Spacing Plants Efficiently and Effectively with Charles Dowding

[@shimilangagardens]

Charles Dowding is the RZA of gardening.

[@daliacastello2608]

In the gulf coast region Texas I just planted my third and last round of potatoes before the big heated summer kicks in I’m putting in green onion and pulling up the onion every thing matured early because of the great rain showers and actually performed well now is time for the really heat tolerant stuff melons, okra, eggplant tomato and squash. Mr Dowding really teaches making the most of your space I doubled up on each onion wow iv doubled the onion harvest

[@johnman559]

Stop living somewhere glorious will you?🏖 Come and live in the UK like the rest of us😢

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

‼️ yup I am fortunate

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice to hear and I hope the summer goes well for you, it sounds quite a challenge but at least you do have the warmth for those vegetables

[@daliacastello2608]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Summer was brutal last year hoping for something better this year

[@SageMamoo]

Do you mean sweet potatoes? It's too hot here for Irish

[@RenaMasella]

VERY GOOD

[@D71219ONE]

I asked you about growing a lot in a small space in a short from last week, so I’m just going to imagine you made this video just for me! 😅 Great information!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

🙂 🤲 Perfect

[@NannaCarlstedt2]

Thank´s Charles!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

🙂

[@bambiileanachandler4656]

Charles, I grow corn in the midwest in the states. I grow them closer together about 8-10 inches apart. The same spacing between rows. I see big farms doing it so I tried it. They're such a heavy feeder if you want nice corn. I layer old manure thickly like 3-4 inches deep.. Lots of water. Fantastic corn.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks for this, nice tip and I shall try closer!

[@Kittykatkw2000]

My 2nd year no dig is doing much better than the last. We're also getting good rains and it hasn't been overly hot. I'm loving it! Thanks again for sharing all you do! :)

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

this is great to hear and thank you

[@juliamarple3785]

I never thought about timing before. Thanks.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

😀

[@robinlj5767]

Absolutely love your methods and common sense, soulful approach to growing beautiful food and flowers. Deepest thanks for all I’ve learned from you.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

So nice thanks!

[@Kehh71235gmail]

Hi Robin where are you from?😊

[@UrbanHomesteadMomma]

Yes! In NS, Canada with such a short season I need to pack it in as much as possible! I use a high intensity approach and really push the limits by planting lots in any spaces! By mid summer the garden looks like a jungle but such a productive jungle!! ❤

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sounds great!

[@anapaulacrawford5837]

Woo-hoo. Another great idea to do a productive jungle! Thank you Charles for this awesome tip . God bless.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

😀 coool!

[@stuartmccloud307]

Great Video Charles, thanks, every little nugget of information is like gold :)

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Ah that is great to hear Stuart

[@peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo7920]

Brilliant info, Charles ❤ I've been picking Giant Japanese Red Mustard Greens for the past 2 months.Cut and come again, of course! And I'm picking tomatoes 🍅 Happy Gardening, My Friend 💚 ❤Peggy❤

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Peggy. No heat here!

[@thatgirlthatgrows]

I had some spare lettuce seedlings and thought I’d chuck them in with the onions just because I didn’t want to throw them 😅 and they’re doing amazing, I couldn’t believe it! I’ll definitely be doing it again next year 👍

[@BlackDogDesigns]

Your gardens always amaze me, beautiful as ever!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

thank you for your kind words 🙂

[@skeletalbassman1028]

Great ideas. It’s hard not to crowd tomatoes, especially when you want many varieties.

[@dianeladico1769]

I put 30 tomato and pepper plants each in a 2x30 bed-tomatoes in the back, peppers in the front. Basil goes in between the peppers and sometimes marigolds if I'm feeling it. I have a 6'x32' T-trellis of cattle panels running down the middle. My only concession is I try to alternate cherry tomatoes with beefsteaks, all indeterminate. The growth habits are different and that helps. Sometimes I prune but I usually just take the lower leaves off. By September it's a jungle but I get plenty of fruit. I weave them through the cattle panel and when they hit the top I let them run. It's mostly heirlooms which I grow for taste and some don't have hybrid-style productivity but they all grow as much as they're destined to. I'm fortunate to have good sun and air circulation.

[@DValentine-lp3yr]

I always learn from listening to you, Mr Dowding, thank you very much for sharing your wisdom with us. I also feel better - calmer and happier - after listening to your videos.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚 great

[@kroscoe]

Great video, thanks Charles, steady away!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

🙂

[@hisroyalblueness]

Haha Charles, I don’t think you said what you meant. As you well know, as per the famous 3 sisters planting method employed for thousands of years across the American continent, the traditional companions for sweetcorn are climbing beans and squash. The symbiotic relationship is that the climbing beans add nitrogen to the soil and climb the sweetcorn, the squash vine runs in shade beneath the sweetcorn, keeping down weeds, and then gets immediately into it’s full stride after the sweetcorn is cropped and it’s already strongly established. Oh, and thanks again for all your excellent work. Following your channel has been an education to me and inspired me to seek as much knowledge as possible relating to no dig / no till, soil biology & the symbiotic relationships between plants and soil biology. You’ve opened up a world for me 👍

[@vicandvin]

I'm not sure the three sisters works in the UK. I've tried it without success and then watched numerous vids saying it's not a thing here.Probably the weather. I've had great success with sweetcorn and beans separately, I haven't had great squash success yet..but this maybe my year. hopefully!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I agree, same

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks, nice to hear, just need more heat!

[@paulineivaldi6053]

Agree about the heat. Last year the three sisters method worked a treat for me here in London! It also depends on the type of climbing beans sown-and their harvesting times. French /runners -no. Borlotti/ Toledo- yes

[@mikeross4]

I have also tried the three sisters method and it worked reasonably well but I found that climbing French bean do well but Runner beans do not.

[@doinacampean9132]

I'd plant garlic between the corn plants, and harvest green garlic. Use like you would green onion. I normally use green garlic with snacks, but there's also a delicious stew with leeks, green onions, green garlic and olives.

[@Kehh71235gmail]

Hi Diona where are you from?

[@Earthy-Artist]

Your style of gardening is a like a graceful beautiful dance, it's all in the timing and steps, everything working together in harmony.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Ah thanks 💚

[@pumpernikulus]

i love it, thank you. this is what i need: more propositions :) please!

[@hotpepper7782]

Hi Charles, we seemed to have had a false start to the rainy season , and the sun is hoooottttt. Yeah that hot and gardening is not so much fun right now . But by yourhelp and God grace.. I had been enjoying continous planting and interplanting hardly been to the market for the year ... thanks and keep up the good work....

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Oooh I hope the weather improves, I'm glad you are growing well

[@mattwilson9585]

I’ve been no dig for prob 6 or 7 years now and I love it Gods Amazing earth He has left us is a great precursor to the perfect earth after the tribulation….

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

That is nice Matt

[@pascalxus]

i love the twig trellis for the peas at the end of the bed.

[@spir5102]

Thank you for talking about your failures as well as successes. I also had trouble germinating carrots, but it gives me hope when a master grower like you also has failures. We keep trying!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Go you, commitment wins!

[@iaminterestedineverything]

If this helps, I now chit my carrot seeds indoors, sandwiched between damp kitchen roll, then promptly plant them into dibbed holes in the no dig bed after filling them with potting compost. Guaranteed success and at the planting density you prefer! Might not suit a market garden, but it suits an allotment.

[@truth3358]

Love your work I have 1 acre in Ireland which I’m now going to change slowly into growing veg all tips welcome Great video

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks, lovely to hear

[@lyndaturner6686]

I’ve chanced putting two spare tomato plants in a space in a raised onion bed , I’m amazed how fast they are growing, in fact this year because of shortages in the shops I’m growing a lot more , I’ve just planted leeks in a space next to some peas that are already in flower so fingers crossed they will be ok as I’ll just cut the peas off, also the leeks are on the sunny side of the peas not shaded. I couldn’t have done any of this without you Charles you are my gardening Guru.❤️

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sounds excellent Lynda

[@geofflowton4165]

i cant thank you enough charles im 62 n i made my first lot of compost and its working so well the knowlege i get from your videos are priceless yes i still get failures but since watching your videos my success is coming on leaps n bounds

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Go you Geoff, this warms my heart!

[@marcusprosniewski2288]

So much useful information in such a short video . Thanks you Charles.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

🙂

[@dawnteskey3259]

I took your advice about multi-sowing beets a few years ago, works beautifully. Thank you!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚

[@kristineflunes7024]

Thank you for another brilliant video Charles! I love watching you talk about plants, you are so animated and your passion is tremendously inspiring :D I've planted leafy kale, sown carrots, spring onions and herbs, and prepared to sow cucumber and corn today. Greetings from Norway!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Ah thanks Kristine. Nice to hear you are making the most of this special time!

[@Lynnessanovember]

Lovely, thank you!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you

[@sebasforest963]

I'm always amazed at how fast and healthy your seedlings grow!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

🙂

[@daliacastello2608]

It’s all in the compost I use his method and almost eliminates damping off

[@ShayBayBay585]

Thank you Charles!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

🙂

[@cliveburgess4128]

Funny, I heard the rain and for a split second, thought it was here, no such luck, no rain in ages!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

‼️ wish you some

[@anniecochrane3359]

Great reminders and hints as always. Your garden is looking so lush and full, an inspiration.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

thank you 🙂

[@jeshurunfarm]

Thank you Charles. Enjoyed your video again. Like the enthusiasm. Respect from Africa 🇿🇦

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

thank you, glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@jeshurunfarm]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig you are an inspiration.

[@tinkeringinthailand8147]

Here we go, the seasons I miss ;) Thanks Charles

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Haha spring! It's long this year!!!

[@carolinegathercole8473]

Having a lifelong back problem I cannot bend easily or without much discomfort, so decided to grow my veggies in raised beds surrounded by lawn, no more trampling around in mud which I cannot STAND sticky messy stuff. Thank you for content CHARLES ❤

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Caroline, nice to hear

[@beelerfamilyfarm]

Pickled chard is a splendid snack!

[@lelandshanks3590]

Yes indeed Charles those methods work. More people should try them.

[@carlgallagher6325]

My carrots have suffered from slugs and so have my marigold's. Interesting about the wood lice, never thought of it. Anyway, since I was feeling deflated I was happy to hear you're going through the same thing Charles 😃

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Best of luck! Yes it helps to share the problems!

[@a-vijfje7725]

Recipy against slugs: Pull 2 bulbs of garlic till the cloves are peeled. Smash them with a knife and put them in a liter of boiling water. Let it cook for 10 minutes. Pour it then through a strainer into a bowl. Or directly into a glass bottle. Now you have a garlic extract. For using it: put 1 liter of clean water into a flowersprayer and join 2 tablespoons of the garlic extract. Spray it around the plants that de slugs like to eat. I am also trying it for de top of my swede plants where other creatures come to eat. Good luck!

[@wildscotland9506]

Top video Charlrs, lots of great strategies.

[@5kittens]

Nice​ clip​

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you

[@conniehusband1365]

Inspiring as always Charles. Thankyou! My nodig garden still amazes me.....

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

🏆 nice to hear Connie

[@onceuponafarmnz]

Lots of cool ideas, thanks, I do a mash of things all growing together in my gardens but this has inspired me to plan things out a little more.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

So glad that it has inspired you 🙂

[@eadjh98]

Exciting times Charles! Thanks for sharing this video I’m now looking at my seed packets to see what to sow next! Hoping it will start to get warmer as here in Suffolk feels more like November! 👍👍

[@smas3256]

Should be in the 60's F but it's been hitting the 80's. I won't say more about that. 6B u.s.a.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

It looks quite cool until the end of May! But that still leaves a lot of time for growing, fingers crossed

[@doncooper298]

Thanks for the inspiring video Charles. Will Bonsall always plants Edamame interplanted with sweetcorn. Though his between row spacing is much larger than yours, within row about the same. He points out that both crops once mature need regular harvests.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Cheers Don good to hear

[@Lifegrowsonandon]

Thankyou! Tomatos and melons being planted out tomorrow

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I am glad you find it helpful

[@genoveva1269]

I love this

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you 🙂

[@Sky-Child]

Love seeing your setup. I am starting a new garden this year. Got a greenhouse to build and have covered my market garden area with weed fabric to kill off the grass and persitent weeds, nettles and mint. Going to dig it over once, layer with cardboard and then get planting!

[@saschathinius7082]

you don't need to dig it at all if you cover with cardboard and compost, just take out the perennial pests/weed, like cuch Gras, bindweed, dandelions as good as you can... pls don't harm/brutalize the soil with digging... my opinion

[@alandeacon1988]

Very Helpful, Charles, but I wish you'd have shown some of this two months ago, or whenever you were actually sowing the turnips and spinach in amongst the potatoes!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I post these things on IG and Twitter, FB. More inter sowing all the time as I'm suggesting.

[@alandeacon1988]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thanks for replying :) Fair enough... maybe I need to access more social media, though, at the moment, I'm actually trying to get away from all that! At least I'll know for next year, and guess I can get a bit more creative myself too...

[@Veganofcource044]

Iv been following you for ages and have read your books! God wish i could work for you. So inspiring sir.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

That is so nice, thanks!

[@stlmama7643]

Really great examples that can give us all ideas on how to best use our space. I’m trying something a little different the year, at least for me. Here in the Midwest US my peas are always pokey, and they take up a lot of real estate. I tried doing pea transplants last year to speed them along, but the ground is so cold in March and early April that they didn’t end up maturing any faster than direct sow. This year I planted my peas in the bed I was planning to also put tomatoes. The peas are currently flowering, and the tomatoes were just planted this week. The tomato supports are helping hold up the peas, which should have produced over the next few weeks and be ready to cut down before those tomatoes get too large. The nitrogen boost might also be good for the tomatoes? Will see how it works out. Last year I used some of your hints on multi-sowing onions where there was a little room here or there, and they were very happy.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Really good to see this, I think that's very enterprising and sounds promising 💚

[@MadAsBagOfMonkeys]

Yep, must shoehorn some strawberries into my greenhouse 😊

[@itsmewende]

You are such an inspiration, makes me wanta get in my garden after watching what you share. Have a wonderful weekend.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

thank you 🙂

[@ninemoonplanet]

I can only grow in containers, so density is essential. I still have plants to "pot up" but the flowers this year are taking priority, all are edible, plus deter pests, double win. Quite a few are perennials, meaning I don't have to plant them again unless they die. I finally understand succession planting for containers, it's different than beds, but still possible.

[@michaelfoort2592]

Well done, as usual. I'm more focussed on building soil than succession planting but I still manage. Winter Kohlrabi following sweet corn, that sort of thing. I'm very glad to have your videos to expand my way of thinking and planting. Thanks!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sounds good Michelle

[@renata-s5b]

Thank you so much. This was very useful. I will interplant some autumn crops in between my garlic. I should have thank you earlier since nearly all my garden knowledge I got from you. 😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad it was helpful and thank you for your kind words 🙂

[@stevewebster5729]

I grow gem squash between the sweetcorn and beans (borlotti or Faba from choice) that will climb the corn

[@divinelight144]

Thank you so much for sharing this! I was just thinking today how it would be best to plant my seeds as it is time and this gave me clarity on that 🙏🏼🌿🌸

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Perfect timing 🙂

[@cassieinthegarden8560]

This is sooooo helpful, thank you for sharing!! 😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚

[@louisamccabeart418]

thank you for this helpful video. You are a very neat and organized gardener/farmer. I think you should do a video, maybe fast-motion, of you and your helpers just tending to your beds. It would certainly be helpful to me and I suspect other viewers as well. thanks again. L

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice thought thanks

[@stevendowden2579]

great video most enjoyable

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

thank you

[@helenamadzia735]

Świetne rozwiązanie, przestrzeń wykorzystana do perfekcji. Bardzo mnie się podoba pełne zagospodarowanie miejsca przez cały rok, życzę obfitych plonów, pozdrawiam gorąco.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

thank you 🙂 and you also

[@morganvaughan9257]

Superb - looking so fantastic 🎉

[@pianoplants7884]

You always give us great ideas, Charles! I was looking at your wooden potting benches as inspiration for a small green-house in my NYC community garden. Pot on!! 🌱🪴✨

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚

[@annadorothygerard4010]

Thank you for these insights. On Monday I am going to sow some more seeds. I definitely need to rewatch and take notes of what I can put in when my potatoes finish..or my shelling peas. Planted marigolds in with my tomatoes. Going to sow more beetroot and chard. I direct sowed and that was spotty. I like the control of starting in modules. Just wish I had a small greenhouse space. But thankful for my ground space. Really, the garden is such a special place for me. My composted horse manure (old stuff from a neighbor) has many weed seeds that germinate. But it’s free and the hoe makes quick work when they are tiny.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sounds really good Anna

[@Nicki-s3f]

Amazing advise once again from The singer from Coldplay’s Big Brother

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

😂

[@ValeriaVincentSancisi]

Fantastic video! Showing the actual mechanics,timing and thought behind interplanting is brilliant. Thank you so much! I find succumbing to wanting to jam everything in without counting the weeks. to harvest.. I think it is because I haven't seen enough cycles to know really.. and then also our shift in seasons this year is dramatic.. You gave some interesting combos too I hadn't thought of.. I have yet to try garlic...

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Valeria

[@ValeriaVincentSancisi]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank You!!

[@Kehh71235gmail]

Hi Valeria where are you from?

[@glassbackdiy3949]

Good show, cheers Charles

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

thank you 🙂

[@rhysjaggar4677]

I've been doing a different kind of set of experiments to maximise use of space, mostly to do with testing what spacings can maximise yields of various vegetables. I plant radish and spring onion clumps out in 10cm*10cm grids and they do really well. This year, I've put 250 onion sets (5 varieties, including two red ones) at 12cm in the row and 10cm between the rows (so 3sqm total area) and so far, I lost two to birds pulling them out and one or two haven't fired, so I've got 245 odd onions growing really well. I also sow stations of parsnips 15cm apart within rows and 15cm between rows, so potential for 40 plants in about 1sqm. If you use 20cm * 20cm equilateral triangle grid, the parsnips are of course bigger.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Innovative as ever Rhys, thanks for sharing

[@craigmetcalfe1749]

Hey Charles! I look forward to each and every video but this one is teasing me into confessing a few truths I have learned in my own garden. The corn that you have, I planted last season and used the North American Indian trick of planting the three sisters. Perhaps that could work for you too! I am also glad you are growing Cumin. One of my favorite receipts (Ye olde English word for recipe according to the late Jennifer Pattison) is so simple and hearty and vegetarian. Bake a potato in it's jacket (skin) after pricking a few holes to let the steam escape. After an hour remove from the oven and let cool. Then cut in half and scoop the flesh out of the potato and mash together with some steamed or BBQ'd golden squash or yellow zucchini. Add some butter and cumin powder into the mix, then add back into the half shell of the potato. If I could eat anything fresh from my garden, I would be happy for the rest of my allotted time on this earth. Cheers!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sweet recipe thanks Craig. Yes many viewers are recommending three sisters and the difficulty with it here is our summers are considerably cooler than the continental ones in America where it comes from, and also compared to yours. So there's not time for everything to mature and for the beans to dry. I believe also it was for dry mate it's not sweetcorn.

[@tonyr7393]

For once my garlic has grown really strongly this year (the elephant garlic less so though for some reason), and there's no sign of any rust anywhere in the garden - i'm guessing this is down to the more favourable weather we're getting this year. Time now for me to go and interplant a few salad leaves. Thanks for the reminder.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

That is great Tony. I am just seeing some rust!

[@homegrownharvest211]

I literally just opened YT to find videos on exactly this topic as I have far too many plants! I was also tempted to plant my toms closer together than 60cm (I was thinking 50) so thank you so much! My leeks in modules are so puny compared to yours, I wish I had homeacres quality compost

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚!

[@jdschuncke]

i just wish i had enough seedlings to pack em in like you do!

[@rubygray7749]

That problem is easily remedied! Sow more seeds today, and tomorrow, and next week, and ...

[@DemokratieErwacht]

After watching many of your videos I now see a very big difference to German Garden KZbinr. It looks to me as if you never cover the soil/compost with a layer of mulch material. Here in Germany we put mulch like cutted grass on top of the soil to prevent it from drying out. Why are you not using mulch in top? I love your videos. It's so much inspiration.

[@kernfel]

In many ways, compost *is* a mulch. The top of it may dry out, but many compost types are coarse and spongy enough to easily withstand that.

[@rosemeiresoares4945]

Saudade Charles Dawding que deus o todp poderoso te abençoe sempre engrandecido seija deus muito lindo sua horta brasil te ama voce se parece com meu irmão Emerson paz mil bjs pra voce esua família

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

thank you for your kind words. I send good wishes to your family also.

[@JVSwailesBoudicca]

Great ideas here, thanks.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

🙂 🙂

[@mickaltham8202]

It's great to see what you have growing and to compare to what I have growing, I've got some carrots interplanted with garlic, parsnips in between some Broad Bean's and beetroot and planning on putting in some multi sown spring onions in between my lettuce, struggling to get courgette and cucumbers to germinate and just put in another bed for sweetcorn, I was hanging on a bit before planting out sweetcorn but there around 6-8" since I potted them on a few weeks ago, seeing yours out now think I will put mine out tomorrow and dwarf French beans just popping up that I might try between the corn, only trying them out this year 3x3 block, if there successful I'll grow more next year 😁👍

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sounds good Mick :)

[@denisebrady6858]

Hey Charles Great video once again- Our weather temps here in Brisbane Australia are just weird. I have had my Cabbage /Cauliflower/ Broccoli plus all other winter veges in for well over 6 weeks now & hardly any progress, we are nearly finished our Autumn & really cannot see any Brassicas this year at all. Very despondent with gardening here but I will keep on. Cheers Denise- Australia

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Oh Denise that sounds rally difficult, you mean it has been too cool for them?

[@denisebrady6858]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig No Charles far too Hot

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Oh my goodness, can't imagine that, hope it comes good in winter

[@dogadakicocuk3385]

You share great information Sir🎉 I would like to internalize your experiences in your garden and work with you for many years. Greetings from Türkiye.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚

[@Olatz-f4d]

Hey Charles, how does it work with the garlic when you have to stop watering it in the end of its Season but tomatoes want to be watered?

[@Lifegrowsonandon]

Garlic is plenty far away from tomatos

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

No worries because the garlic harvest is in early June! That's one reason why this combination is so successful. By the middle of June all we have there is the French marigolds

[@kunkun5632]

Apa kabar Bapak, lama saya tidak melihat video anda, saya harap anda dan keluarga anda selalu sehat dan tetap bersemangat berkebun..salam hangat dari saya..🙏

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Terima kasih, senang mendengarnya dan ya kami semua baik-baik saja, saya harap begitu

[@Ed19601]

I have crops pretty close together, in general i do a row of leaf veggies, next to a row of root crop. As i hardly have any weeds, i don't need much space between rows

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Cool Ed 🌱🥕

[@pathwithin8856]

Great advice. I’m sure you know that aphids are from a very low Brix level, like 2-3. Have you had Elaine test your soil yet? You know she’s happy to do it for you.😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I don't agree with that. It's more a seasonal thing where we have aphids at this time of year increasing their population, which needs to happen so that there is food for the predators such as ladybirds and of hoverflies when they arrive very soon. By June, there are few aphids but always we need a few pests, otherwise predators have nothing to eat

[@ninglight4433]

My sweet corns works well with beans, at least when the corn has advantage (The beans climb faster). The beans climb up the corn has more nitrogen. They don't need it necessarily, but they don't complain, since if corn grows, you can nearly see it growing

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice to see this

[@gerardkiff2026]

Glad to hear you had a failed carrot crop. Gives me hope when a master admits mistakes lol. Keep on planting !

[@susannedeubzer8114]

What are the plants at the edge of the sweetcorn bed? Pumpkins? I plan on putting my sweetcorn in the pumpkin and melon bed this year. What spacing would you use for the pumpkins in that case? And I have another question: Can you still eat spinach once it starts going to flower? I thought I heard something about the leaves getting inedible then. Is that true? I've learned so much from you already, Charles! 🧑‍🌾

[@rubyquinonez5966]

ami tambien me gustan los cebollines...en sopa y carne azada😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Buen punto, ¡y son fáciles de cultivar!

[@Ann-qf5vk]

I was going to try no dig in my back garden but my gardener friend built boxes. My cat loves the boxes. We get full sun in the front. I have to be brave and attempt no dig minus boxes in front garden. I should go for it.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

That's a great idea!

[@RetreatfarmFarmvilleVirginia]

It's getting very tricky here to get clean organic animal manures here in the States now because of widespread use of "Forever" chemicals that many farms are spraying on their fields to eliminate weeds and invasive grasses. Grazon being the worst chemical of all that takes over 10 years to break down. I'm in a battle now with hillside runoff from a uphill farm that was abandoned and has rotting barrels of chemicals, motor oils and anti-freeze that has forced me to dig drainage ditches to divert the rainwater contaminated runoff around my growing areas. But so far i'm seeing incredible growth from several dump truck loads of clean 10 year old composted cow manure. That should be everyone's very First question to a compost or any amendment provider..."Did you spray or treat this area or material with any chemicals?"

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sad to hear but well done for managing it

[@dustyflats3832]

I’m not sure about doubling onions and should have tried a few as I do have a lot and they took a lot of space at 4-6” apart enmassed. I am trying a few peppers together. Yes, more space is definitely what I need. I think we have a vole as the carrots were messed with under the burlap and we seen him late winter and thought he was cute-not anymore as he also ate spring bulbs. James Prigioni showed small tiny worm like insect in his soil eating the roots and wonder if you knew what they could be.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

It might be better for you not to lay burlap before winter. And those tiny worms, I'm not sure but I wonder if they are wireworm which is the maggot of click beetles

[@thecsslife]

Have you looked into hexagonal array planting? It's 91% space efficient vs 79% for square array planting - this is a 15% improvement on square arrays, which is quite an improvement. I notice you mostly use a square array so it might be worth a go as a market garden. With hexagonal planting, each plant is equidistant to 6 nearest neighbours. With square planting, 4 of it's nearest neighbours are closer than the other 4 nearest neighbours, which is less efficient.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks for this, a deep dive into spacing! I shall look it up

[@dilrubaakhter2608]

My garden soil became hard because of rain. Though we rack before now we need to do again.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

It definitely needs some organic matter on the surface for more protection

[@dilrubaakhter2608]

I will put compost after racking. Perhaps that will change.

[@ColibrisMusicLive]

tell me your opinion: potatoes in container early early spring, on top Bok Choy which is harvested just before potatoes emerge.all covered with fleece.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sounds promising :) and potato shoots will emerge while bok choi finishes 😀

[@annemcguire7792]

I'm always guilty of not giving my tomatoes enough room; hopefully I can exercise some restraint this year

[@bhalliwell2191]

You give the tomatoes a bit more room and they, not having to compete as hard with their fellow tomatoes, will give you more abundant harvests. Sounds like a more than fair exchange, no?

[@HighWealder]

Charles, you mentioned possible problems with a cabbage variety. I often seem to end up buying vegetable varieties promoted by the seed companies. Please would it be possible for you to make a video about vegetable varieties that you have found to be reliable.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

It's also problems with viability of seed. That could be a difficult video because it depends what characteristics you'd like, which parts you like to eat and what climates you have. I shall think about it. I give many details on this page of my site charlesdowding.co.uk/seeds-and-varieties/

[@HighWealder]

@CharlesDowding1nodig Many thanks Charles.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

🙂

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

I am in my second season of my no dig beg. i have done back to eden for years and years, i like that you can plant seeds in the soil. I have such an issue with bind weed and stinging nettles, thats honestly not as bad as it sounds i pick them about once a week and im hoping that next year ill have less and less.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Great and that's how it works :)