What is the Difference Between Perlite and Vermiculite?
Perlite and vermiculite are both lightweight, natural materials commonly used to improve soil aeration and drainage in gardening, but they have distinct properties and serve different purposes in plant care.
How to Make a Hybrid Tomato Stable?
Stabilizing a hybrid tomato involves growing successive generations from the original hybrid and selecting for the desired traits over time. With patience and careful selection, you can create a new, stable tomato variety that consistently produces plants with the traits you want.
Different Types of Hydroponics
Choosing the right hydroponic system depends on factors such as the types of plants you want to grow, your budget, available space, and maintenance capacity. Each system has its unique advantages and challenges, so understanding these can help you select the most suitable one for your needs. Hydroponics offers a sustainable and efficient way to grow plants, making it an increasingly popular choice for gardeners and commercial growers alike.
What is the Difference Between a Hoop House and a Greenhouse
Both hoop houses and greenhouses provide valuable benefits for gardeners and farmers, but they serve different purposes and come with distinct features. Hoop houses are ideal for those looking for a cost-effective, flexible solution to extend the growing season, while greenhouses are better suited for those seeking a permanent, controlled environment for year-round cultivation. Your choice between the two will depend on your specific needs, budget, and gardening goals.
No Dig
No-dig gardening is an effective and sustainable method that benefits both the gardener and the environment. By reducing soil disturbance and building rich, fertile soil through the addition of organic matter, this approach promotes healthy plant growth and minimizes labor. Whether you are a novice or experienced gardener, adopting no-dig principles can lead to a productive and enjoyable gardening experience.
Tomato Plants: What is the Difference Between Hybridisation and Genetic Modification?
Hybridisation and Genetic Modification are two different methods of altering plants, but they differ significantly in how they achieve these changes.
Beautiful Wiltshire UK Countryside
Wiltshire Countryside - traverse off the beaten track and find some of the most beautiful countryside. Like a lot of British countryside, Wiltshire has an abundance of beauty if you follow many of the designated footpaths.
Mini Hoop House Experimentation
Experimenting with mini hoop houses / cold frame; made from wooden battens, 15mm plastic water pipe and poly cover.
Mini-Hoop / Minihoop Houses / Mini Polytunnels
Mini hoop houses for supporting small plants as they first go outside in the early Spring when weather is still harsh at times.
More irrigation (IBC Tanks)
IBC tanks are a great way of storing larger amounts of water for the warmer and dryer months.
Compost mix with Vermiculite
This year we have been using a 50:50 mix of compost with Vermiculite, which seems to have been doing well for all the seeds.
Potato Chitting
Potato chitting; getting the potatoes ready for planting outdoors in the next 4-6 weeks.
THE HOOP HOUSE Creativity - Creative Ideas for Tomatoes and Tomato Growing - UK
Creativity with tomatoes encompasses a wide range of activities from innovative gardening methods to artistic culinary presentations and engaging community events. By exploring these creative approaches, you can enjoy the versatility and beauty of tomatoes while enhancing your gardening and culinary skills.
February 2024
February 2024 - some later stages of winter vegetable growing plus some early Spring planting and growing.
13 Football Pitches
BBC NEWS: A plan to cover an area greater than 13 football pitches in new polytunnels is a step too far, a council says.
January 2024 at The Hoop House, Wadswick - Corsham
January 2024 - growing plants over the Winter period where temperatures are lower especially at night.
THE HOOP HOUSE - Creativity - Sculpture, Knitting, Embroidery, Art, Painting, Drawing - Tomato designs
Embroidery tomatoes involve creating intricate designs featuring tomatoes and their associated elements using various stitching techniques. By preparing your materials, transferring your design, and employing the right stitches, you can create beautiful, tomato-themed embroidery projects that add a creative and personal touch to your home decor or gifts.
Late October 2023
Late October 2023 - getting organised with some small plants propagating.
Day One - Beginning October 2023
The poly tunnel / hoop house before we started. We had a lot of tidying and organising ahead of us. Overgrown and falling tomato plants everywhere.
THE HOOP HOUSE (UK BASED) - AUGUST 2023
A hoop house, also known as a poly tunnel, high tunnel, or hot house is a type of greenhouse structure that is typically made from flexible materials such as plastic, PVC, or metal hoops, and covered with a layer of polyethylene plastic or similar material. Hoop houses are used in agriculture and gardening to extend the growing season by protecting crops from adverse weather conditions, including frost, wind, and excessive rain. They provide a controlled environment that can enhance plant growth and yield, making them a valuable tool for farmers and gardeners alike.