Vivi's Kitchen Garden

Oh dear! A three week absence from the garden is not ideal at this time of year. I feel a little overwhelmed and, frankly, despondent……so there’s only one thing for it…..get stuck in to the harvests and the work again and be grateful for what I have! Apologies for the low volume towards the end……it was so quiet in the garden I didn’t want to disturb the peace.

Eek! It’s a time of spending…..quite a lot! I’ve had to buy a new iron, which I’ll unbox in the video, and I’m starting to think about the work needed in the bathroom….starting with new taps. I have been saving hard for the last few years to cover both emergencies (the iron) and the improvement/remedial works for the flat………so off I go on a tap hunt.

It’s a long, chatty one today (it was raining……again!). A mixed bag of chat including sea swimming, the house move and changing plans, making chocolate, a book and…. a beautiful letter from my Sister. The writer of the book can be found via her Instagram page: ‘seasaltandsarah’.

I’m continuing with my indoor gardening session. Today it’s all about the plants. I’ll be discussing their cares and needs; watering, light, potting on etc and also some simple propagation techniques. Plus a word about the ability (or not?) of house plants to purify air.

I’ve been shopping at a garden centre….eek, I actually spent some money (£19/$24US)! Today I’m getting ready to do some indoor gardening and I chat about my lovely garden centre and some great services they offer and what I bought. I also talk about the benefits of using Perlite vs Vermiculite and which is best depending on the job you’re doing (both indoors and outside).

It has been five and a half weeks since I showed you around the garden: in that time I have been mostly absent (so the bindweed grew!) and our weather has changed from scorching sunny days to cooler, wet days. The wet has helped the plants settle in and get going but, goodness me, they could do with some warmth and sunshine now. Even so, I am pleased with where things are at and delighted that the garden is producing and pleases my eye. Oh, and the bush bean I mentioned is Beurre de Rocquencourt – it’s gorgeous!

It’s another soggy day so I’m taking time out for a chat…about myriad things including my recent new purchase and subsequent ‘disaster’ when ironing……books…….barn building (I love!) and trees……and a very, very early memory of a time in Dorset without my beloved trees.

Filmed July 19th. Hurray for the first bits of harvests coming in….despite the garden being planted up quite late. But first I try to gather up the slug collars and talk about how they work……and later, back in the shed before the rain comes, I chat about using and storing those courgettes which we miss and therefore grow massive and a bit tough. They definitely belong in the kitchen and not the compost bin!

Apologies: the first section with the tomatoes is a bit quiet….the rest is normal. Although we are forecast a load of rain to come I decide my pots need a good soaking……I talk about the blueberries watering requirements. And, on the subject of rain, thoughts are turning to the possibility of tomato blight so today I am giving them a bit of pre-emptive care. Coming back to the garden after an absence of nearly a month can be quite daunting (weeds! etc)….today I chat about how I prioritise the work when so much needs doing.

Filmed at the very beginning of July. Ahhh, summer! Well, the weather might not be playing ball but some of my favourite things about summer are happening anyway…..and they bring me enormous joy. Another chatty one with some memories of times in Greece thrown into the mix…….I’m making the most of summer while it lasts. Oh, and, life lessons from a glacier!