Links
Compost & Mulches
- Biodegradable mulch materials from Hy-Tex, for weed control
- www.carbontrap.org sell Miscanthus Bedding/Mulch, this is shredded grass, half way between straw and wood chips, white in colour
- Compost etc for beds, from Woodhort, based in Somerset
- Compost for propagating is expensive online, check B&Q, Wyevale, Aldi
- Corker is a family-run nursery in Kent and offer mushroom plus other composts and excellent service
- Mulch material to kill weeds, made of wool in N. England by chimneysheep
- Online turf sell mushroom compost £78 cubic metre, also bulk composts and soil
- Planet Natural‘s page on composting is helpful
- Viridor sell green waste compost
- www.wrorganics.co.uk (West Riding Organics), good compost for raising plants
Clothing
- Teemill Charles’ page of sweatshirts and T shirts with no dig designs, in organic cotton
Garden Equipment
- Bird netting from Gardening Naturally e.g. 2x20m £31 + shipping
- Containerwise who distribute module trays, my own design with 60 cells are durable and use less compost, and other trays in rigid polypropylene.. Also from The Refill Room. Buy my module trays in Europe from FantastkeFro or The Farm Dream
- Charles Dowding dibber, long handle, ash and finished with Danish Oil, from Garden Impoorts
- Copper trowels 100% homemade from Finn, who worked here
- www.ferrymanpolytunnels.co.uk for top quality tunnels of all sizes
- First Tunnels, my polytunnel is a commercial 18ft one, see their domestic range too
- Fleece and bulk supplies of thin fleece, mesh, other products
- Fleece 35gsm from Quickcrop
- Herkupast.com for commercial-size module trays
- www.implementations.co.uk sell high quality copper tools
- Insect mesh from Gardening Naturally but 1.8m not 2m wide
- plastic free Module trays made of rubber, 30 cells for just under £10.
- Quickcrop sell 4mm diameter, rigid 84 cell trays
- Reddifast Steel make steel hoops as in my photos and videos from UK, 4mm galvanised, high tensile wire
Seed & Plants
- Bingenheim Seeds of Germany offer a catalogue, organic + biodynamic seeds
- Culinaris from Germany offer unusual kales, blight resistant tomatoes et al
- Hopes Grove Nurseries in Kent sell native hedging plants and more
- www.organicplants.co.uk sell excellent quality plants in all seasons, and the correct season
- Peaceful Valley seed co. in the US has lots of tips for gardening organically
- Pennard Plants of Somerset sell cuttings of Taunton Deane kale plus other great plants
- www.realseeds.co.uk for seeds and info ion seed saving
- Royale Organic‘s tips on seed saving introduce the easier vegetables to try
- www.seedsofitaly.co.uk for seeds, especially endive & chicory
- www.walcotnursery.co.uk sell organic fruit trees
Associations & Learning
- Monthly gardening advice from Which? UK, includes my articles, special offer
- A look at the Grand Solar Minimum of 2020-2053, and this concerns us a lot
- You Tube channels for growing flowers, a nice selection by Dipto Ghosh of Flowers Across Melbourne
- Budcasts from Sarah Wilson at Roots and All, includes an interview with Charles
- www.secretseedsociety.com/2012/04/19/timeout-in-the-garden for childrens’ gardening ideas
- www.biodynamic.org.uk for biodynamic information
- Help with career change to gardening, and learning through Skills Day, contact WFGA
- Learn more about earthworms with the Earthworm Society of Britain
- www.ilovenature.org.uk for activities and learning in Cornwall, 12 acres
- www.lunarorganics.com for calendar of moon phases
- http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/blog/why-gardening-is-great-with-children/
- www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk for news, ideas and forum of commercial growers
- Learn more about earthworms with the Earthworm Society of Britain
Bees & Wildlife
- www.carymoor.org.uk for learning about, demos of habitats and different wildlife
- solitary bee observation nest boxes from Nurturing Nature
- Fragrant flower ideas, for attracting bees to your garden
- Arena Flowers site has great information on bees and beekeeping
Useful extras
- Bacillus thuringiensis from Agrinova Xentari – sold for Box trees, also kills brassica caterpillars. If this link is broken, type Agrinova Xentari caterpillar into the Amazon Search bar
- www.reminscotland.com sell rockdust
Research
- Frontiers in Environmental Science reports how soil biology (invertebrates etc) is damaged by pesticides
- How compost helps soil biology to conserve nutrients and reduce leaching, by Tom Willey
- Scientists at Rothamsted in 2020 are observing the benefits of more soil life, endorse no dig
- Minnesota University photos of weedkiller/herbicide damage to leaves, help identify any problem
- WRAP info on bioassays for pyralid herbicides in composts – check with field beans
- Tips on using Bacillus thuringiensis from Kentucky College of Agriculture
- Benefits to cancer and mental health sufferers of gardening
- Research comparing ‘traditional composting’ with bokashi fermentation, assumes traditional means repeat turning!!
- Garden without pesticides, advice from PAN UK
Events & Courses
- No till farming event in Herts Groundswell at the Cherry’s no till farm
- www.zoehawes.co.uk for herbal advice, inspiration and courses
- www.rootsandshoots.org.uk for horticultural training in SE London
Somerset Activities & Eateries
- www.millonthebrue.co.uk for children’s organic activities
- www.atthechapel.co.uk for excellent meals in Bruton and bread from their wood fired oven
Other
- www.cotna.co.uk for a great holiday, wwoofing, compost loos…
- www.greenbooks.co.uk for books, and a wide range of other books on environmental matters
- Something different, lovely pictures and mirrors from old wood in Germany
- View microscopic soil life in digital art! By Katelyn Weel, soil scientist in Norway
Hello Charles,
I just recently discovered your site, and especially your Youtube channel, thanks to an interview you did with Sean James Cameron. I’m working my way through your videos – thanks so much for the information you share!
I realise you’re in the UK, but I wondered if you might have any links to companies and the like in the USA?
Thanks again.
Hi Colin, nice to hear, and I have no links to any US companies.
Hi Charles, do you recommend any greenhouse suppliers by any chance?
I can’t actually, I have no experience of better or worse ones
Dear Charles,
In every video I saw your lovely watering can, I’m thinking I’d love to have that one too. Could you please share the name of the manufacturer and possibly the model? It has such a long nozzle and a fine spray, brilliant for seedlings.
Thank you for the inspirational content. Besides it being informative, it also has a high aesthetical value. Lovely to watch, you created a little gardener’s paradise.
Kind regards
Michael
Thanks Michael, and it’s a Sankey, 17 years old now.
Re: Quickcrop-
7-10 days deli info on website, but now 14 days before dispatch min at present?
Very slow with dispatch at present or communication?
Ordered 11th Feb Payment completed , order confirmed and order number provided- No reply to email or update still as of today.
Info to those who wishing for fleece or mesh to cope with cold snap that’s forecast!
Sorry to hear this and they are good people, but probably overwhelmed by demand, like everybody else in gardening especially vegetable gardening, good luck
Hi Charles I got some wire to make hoops. What is a good length for a 4 foot bed. I did a bit of pi times diameter divided by 2 😁and added a bit for sticking in ground and came up with 2.1 metres.
Safer to cut 2.3m in case more height needed
Hi Robert or Charles, just wondering if this is the kind of 4mm galvanised wire you refer to Charles, please? I wasn’t sure if this would give enough curvature? Presumably some types of 4mm wire will just flop not keep its curved form? https://www.amazon.co.uk/GYZD-Galvanised-Florist-Modelling-Fencing/dp/B08GHZ2TW3/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=galvanised+wire+4mm&qid=1614019181&sr=8-13
Thanks in advance
David,
Hard to be sure without feeling it but it looks correct to me, good luck.
The wire I use springs back to being straight once we pull it out of the ground, which makes it very easy to store as lengths of wire
Hi All.
Rain and more rain here on the Essex/Cambs border at moment
Re Update bacillus thuringiensis.
I ordered received the next day this below. Smaller quantity for many? I presume this ok Charles?
Agrinova Xentari® Raupenfrei Box Tree Caterpillar Treatment | Bacillus Thuringiensis | Biological Insecticide Spray Mix (25g) £18.35 next day (Prime) Helpful?
I would still like purchase in bulk as such 500g as previous tried from Italy. (Any pointers Charles?)
Richard, I be happy still to share if a option for you if we could buy in bulk and of help or anyone else that lives near?
Regards
Alan Essex
I am new to caterpillar control other than hours of hand removal, so hit the web to find out about Bacillus Thuringiensis. There appears to be two strains one using Kurstuki and one Aizawai – apparently only first is bee friendly. I only read two different sites regarding this but Charles do you have any further information regarding this please? I would hate to start killing off my visiting bees. Any information would be appreciated. Thank you
Hi Sarah and I do not know about the different strain, I’m a little confused myself but also I am suspicious I must say. I feel that Bt gets a lot of flak for such a harmless product, based on soil bacteria. Meanwhile so few people mainstream worry about pyralid, roundup et cetera
Hi Sarah, I can answer this as I actually did this research last year after talking to charles, there are actually 5 strains of BT just to confuse things but it all depends on what you want to kill.
This link will tell you everything you need to know about them all!
https://gardenerspath.com/how-to/organic/bacillus-thuringiensis/#:~:text=Another%20strain%20of%20Bt%2C%20Bacillus,of%20wax%20moths%20in%20honeycombs.
Happy gardening,
Sam.
Hi Charles
Am shortly to take the plunge and click the biodynamic link, as I’m just sitting down with your calendar and working out my plantings. I wondered if the dates on your calendar account for moon phases please, and if so is it purely waxing/waning, or do they also take into account the four-rhythm approach mentioned in your ‘Organic Gardening’ book please?
Many thanks
Nicola
Hi
I’ve just been looking into buying Bacillus thuringiensis and seen the link to the DiPel ‘brand’ of it. There is also Thuricide as a brand too. However, it looks like it is only sold in UK for agricultural professional pest control use (which Charles may qualify for) but hasn’t been registered for public use and there’s no current home & garden registration in UK. See example here.
https://www.dragonfli.co.uk/blogs/news/beware-illegal-pesticides-available-online
Thanks for this Dave. It seems a way that gardeners can be prevented from using ecological products (soil bacteria) and diverted to synthetic chemicals, or plastic covers.
Like how the photo at the top of that piece is not related to gardening!
Charles, I agree that the picture suggests that the company is likely to push you into buying chemical solutions to pest problems. However, if you look at the rest of the site it is selling biological controls for a variety of pests. I just wish there was something for onion white rot!
Hi Alan
Sorry, only just came back to the thread as was thinking about ordering for next year, but a bit worried about buying through EBay now if unlikely to receive it and hard work getting refunded! Have you tried again since?
Regards
Rich
I have just purchased this small amount (Link Below)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01FKO565Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Unable to find 500g as previous from Italy on ebay if of any help to all.
Appreciate a direction if possible for larger amount (Charles)
Hi Charles
Just looking into bacillus thuringiensis for next year as brassicas got mauled this year! Just wondered how often you spray? Seems crazy to buy 24g, when 500g is only 3 1/2 times the price (but at the same time £38 is quite a big outlay for my small plot!).
Thanks
Rich
Yes it’s a pity somebody does not sell say 100g.
I spray av. 6 times a year, every 16-20 days.
A guy on my open day reckons his still works, ten years after he bought it.
Many thanks! Perhaps I’ll see if anyone locally wants to go halves on the purchase!
Thanks again
Rich
Hi Charles/Richard.
I read this with interest Re Bacillus thuringiensis as I ordered some from Poland 500g and then I had a message they unable to send and presumed it was as we was supposedly leaving the EU end of March this year, which was only a week to go and presumed they could not guarantee delivery time, held in customs? I had to also wait over 4 and half weeks before received my refund via ebay/PayPal.
I would very appreciate a contact/number where I can purchase for next yeas as yes it works, but purchased a very small sachet to get me by this year and yes, my opinion buy a bulk pot as I been told lasts for ten years too.. I thought it was a gardeners allotment joker. Some more creditable info from you Charles re shelf life so Thank you.
Alan this is worrying, I become a conspiracy theorist when I hear of something simple and natural being so hard to buy. It helps us to feed ourselves 🙂 and wish I could help.
Hi Richard
I be happy for you to split half each if rather a large outlay for you if helps you.
Regards
Alan