Looking back and looking forward, lessons from 2023 and tips for the coming year. Be prepared in many ways because vegetables are not easy to grow.
But when you get these 10 basics right, everything flows more easily.

First, some pointers from what I relearnt last year
1 The power of pests such as slugs and caterpillars, and new ones like leaf miner. We don’t know what is coming for our plants this year, depends on weather a lot
2 The power of a small area well managed, even one bed. Homeacres is now 1550m² compared to the one bed inc path 11m² gave 103kg = 14.5T from the 1550m² = 77T/ha
Homeacres is x141 area of the no dig bed
3 The power of summer and speed of growth even in late summer. That applies to weeds too! It's important to be always a little ahead.

Being ahead means occasional winter gardening, even midwinter if mild - weeding, edging, mulching if not already - compost on clean soil, cardboard or plastic on weeds

10 ways to succeed more easily:
1 Soil method to increase success - no dig and this is one way to start    • No-Dig Gardening for Beginners: Step-...  
2 Weed control - stay ahead of upcoming weed growth, little and often, see video    • Soil with few weeds gives you more ti...  
3 Know and prepare for likely pests, eg root flies, leaf miners, caterpillars, slugs, rabbits
4 Know your climate and adapt to weather as it happens esp. excess or shortage of rain
5 Make a list of what you hope to eat, work out timings including summer sowing!
6 Buy seeds, read variety descriptions carefully, and buy seed potatoes, the easiest to grow!
7 Discover best timings for each vegetable, beware random “advice” eg caulis in Jan & plan ahead
8 Learn propagation, see my video    • Comparing different composts for prop...  
9 Buy fleece for warmth in spring 25-30gsm, and mesh against pests, see video    • Fleece to speed growth of new plantin...  
10 Learn harvest timings and methods for different vegetables

00:00 Introduction - three things I relearnt last year
00:39 First - pests, and how to manage them
00:59 Second - the potential for growing a lot of food in a small area (eg one of my trial beds)
02:14 Three - the power of summer, and the importance of being ahead
02:57 Winter gardening - what you can do
04:41 Tips for success - no dig for soil quality, and compost
05:12 Weeding
05:57 Pests
06:28 Understanding your climate
07:23 Deciding what to grow (no need for rotation!)
07:48 Choosing seeds, and how to store them
09:10 When to sow
10:24 Using covers to protect your plants
11:05 Harvesting skills, eg when to pick tomatoes

Filmed by Edward Dowding 27th December and edited by him, at Homeacres in Somerset UK.

More detailed info on compost, weeds, pests, seeds, propagation, harvesting and more in my Skills book: https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/prod... , and course of the same name: https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/cour...

Also my knowledge packs: https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/educ...

No dig book https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/prod...

2024 Calendar https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/prod...

Diary, is perennial https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/prod...

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