding our trees NOT Tree roots feeding on our composts. Over coming challenges. Beets. Good to know they grow fine on top of no dig. Thank you again Charles

[@camicri4263]

How do you deal with leaf footed bug? It' s decimating my tomatoe! Thank you for the videos Charles! Blessings!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Luckily, in this cooler climate, we do not have many and I rarely see damage. I'm afraid I do not have tips for controlling them. I'm glad you like the video!

[@williamcosgrove9696]

Great video Charles, I’m very new to gardening so your channels very helpful, lately I’ve been grabbing as many reduced seeds as I can I’m in the north East of England, when should I be sowing my cucumbers and tomato seeds I’ll be propagating them on windowsills before transferring to my no heating Greenhouse

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Cheers William, I hope I've misunderstood what you're saying because I recommend to sow cucumbers in April, and tomatoes in early March. For transplanting usually in May, in an unheated greenhouse. Where you can grow lettuce and rocket over winter from sowing them now, good luck with that.

[@williamcosgrove9696]

That’s perfect Charles, I’m only doing cucumbers and tomatoes as I don’t have the room or confidence yet for other produce, thanks for the reply

[@Scott3387]

How bitter are radicchio suppose to be? I grew some last year that looked alright but the leaves were intensely bitter (flowered lettuce bitter), given if I stripped several layers off. Do some people just like that or did they not get big enough for the sweetness?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Yes, the outer leaves are indeed very bitter and the main joy in eating them is when you get a decent, tightly folded heart. That's why I grow 506TT, the only variety I know which reliably does that in a field / garden (not forced), from sowing between 8th June and 8th July, here. Before the middle of June for you probably and my video has more kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3rTmHaqZ5akrtE

[@ScouseJack]

those tomatoes look as erratic in size as mine do this year. I was worrying about aminopyralid contamination.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

They are many different varieties on show here. And definitely no weedkiller issue because the leaves have all been super healthy, with no inward curling of the newest ones.

[@lunalongshadow7510]

maybe those seeds didn't do too well because they were planted too close to the New Moon? very cool to see. Awesome hearing about the solstices/ equinoxes etc -i'd just love to see your birth chart. Love from New Zealand

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

That's a good point, but in fact, I had also sown some six days earlier, and they did not come up either! I was born 30th January 1959, not sure of time

[@shirleyn4677]

I’m glad you did germ test for onions ‘cause I’ve got poor germination on onion seeds I bought last year for this year. The other seeds I bought germinated fine. Those seeds are hybrids and I thought would germinate and grow stronger than non hybrids. Did same everything. The KZbinr who sells these seeds are currently sold out. So-o what to do? They produced better than the others so I have no idea what is with the poor germination.😢. Timely video. Thanks.😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Maybe see this page www.wholesale.molesseeds.co.uk/conventional-vegetables/d-p/onion/salad/onion-white-lisbon-von120

[@socloseagain4298]

Our biggest problem in the garden have been the darn slugs 😅We don't have chickens or geese or ducks that can help us get rid of them so it's really frustrating every time we try and plant and the weather is a little bit humid or it rains slugs come out and destroy young seedlings 😞Is there something we can do to stop them? 🤔I have noticed they mostly go for plants from the cabbage family, zucchinies, cucumbers things like that, but they will never go on nightshade plants like potatoes or tomatoes, very interesting.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Yes, that's exactly right, and this year's weather has made it very difficult for some of us. I don't keep slags because I don't want to be having to look after them when I'm not here, and they need careful shepherding to keep away from vegetables. Everything you can do to reduce habitat is my main suggestion.. I find that the healthy soil of no dig helps.

[@islakirk75]

When should it be safe to remove mesh from carrots? I understand the carrot fly disappears at some point later in the year?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Maybe it depends where you are because I've suffered them even in early November

[@garyhowes7467]

Garden looking healthy and full as always. Lovely Salvia 'Amistad' bigest one ive seen,must be the richness of your nodig soil. One thought that come to mind when you were talking about the grapes and the mildew. Have you tried removing some the foliage to allow air circulation and help ripening of the grapes? Quite often we remove growth 4 or 5 nodes above the set fruits. Helps with ripening this time of year.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Gary, and yes, that's a good point about the salvia! I had not thought of the de-leafing the vines and shall do that if I have time, good idea. Especially with rain coming this weekend, here at least.

[@johnrimmer7426]

Another great, inspiring video. I was wondering if you couls suggest a cabbage variety for spring/summer that is actuly nicely green. Most seem to be quite pale or even white.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks so much. That is true. Try Hispi, and harvest before too tight in the heart which is when they go whiter

[@gavindabishinda1460]

Are you sure that’s holy basil aka Tulsi ? I’ve never heard of the flavour being referred to as fruity. Its flavour is peppery and clove like.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I am sure it is, and that could be my flowery, descriptive way of describing flavour! I get what you're saying, but I find it also flavoursome in other ways.

[@gavindabishinda1460]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig It does resemble Vana Tulsi, which some people say has a slight sweet citrus taste. Nevertheless it’s a beautiful specimen you have there, it’s said that Tulsi will only grow for those with a pure heart!

[@jpennturner]

Frost has killed my courgette, squash, tomato ,bean and cucumbers already very short season this year in Derbyshire.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Oh dear, that is brief!

[@JVSwailesBoudicca]

Blimey, that must have been some frost, & SO early 😒

[@stoner8440]

Black/purple markings on bell peppers stems is it blight, leaves lovely and green? If anyone could answer to? This would be much grateful thanks 💚🌱💚

[@joshuahoyer1279]

It's actually just one of the steps in ripening, I've found. Not all my peppers do it, but when I leave them be, they start turning red not much later.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

So true!

[@smas3256]

Charles. me again. We'll find worms in the yard for new raised compost. We have frogs and so many of their babies. They love slugs, snails mosquitoes etc. We haven't seen slugs or snail. Summer we had a vine borer on green squash pup. Not enough pruning I'll bet.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Lovely to hear and that's encouraging. There are actually many frogs and toads here, I see them a lot. Mostly I would say it's a decent balance in this garden between what we caught pests and predators, just occasionally the weather makes it too easy for slugs to predominate!

[@GARDENER42]

I multisowed some White Lisbon spring onion seed three weeks ago. Packet was bought direct from the seed company this year. ZERO germination, yet everything else sown in the same compost on the same day has come through fine. I planted 10 Cobra F1 French bean plants in a 1.5m row in the polytunnel this year & have been harvesting at least 1kg every other day for about 6 weeks. I need to dig up & restrain my raspberries, as they're shooting a _long_ way from where they're supposed to. I had the same problem with Marathon this year, small, often distorted heads, which I've never seen before.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks so much, this is really helpful feedback, and it's a warning to everyone about the fast drop in germination of onion seeds generally, as they age. And that's fascinating about your Marathon, I would not have expected it from an F1. Dodgy seed!!

[@TheGrotusMaximus]

Garden looks great! How do you keep it from suffering from the late summer slump? I live in Georgia (USA), and July / August just turns my garden into an overgrown diseased mess!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you, and I'm sorry to hear that. I suspect it's from the extra heat you have there, compared to here where a warm summer day is 75°F! Here it's a maritime climate.

[@TheGrotusMaximus]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Yeah, it gets pretty brutal. By the way, I'd love to see a video of how you designed and built your compost sheds. I'd like to build one myself, and love how yours looks and works. Cheers!!

[@dianefields6056]

Would you not spread the blight around by handling the healthy plants after touching the sick ones?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

The spores are fragile in terms of needing very specific conditions, night temperatures above 10°C for 48 hours and relative humidity above 90% in that time. Here, thankfully, those conditions are not met very often, and they were not there when I was making this video. On the two succeeding nights, the temperature was 5.5°C then, 9.5°C and the air was dry for a change!

[@angelad.8944]

The weather this year is in my top 10 of crazy. One week 4C at night, the next week daytime high of 29C. It really does a number on the warm weather crops and fall weather crops. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the mustard varieties decide to bolt. I have shade cloth on them to try and deter that. Sorry to hear about the blight. Best just to salvage what you can and plant for the coming season. Like you said, the profits are better but it is still somewhat disappointing. That frost, wow, that was quite early. I suspect those 4C nights we had made it around to you. Now we have had no rain for two weeks and counting. Not sure if we will get any fall colours this year, which is a big deal in my area of Canada. 😅 I hope the autumn season goes much better for you all.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Angela, and may the colours be good!

[@Hicklety]

Would a perforated pipe (those used for drainage) work better as a vent in the middle of that compost heap?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I considered that, but don't believe it would work well, because the outside edge is against quite packed-down material which does not allow easy airflow. I'm finding that removal after finishing the heap sees good air change as steam rises with warm air from the middle

[@Marzena-b6z]

Charles, will you put tomato plants affected by bliht to your compost heap? I wonder if this disease will be neutralised by compost organismes? You are my compost guru Charles!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks so much, and yes, for sure all of that goes on the compost heap. Spores of late blight cannot survive in soil and compost, they die once the infected leaves or stems have decomposed. Even in a cool heap that takes less than two months.

[@Marzena-b6z]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you Charles. All clear now.

[@ezNotez]

Thanks, Charles! Just curious, any idea why there's a little bit of blight on the tomatoes in one of your greenhouses but not the other?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

It's better ventilated in the small tunnel, from being shorter

[@ezNotez]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Really appreciate all the knowledge you share! You've taught me how to garden with your no-dig method. Going to rewatch your videos in Spanish and learn a new language too =)

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Lovely to hear, thank you

[@sharonsmith1783]

Would a fan in the poly tunnel help, or spread the blight?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

It would help but not be worth the expense :)

[@SimonNoDigNeale]

I've got rust on my early leeks.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

You can tweak the rusty leaves off :)

[@franksinatra1070]

Wow Charles I can't believe you dropped to 33F with a frost already. Isn't that early for you? I've only gotten down to 43 so far in zone 7a which I thought was colder than your zone. Everything is looking good though except for that blight problem on your tomatoes. I have had very little of that here this year with the extreme dryness. It's been 6 weeks now with no beneficial rains. Ugh.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

That sounds a horrible lack of rain. There's always something going on with the weather! Yes, it is a month early for such temperatures here, but I find the zonal numbers a little confusing. I am zone 8 because of the mild winters we have, but at 51° North, it can still be pretty cold sometimes.

[@jacoblenson40]

Hi Charles, thanks for all the videos. I was curious what is your parent material, do you have clay and what is the thickness of compost above that. Thank you so much.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Jacob, and its clay below silt. The soil is heavy but not compacted, so water drains through. My previous gardens since 1982 were not so blessed, but growth was good

[@AzurielMist]

My purple sprouting tenderstem broccoli is having a real issue with caterpillars currently. I've been diligent with removing eggs and any I find on there, but they just keep popping up o.0 My plum tomatoes also got blight this year, not on all the fruit but a good 70% or so. First time I've ever had it.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

For Bacillus thuringiensis against caterpillars, put into Search "Box Hedge Caterpillar Killer". Sorry to hear that 😮

[@ForagersGarden]

Having pests in general will attract their predators, so it’s not a total loss if you are adding to the biodiversity and long term balance!

[@AzurielMist]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Appreciate the response, I will give that a go! :D

[@AzurielMist]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig This has worked an absolute treat, many thanks for the heads up on this as a 2nd year gardener, they're looking much healthier and the caterpillars have pretty much all gone :D

[@amandar7719]

Lovely informative tour. Thank you. Can’t wait for Part II. I recall you showed a little late blight on one or two tomato leaves in your polytunnel in last year’s September tour. Not as bad as this year though. I’ve been harvesting tomatoes as soon as they blush this year. Every two days. And quarantine each batch until I’m sure they aren’t infected with blight before they’re allowed onto the processing/ripening table in the kitchen. Reminds me of those isolation/bubble days when we all needed to stay 6ft apart and sing happy birthday! 😄 What type of carrots did you sow for winter storage this year?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Good memory! This was lack of ventilation mainly

[@MinecapGamers]

How many milliliters of compost does one cell of your small tray take?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

35 if pushed in firmly

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

With no dig... what's the best solution for docks, burdock and bind weed

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Docks and burdock, use a sharp spade at 45° to chop through the fat root about 4-6 inches 10 to 15 cm down. For bindweed, leave it all in place, mulch as I recommend and keep removing new shoots with a little of the new root if possible, for two years. I'm not joking and this is worth it for 100% elimination. It's what I do here

[@Trangjony]

Not that we want them ... but that's part of gardening.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

😮 so right, and so often!