Sometimes I feel like a kid too. I'm 36 and telling my co-workers that when I grow up I'm going to be a farmer. Currently working in technology, haha. I've got good time to practice and learn while I save my pennies. Solid advice, I feel like that's where my garden theory is at too. Having had time to watch so much Permaculture stuff, No-Till Growers, and just everything I can grab onto and learn about. None of it will work perfectly with my small area so I've had to cherry pick the bits that work best for me. And it's working out lovely.
For me, gardening (esp growing to harvest)is the one time I'll consider a Frenchman's advice "It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life" Jean-Luc Picard 😂
Living on the scotish borders changes my gardening ideas and plants so much I have thrown away more ideas than I have adopted. Its a leaning curve. But this year Ive grown carrots, great big healthy ones for the first time. I used to grow them in cheshire but the ynever survived up here. I leant and developed a method. Job done.
I used to volunteer at a National Trust for Scotland funded garden and the head gardener at the time once told me that two experienced gardeners who have grown tomato for 40 years each at opposite ends of the country will argue to death on the correct way to grow a tomato and neither of them are objectively wrong but they will still argue all day about how to grow them correctly.
Take gardening information with a pinch of salt and most importantly, be bold and make the mistakes.
Interesting speech, Hugh. I, out of exhaustion coming from so little success despite so hard physical work, decided to stop to grow vegetables. Its just not working in my garden with all its trees and very poor soil which I tried for 4 years now to enrich. After watching your video I will overthink my decision. Thank you. Best whishes, WH
I had great luck starting seeds indoors due to my lovely south facing windows. Then I moved to quarters minus that light. Next effort with grow lights yielded poor results. Now i plan to winter sow in flats. Circumstances do change. Keeping an experimental attitude is key. The best advice I got was to put the compost heap close to where I’d use it. This kind of practical advice works for me as age 83 still working the land.
I`d say Be as Consistent in the Garden & with Your Journals as Huw . Every Year you can go back and watch Huw`s videos` for years before . over the Winter , Planning is write a new Adventure Great Video 5*s as Always GOD Blessing's
I'm a Jackson Pollock gardner. I throw a bunch of stuff at the wall and see what works. I do more of what's working and I stop doing what isn't working. I figured out that I'm really good at starting seedlings inside in late winter, but not great about getting outside in the summer heat. So I need plants that largely take care of themselves. I figured out last year that peppers are pretty bulletproof, shade out the weeds, and stay good on the plant for a few days. So this year I have over 30 pepper plants. This year I figured out the same thing about ground cherries, so next year I'll have 10+ of those. I also have volunteer cow peas all over the place that took over instead of weeds. Last night the Mrs made a Hoppin John soup with them that was superb. So next year we're going to have more beans. And I'm cutting my tomato plants down to 5 or fewer at this point, because I haven't kept one alive all season in 5 years.
Great video, thank you! Have only started growing veg in the last few years, and I follow a few gardeners, including yourself! I love all the advice, but at the end of the day, I have concluded that nature is the boss!! Some seasons, I get great yields, then, the next year, and to my mind, following what I previously did, I have little to no results! A lot depends on the weather, this summer was a joy in the allotment! But that is one variable we can't control, and I think when we acknowledge that, and accept that every year will be different, it's easier to take the fails with the successes. As you pointed out, no 2 gardens are the same, so it's best to continue to experiment with what works for every individual garden.
Yes, this is the best gardening advice! Been farming/gardening for nearly 70 years, but still learning "the best way" to grow things. Love mentoring young gardeners, and helping them learn what works best for them.
So much advice. What I use to decide on a piece of garden advice. Don't start anything until I've decided if I really like the look, does it work for me and my climate, how much time and upkeep,(especially looking at the future, yesterday I was 40, I blinked and now I'm 70) Also extra costs, etc. I have added plants that my extended family likes to eat. I've also planted things that quickly became invasive. Research is a great tool. You tube, websites and library book. So much fun to go to my local library in San Diego, CA and find Huws book in the New Book section. I love growing things and connecting to gardeners all over the world.
Very well said! I garden at home (perennial and annual flowers, mostly), and on a farm plot (veggies and herbs). Conditions are vastly different and require different approaches and problem solving. Local microclimates and the weather in the current season also have major impacts.
Great video! Totally agree. When I go to grow anything new. I watch many many videos and throw everyone's info together and pick out bits of everything to try what I want to grow.
it’s my first year gardening, and my strategy has been to try out multiple methods and take mental notes on what works better than others. keeping an actual journal is tedious, so instead i just compare the plants between each method daily by checking them out in succession and going “oh this one’s growing real well in partial shade, that one’s a little slow in the sunny part” and by the time the plants have matured i’ve cemented a preference to one method in my head by repeatedly complimenting its results over the others
You are so wise for your ages. I hope more yong people following you because you are unique and special. I love to watch your videos. Greetings from Bulgaria.
There is a farmer and Seed Keeper from the Mohawk community of Akwesasne called Rowen White who talks about practicing “reverent curiosity” which has guided me as I garden. I also like to think that the garden is gardening me too, which makes it more of a dialogue 🙂
I've been around farming and gardening for 70+ years and I'm STILL LEARNING from Mother Nature. I believe a good gardener is first an observer willing to be held in awe. Nothing humbles me more than a seed because I know that seed holds more intelligence then I'll acquire in ten life times. Enjoyed your thoughts! Cheers…
Experimentation is soooo important 🎉🎉 Also beware any YouTube gardener trying to sell things; products may not work in your climate/dirt, and may not even work for the YouTuber
I loved this! Gardeners as artists, cherry picking ideas and inspiration as it suits them. Wonderful idea. For me there’s a 3rd limiting factor which is time. I never have enough time to spend on my allotment. Looking forward to retirement for that reason!
I was greatly inspired by the potato onion video when the guy said that if you mollycoddle your plants you’ll get plants that need mollycoddling. I’ve been on a quest for a personal style that involves as little effort as possible, or at least directing my efforts where they’re absolutely needed. We have quite a bit of land and I’ve always had a dream to be self-sufficient. But, now that we’re here it’s a bit overwhelming (and neither of us is young anymore.) I’m discovering that sometimes it’s better to just leave things be… self seeding, spreading naturally and coming back year after year. And experimenting, paying closer attention to the varieties I’m growing so that they suit this way of doing things. The idea that my plants are adapting to me is exciting and has renewed my faith that I can do this. I’ve found this channel to be very affirming! 😊
Absolutely agree!!! I grew up in the old days where most people gardened. My family were awesome gardeners and I still grow seeds handed down through our generations. You knew what worked because you were surrounded by such gardens. But then I fell under the spell of another iconic gardener here in Aotearoa/NZ who I continue to respect greatly for her work in saving heritage fruit and vegetable plants. However she was an advocate of double dig and crop rotation, so I took it on until my back wouldnt cope with the digging any longer and the rotation slowed my garden down hugely. Now I generally do no dig – definitely not double dig and I focus on making rich compost rather than rotating my crops. And I watch and listen to other gardeners and adapt to my place when I see something that makes a lot of sense. Thanks Huw for talking about this really valuable practice!!!
"If you're a veteran gardener, so many people ask for advice…" I do that in shops. If there's an older person shopping next to me, I'll ask their opinion or advice about plants. 😂 It's sort of fishing for knowledge and a social experiment. lol
I totally agree with your point about every garden being different, and I have a great example. About five years back, I decided to grow a 3 Sisters garden: corn, beans, and squash. And it failed pretty hard. Well, I realized that part of the reason was that my soil was just dirt (years of degradation), and part of the reason was that I had built a mound. This method works great in Mississippi, where they get a pretty significant amount of rainfall and need to let water drain, but I'm growing in a mountain desert climate, where we easily go 3-4 months without rain during the growing season. So the next year I tried again, but this time I dug down, and used compost in the holes. And my yield was far better. I've been working on small variations to this method for several years now, figuring out which varieties of pole beans do best with which types of corn, and so on. Next year I'll experiment with planting at different times, as my squash struggled to take off this year, while my beans absolutely overgrew my corn. And of course, I'm building the soil each year. My goal is a fairly hands-off garden that will grow good staple crops with minimal inputs. I'm not there yet, but it's getting easier every year.
This is good advice! Each garden is unique. I would tell anyone to just try, don't meddle too much, don't make it over complicated. Look at what nature does and replicate it – nature doesn't 'weed', 'feed' etc the way we do!
41 Comments
Seriously the best advice I think I’ve ever heard. 👍 well articulated.
Sometimes I feel like a kid too. I'm 36 and telling my co-workers that when I grow up I'm going to be a farmer. Currently working in technology, haha. I've got good time to practice and learn while I save my pennies. Solid advice, I feel like that's where my garden theory is at too. Having had time to watch so much Permaculture stuff, No-Till Growers, and just everything I can grab onto and learn about. None of it will work perfectly with my small area so I've had to cherry pick the bits that work best for me. And it's working out lovely.
For me, gardening (esp growing to harvest)is the one time I'll consider a Frenchman's advice "It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life" Jean-Luc Picard 😂
You are right: it is a gardening advice, not a dogma……
My thoughts exactly! Shared.
Living on the scotish borders changes my gardening ideas and plants so much I have thrown away more ideas than I have adopted. Its a leaning curve. But this year Ive grown carrots, great big healthy ones for the first time. I used to grow them in cheshire but the ynever survived up here. I leant and developed a method. Job done.
I used to volunteer at a National Trust for Scotland funded garden and the head gardener at the time once told me that two experienced gardeners who have grown tomato for 40 years each at opposite ends of the country will argue to death on the correct way to grow a tomato and neither of them are objectively wrong but they will still argue all day about how to grow them correctly.
Take gardening information with a pinch of salt and most importantly, be bold and make the mistakes.
Interesting speech, Hugh. I, out of exhaustion coming from so little success despite so hard physical work, decided to stop to grow vegetables. Its just not working in my garden with all its trees and very poor soil which I tried for 4 years now to enrich. After watching your video I will overthink my decision. Thank you. Best whishes, WH
"Grow what you love to eat" is limited by climate in my case. I love tapioca, but live in Canada. 😢
I had great luck starting seeds indoors due to my lovely south facing windows. Then I moved to quarters minus that light. Next effort with grow lights yielded poor results. Now i plan to winter sow in flats. Circumstances do change. Keeping an experimental attitude is key. The best advice I got was to put the compost heap close to where I’d use it. This kind of practical advice works for me as age 83 still working the land.
I`d say Be as Consistent in the Garden & with Your Journals as Huw . Every Year you can go back and watch Huw`s videos` for years before . over the Winter , Planning is write a new Adventure Great Video 5*s as Always GOD Blessing's
I'm a Jackson Pollock gardner. I throw a bunch of stuff at the wall and see what works. I do more of what's working and I stop doing what isn't working.
I figured out that I'm really good at starting seedlings inside in late winter, but not great about getting outside in the summer heat. So I need plants that largely take care of themselves.
I figured out last year that peppers are pretty bulletproof, shade out the weeds, and stay good on the plant for a few days. So this year I have over 30 pepper plants.
This year I figured out the same thing about ground cherries, so next year I'll have 10+ of those.
I also have volunteer cow peas all over the place that took over instead of weeds. Last night the Mrs made a Hoppin John soup with them that was superb.
So next year we're going to have more beans.
And I'm cutting my tomato plants down to 5 or fewer at this point, because I haven't kept one alive all season in 5 years.
Great video, thank you! Have only started growing veg in the last few years, and I follow a few gardeners, including yourself! I love all the advice, but at the end of the day, I have concluded that nature is the boss!! Some seasons, I get great yields, then, the next year, and to my mind, following what I previously did, I have little to no results! A lot depends on the weather, this summer was a joy in the allotment! But that is one variable we can't control, and I think when we acknowledge that, and accept that every year will be different, it's easier to take the fails with the successes. As you pointed out, no 2 gardens are the same, so it's best to continue to experiment with what works for every individual garden.
Yes, this is the best gardening advice! Been farming/gardening for nearly 70 years, but still learning "the best way" to grow things. Love mentoring young gardeners, and helping them learn what works best for them.
So much advice. What I use to decide on a piece of garden advice. Don't start anything until I've decided if I really like the look, does it work for me and my climate, how much time and upkeep,(especially looking at the future, yesterday I was 40, I blinked and now I'm 70) Also extra costs, etc. I have added plants that my extended family likes to eat. I've also planted things that quickly became invasive. Research is a great tool. You tube, websites and library book. So much fun to go to my local library in San Diego, CA and find Huws book in the New Book section. I love growing things and connecting to gardeners all over the world.
Very well said! I garden at home (perennial and annual flowers, mostly), and on a farm plot (veggies and herbs). Conditions are vastly different and require different approaches and problem solving. Local microclimates and the weather in the current season also have major impacts.
Great video! Totally agree. When I go to grow anything new. I watch many many videos and throw everyone's info together and pick out bits of everything to try what I want to grow.
it’s my first year gardening, and my strategy has been to try out multiple methods and take mental notes on what works better than others. keeping an actual journal is tedious, so instead i just compare the plants between each method daily by checking them out in succession and going “oh this one’s growing real well in partial shade, that one’s a little slow in the sunny part” and by the time the plants have matured i’ve cemented a preference to one method in my head by repeatedly complimenting its results over the others
Huw, is it possible to grow, and harvest freshly, each week, broccoli and cauliflower?
You are so wise for your ages. I hope more yong people following you because you are unique and special. I love to watch your videos. Greetings from Bulgaria.
The best advice given on gardening
Good advice.🙂
There is a farmer and Seed Keeper from the Mohawk community of Akwesasne called Rowen White who talks about practicing “reverent curiosity” which has guided me as I garden. I also like to think that the garden is gardening me too, which makes it more of a dialogue 🙂
I've been around farming and gardening for 70+ years and I'm STILL LEARNING from Mother Nature. I believe a good gardener is first an observer willing to be held in awe. Nothing humbles me more than a seed because I know that seed holds more intelligence then I'll acquire in ten life times. Enjoyed your thoughts! Cheers…
Experimentation is soooo important 🎉🎉
Also beware any YouTube gardener trying to sell things; products may not work in your climate/dirt, and may not even work for the YouTuber
Brilliant information! Thanks you🙏
Lively advice, as usual❤
I loved this! Gardeners as artists, cherry picking ideas and inspiration as it suits them. Wonderful idea. For me there’s a 3rd limiting factor which is time. I never have enough time to spend on my allotment. Looking forward to retirement for that reason!
Brilliant! A life lesson to boot.
As long as you in joy guarding then it doesn’t matter if you get it wrong or right just in joy ❤
I was greatly inspired by the potato onion video when the guy said that if you mollycoddle your plants you’ll get plants that need mollycoddling. I’ve been on a quest for a personal style that involves as little effort as possible, or at least directing my efforts where they’re absolutely needed. We have quite a bit of land and I’ve always had a dream to be self-sufficient. But, now that we’re here it’s a bit overwhelming (and neither of us is young anymore.) I’m discovering that sometimes it’s better to just leave things be… self seeding, spreading naturally and coming back year after year. And experimenting, paying closer attention to the varieties I’m growing so that they suit this way of doing things. The idea that my plants are adapting to me is exciting and has renewed my faith that I can do this. I’ve found this channel to be very affirming! 😊
Thank you for your videos. You are an inspiration.
Absolutely agree!!! I grew up in the old days where most people gardened. My family were awesome gardeners and I still grow seeds handed down through our generations. You knew what worked because you were surrounded by such gardens. But then I fell under the spell of another iconic gardener here in Aotearoa/NZ who I continue to respect greatly for her work in saving heritage fruit and vegetable plants. However she was an advocate of double dig and crop rotation, so I took it on until my back wouldnt cope with the digging any longer and the rotation slowed my garden down hugely. Now I generally do no dig – definitely not double dig and I focus on making rich compost rather than rotating my crops. And I watch and listen to other gardeners and adapt to my place when I see something that makes a lot of sense. Thanks Huw for talking about this really valuable practice!!!
What you say about different styles is why I love Garden Tours, YouTube, even old gardening books.
Very wise ❤
"If you're a veteran gardener, so many people ask for advice…" I do that in shops. If there's an older person shopping next to me, I'll ask their opinion or advice about plants. 😂 It's sort of fishing for knowledge and a social experiment. lol
Thank you Hug for your thoughts and views!!
In my experience, success also depends on what will grow in each individual microclimate. That takes experimentation.
I totally agree with your point about every garden being different, and I have a great example.
About five years back, I decided to grow a 3 Sisters garden: corn, beans, and squash. And it failed pretty hard. Well, I realized that part of the reason was that my soil was just dirt (years of degradation), and part of the reason was that I had built a mound. This method works great in Mississippi, where they get a pretty significant amount of rainfall and need to let water drain, but I'm growing in a mountain desert climate, where we easily go 3-4 months without rain during the growing season.
So the next year I tried again, but this time I dug down, and used compost in the holes. And my yield was far better. I've been working on small variations to this method for several years now, figuring out which varieties of pole beans do best with which types of corn, and so on. Next year I'll experiment with planting at different times, as my squash struggled to take off this year, while my beans absolutely overgrew my corn. And of course, I'm building the soil each year.
My goal is a fairly hands-off garden that will grow good staple crops with minimal inputs. I'm not there yet, but it's getting easier every year.
I completely understand this. Thanks Huw.
This is good advice! Each garden is unique. I would tell anyone to just try, don't meddle too much, don't make it over complicated. Look at what nature does and replicate it – nature doesn't 'weed', 'feed' etc the way we do!