"Report in the papers recently that gardeners are slimmer and healthier than non gardeners- so it's all worth it!"
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Jan Willetts
- nothamptonshire
- United Kingdom
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Jan Willetts's Groups
Jan Willetts's Discussions
Home made compost for acid loving plants.
Started this discussion. Last reply by Jan Willetts Jan 12. 4 Replies 0 Likes
Does anyone know how to make compost suitable for acid loving plants- I don,t want to use peat as its for an environmental group project. Recycled and handmade are their keywords! If possible I want…Continue
Tags: compost, blueberries, peat-free, plants, loving
Feeding the birds.
Started this discussion. Last reply by Stephen Shirley Feb 5, 2012. 5 Replies 0 Likes
I really worry about the birds when its this cold. I make sure they have several drinking stations round the garden and defrost and top them up every morning. I don't buy bird food anymore due to a…Continue
Parsnip Perfection?
Started this discussion. Last reply by Darren Blick Oct 15, 2011. 5 Replies 0 Likes
Well at least I got some to germinate this year and grew them to a reasonable size, but perfection is far from an apt description of the end result. Some had rotted in the ground, most were stumpy,…Continue
Tags: parsnips
Bitter cucumbers
Started this discussion. Last reply by Jade Hwang Aug 17, 2011. 10 Replies 0 Likes
I've grown some lovely cucumbers this year, both outside and in the greenhouse. But they are bitter-or at least the first two were, the third one seems ok. The variety is telegraph improved. Has…Continue
Gifts Received (17)
Red Ribbon
From Emma Cooper
Red Ribbon
From Caro
Red Ribbon
From Malagrowther
Red Ribbon
From kathy booth
Jan Willetts's Page
Latest Activity
Jan Willetts left a comment for Flighty"Thanks Flighty,
I am now the proud owner of an Apple Wizard which picks up all my windfalls from under my 5 apple trees, can,t wait for August when the apples usually start to drop."
Flighty left a comment for Jan Willetts"A belated happy birthday! I hope that you had a good day and got lots of gardening presents."
Jan Willetts replied to Colin Robinson's discussion seed potatoes"Just discovered that you can get Sarpo varieties from the Telegraph garden shop(garden shop.telegraph.co.uk/sarvaripotatoes) as well as Thompson and Morgan. 10 tubers of Mira, Axona and Kifli-£4.99 each pack or all 30 for £9.98."
Jan Willetts replied to Colin Robinson's discussion seed potatoes"Today I went to Potato day at Ryton Organic Gardens near Coventry. It was great to get a chance to learn about different potato varieties and there were about a hundred on sale. I went to a lecture about the Sarpo varieties developed in Hungary to…"
Jan Willetts replied to Laila Noort's discussion Creating a hedge"Hornbeam is well behaved and retains it leaves until Spring, can be clipped into shape to keep tidy. Not edible though. Blackthorn good for sloes, but quite prickly. hawthorn is great for blossom and wildlife. A friend has beech which keeps its…"
Jan Willetts replied to Laila Noort's discussion Polytunnel"Mine was a small one and I would have liked more headroom as well as storage space, so I would go as large as you can."
Jan Willetts replied to Colin Robinson's discussion horse meat!!"That's why I like to grow as much as possible too-you know what,s gone into your food that way, plus the effort of growing it is healthy exercise too."
Jan Willetts replied to Laila Noort's discussion Polytunnel"I have had to give up on my poly tunnel this year. It was only a small one but the wind ripped it up twice, in spite of attaching the frame to wooden stakes with cable ties then weighing the bottom down with wood and bricks. I am in the Midlands,…"
Jan Willetts commented on elaine rickett's blog post The Best Laid Plans have gone Awry"Thanks Elaine, I enjoy your blog, you always have a solution to most of my gardening problems!"
Jan Willetts commented on elaine rickett's blog post The Best Laid Plans have gone Awry"Had a busy year last year with a new grandchild and looking after an elderly parent-and their gardens! I trained as a master composter with the local council and Ryton Organic, did some demos and articles on composting-would recommend the scheme if…"
Jan Willetts commented on elaine rickett's blog post The Best Laid Plans have gone Awry"I have leeks , kale , chard and a few parsnips- but all frozen solid and covered in snow at the moment!"
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- http://jan.willetts@btinternet.com
Jan Willetts's Photos
Jan Willetts's Blog
Another Souper Saturday.
Posted on November 15, 2010 at 20:09 1 Comment 0 Likes
Saturday's soup called for the sacrifice of two of my small butternut squash to make spicy butternut squash soup from Louisa's recipe over at The Really Good Life. Using my own onions and chilli made it very special too. The butternut squash produced useable sized fruit this year. Last year they went in too late. Sizewise, most weigh about 1.5lbs, with one huge 6lb specimen. Will have to pinch out side shoots more religiously next time. Pulled up most of the big beetroot from the plot and… Continue
Cob walling and rocket stoves.
Posted on November 8, 2010 at 14:16 2 Comments 0 Likes
Saturday was bright and sunny-perfect for a spot of cob-walling with my local environmental group. A derelict garden between some garages has been rescued from total decay and is an environmental garden, with rescued grape vines, apple trees and a wildlife pond as well as examples of permaculture/forest edge planting. There's a composting loo and a roundhouse built from salvaged items. This year we are building some permanent walls from cob and wood, also some straw bales planned for the colder… Continue
A proper bonfire!
Posted on November 5, 2010 at 23:39 1 Comment 0 Likes
At last an excuse for a proper bonfire! As the village bonfire party kicked off at six tonight I reckon it will burn all night due to the two silver birch trees we had felled. In spite of keeping the trunks for logs, there was loads of stuff left to donate to the village pile and plenty left for our own effort. The wood ash will go on the new strawberry patch, and the bonfire site(now minus weeds) will be covered with old carpet until we can afford to do our next project( a mid garden seating… Continue
RHS 3 Results are in !
Posted on October 30, 2010 at 22:50 9 Comments 0 Likes
Can hardly believe I passed the practical exam! 64.50% overall for the three papers. I just squeaked over the line on my plot work with 50.43% (50% needed on each section and 55% minimum overall to pass). Reckon that final rake over to remove my footprints must have been worth it! I was completely unable to do the third lot of digging and seed sowing as my back was really hurting so I lost out on thirty points completely. At least I won't have to do it again. The potting shed was an ok… Continue
Comment Wall (58 comments)
- At 23:20 on August 31, 2010,
Rozzie said… - Thanks for the welcome! I currently have 3 varieties of chilli growing indoors at the moment :) Certainly looking forward to a winter harvest to put in lots of cosy curries to keep us warm :p
- At 16:59 on September 25, 2010,
Craig McKnight said… - Thanks for the comment Jan, and also for the kind words about my blog! It started off as a way of me recording the progress on my allotment, but it has mushroomed from there.
The ginger beer is brewing at the moment, and should technically be left for another week to brew, but I think I might open up one of the smaller bottles to check how it is getting on .... purely for research purposes of course :)
- At 22:04 on October 23, 2010,
Una Bee said… - You're welcome, it's my favourite blog ever! :) Thanks for the gift. :)
- At 19:51 on October 24, 2010, Flighty said…
- Hello Jan many thanks for leaving a comment on my Flighty's plot blog today. xx
- At 8:38 on November 2, 2010,
Grahame Long said… - I have sown some chantenay
- At 18:12 on November 2, 2010, Grahame Long said…
- So what have u been growing this year then
- At 11:17pm on November 03, 2010, Carrie Gault gave Jan Willetts a gift…
- At 23:19 on November 3, 2010, Carrie Gault said…
- you sent me a ribbon ages ago when we didn't have internet access - here is a nice one in return, with my thanks ;) It's a month early for AIDS day but never the wreong time to raise awareness, eh? x
- At 12:28pm on November 15, 2010, Louisa @ The Really Good Life gave Jan Willetts a gift…
Hi Jan, thanks for the kind words & I'm glad you like the soup! The Black Rocks will be slightly darker than normal brown eggs and the buff should lay white eggs, which will be exciting! -louisa :)
- At 12:58 on December 31, 2010,
Sarah Rideout said… Hi Jan
Just to wish you a very happy new year, hope you were able to extract the christmas lunch from the ground!
Talking of extraction, have you seen the outrageous peat discussion?!
Best wishes, Sarah
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