Gardening Blog
Allotment Diary
Terry Walton
Meet Terry Walton, who shares his down-to-earth wisdom and wit with us every week on his allotment blog. The much-loved allotmenteer of BBC Radio 2's The Jeremy Vine Show explains why he feels growing your own food is so important - and why he loves allotmenteering. Read more
Latest allotment blog
March 9: spring has sprung Terry Walton welcomes back the frogs to his pond, while primroses point the way to his allotment. Read more
Terry Walton's allotment sagas archive
Reader comments
David , It is not advisable to trim the roots . If you replant into a bigger pot now whilst the tree is still dormant it will soon recover.
Posted by: terry walton | 25/02/2010 19:56:42
Could you tell me,would it do the plant any harm if i trimmed the roots on a ACER shrub ,that i have to replant due to the bad weather braking the pot, and is there any other bad points i have to look out for THANKING YOU D.RIMMER
Posted by: Mr DAVID RIMMER | 23/02/2010 19:20:39
Hi Colin, Iam afraid there is no simple answer other than a slow clearing up process. Knock the surface weeds off and if possible burn them. They make fine potash. Turn the ground over rough with a spade then go through it again with a fork shaking the roots out. For the first year I suggest you plant plenty of potatoes as these tall growing crops will help keep the emerging weeds in check and also have the advantage of when digging the potaoes of getting more root out.Also planting climbing beans whether they be runners or french will be above the weed coverage. It will take a year or two to get properly cleaned up but with a willing spirit you will soon have it in good shape.
Posted by: terry walton | 04/02/2010 21:02:37
I have just acquired a very overgrown allotment. It does not appear to have been as such for several years so is full of rubbish, long grass, weeds of every description and brambles. The rubbish is the easiest to deal with but how do you suggest I tackle the grass, weeds & brambles?
Posted by: Colin Hackett | 01/02/2010 15:52:55
That is a rare occurence indeed for parsnips to go to seed this early. They normally seed next spring after a cold winter then an onset of warmer weather.The only thing that could have caused this premature seeding is too many temperature changes confusing the plant into this false mode. I am more worried about canker after the roots have stood in so much water this summer.
Posted by: terry walton | 11/09/2009 18:46:59
I have a allotment in Winterbourne South Glos.I have noticed some of my parsnips and other gardeners parsnips have gone to seed; I have had my allotment for seves years and never had this before I sowed the seeds late March and I rotate my crops can you please help. Thank you
Posted by: John Jackson | 09/09/2009 10:05:58
Hi Philip, This is a problem on french beans when it is cool and too wet.These beans are hot weather plants and produce better specimens in a drier condition. Don't worry I have the same problem and there are still plenty of good beans on the plant. My leaves are also starting to go yellow a sure sign they are not happy.
Posted by: terry walton | 21/08/2009 14:18:47
Terry we have grown some terific Cobra claimbing french beans but a lot of the beans have a long brown scar and curl up. Could you say what causes this. This is not a problem we have had before. Best regards Phil Betts
Posted by: Philip Betts | 09/08/2009 17:19:23
Dave, There are some weeds you have to work hard at and mares tail is one of them. You just have to keep digging it out and you will eventually get rid of it. There is no easy solution I am afraid. It is like bindweed and couch.
Posted by: terry walton | 09/07/2009 17:44:10
you mentioned soluable lime on radio 2 last week 2nd of july . where can i purchase it tried all local garden centres ,around caerphilly to no evail.
Posted by: paul bowley | 09/07/2009 13:53:25
Terry, Our allotment is over run with 'mares tail' weeds. They have a single root that goes several feet deep. How can we get rid of them ? Preferably without using harmful weedkiller as we are trying to run an organic allotment.
Posted by: Dave Brown | 05/07/2009 13:40:06
Hello again Terry...on our allotment i have seen some of the old chaps building some kind of earth mound,with weedy turfs facing inwards, then they set it alight and it smoulders for ages! How are they building these things, i tried......and failed....please help with instructions and explanation, thanks so much. I tried a search on the internet but didn`t know what to call it.....many thanks, jane
Posted by: jane | 23/05/2009 17:20:51
The weed you describe is bindweed or to be posh convolus . It chokes everything and the roots spread like wildfire. The only answer is to fork it out. Remove every root. The one thing it is white as you described and is easy to find. Leave none as as little as centimetre will grow again.No quick solution but just vigilance.
Posted by: terry walton | 18/03/2009 18:01:38
Terry, thanks for all your tips. I wonder if you can help me with a potatoe problem? I grew potatoes last year and they were overwhelmed by a type of climbing weed. It has a network of thick white roots and above the surface it wound itself around the growing potatoes like a vine. It was impossible to control as I couldn't get access between all the rows of potatoes. When I dug the plot this winter I kept finding pockets of the roots in the ground. Do you know what it is and how do I get rid of it?
Posted by: Nigel Currie | 16/03/2009 10:16:19
to stop carrot fly & onion fly seta few short rows of carrots amongst the bed of onions as the onion fly & carrot fly will not go near each other.
Posted by: .doug | 13/03/2009 19:27:10
Hi Jane, It is not so much breed your own potatoes but save your own seed potatoes.I assume the part of the Big Dig you are referring to is the incident with the expensive Sarpo potatoes. When you are harvesting your potatoes collect the egg sized ones and check they are healthy and diseases free.Store as many as you need for next year's crop in a cool, dry, frost free place. Less to eat but next year's crop in the bag.
Posted by: terry walton | 12/03/2009 14:54:03
Hello Terry, on the big dig, you mentioned that you `breed` your own seed potatoes, being a thrifty allotmenteer I would love to save money and breed my own stock. How do you do this? kind regards Jane
Posted by: jane | 12/03/2009 08:49:03
Carol, There is no easy way of protecting from some forms of wild life. Rabbits will need fine fencing sunk into the ground to stop them burrowing under and at least three feet high to stop them jumping over. Erecting cages is another way.Squirrels are the worst because the climb in anywhere and dig holes and uproot the crops. Wildlife and gardening are a lethal combination.
Posted by: terry walton | 04/03/2009 15:54:41
Any suggestions on how to to protect our vegetable patch from small wildlife ie. rabbits eating all our crops
Posted by: Carol Lloyd | 28/02/2009 14:02:46
Hi Bob, Growing swede is all about timing. Prepare the ground but don't make it too rich in manure. Lime well. Sow swede seed in the soil at the end of May. They will be up in a few days. Thin them to about an inch apart, then as they grow further thin to four inches apart. Durin late June and July feed them well with a liquid feed , seaweed extract or one of the phostrogen, miracle grow brands. This makes plenty of green top. Stop feeding in August and let all this green top feed back into the swelling root. These should make some big roots for pulling from end September onwards. Pull every other to allow more room between them . Good luck this year.
Posted by: terry walton | 12/02/2009 09:23:31
Hi Terry, I live in Bedfordshire and have always have never been sucessful growing swede. Could you please give me some advice. Thanks Bob
Posted by: Bob Hayden | 11/02/2009 10:20:19
Hi George, The fact that your potatoes are sprouting so quickly probably is that they are in too warm a place and maybe not light enough. Put them somewhere fairly cool but frost free and make sure they are in the light.Yes you are several weeks away from planting them yet so slow those sprouts down. If they get too long they will still grow but it makes the task of planting them more difficult.
Posted by: terry walton | 03/02/2009 20:06:21
Hi Terry I have bought some seed potatoes recently and they have started to sprout already very quickly is there any way of slowing down the process or what can I do with them as we have still got snow and frost George powell
Posted by: george powell | 03/02/2009 14:50:11
i have read that the RHShas beenconducting outdoor trials of sweet potatoes but have not heard how successful they were do you have any info about this. they are expensive to buy and would like to try some myself. where do you get seed or do you just buy some from the greengrocer david turner
Posted by: david turner | 30/01/2009 20:12:18
I've grown carrots in pots for some years in pots on top of my water butts. I have six pots on the go. Carrot flies do not seem to be able to fly that high. Only very rarely do I have a mild attack.
Posted by: John Dee | 28/01/2009 10:42:01
My ratio for growing carrots in containers is 75% compost , 25% coarse horticultural sand. Mix it well and fill the top 18inches of the container with it. This gives good drainage and clean , long carrots. The container growing also reduces the risk of the dreaded carroy fly. Good luck this season.
Posted by: terry walton | 23/01/2009 09:49:58
i would like to grow carrots in acontainer.my wife heard a radio broadcast by terry saying a mixture of soil and sand is best.in what proportion p[lease
Posted by: mr j gibson | 20/01/2009 17:17:17
Hi Myrna, I know we are gardeners area thrifty lot but a little investment is needed from time to time. Don't grow your tomatoes in the same soil but change it. This can be used elsewhere in the garden or in pots growing other plants. Tomatoes are greedy feeders and will have taken a lot out of the soil but the worst problem maybe the diseases that might affect them . Go on invest in a good bag of compost and your reward will be those red, lucious , tasty fruits.
Posted by: terry walton | 20/01/2009 16:14:44
I grew tomatoes in pots on the patio last year, can I use the same soil this year if i just top them up with new soil
Posted by: Myrna | 18/01/2009 15:51:49
Hi James, apologies, but I thought I had replied. That's age for you! It is rather strange for caterpillars to attack the fruit and leaves of raspberry canes. When the canes have fruited you should cut them down to ground level and this year's fruit will come on the new growth. Hopefully this winter's cold weather will have killed off those caterpillars that have been plaguing you.
Posted by: Terry Walton | 16/01/2009 09:07:11
Hi Terry, I posted this comment a while ago but cannot find the answer - many apologies if I have missed your answer: I have some raspberry bushes in my garden that gave good fruit for over five years, but two years ago they were attacked by caterpillars and the fruit failed. I have bought to new bushes this year and planted them, but they have been similarly attacked. Should I let the stems stay in place over the winter or should I cut them back, both old and new? Many thanks James Posted by: James Sinclair | 05/09/2008 19:10:30
Posted by: James Sinclair | 15/01/2009 13:55:31
Hi Bob, I am sorry your brussel sprouts have not lived upto expectations and are very small. Are the plants very big or are just the sprouts on the stalk small ? Sprouts like rich soil but not recently manure. When growing I feed them every two weeks during July and August with a mixture of dried manure and blood / fish/ bone.Do not feed any later than August or there will be too much leafy growth for the autumn. To get good solid sprouts the ground needs to be very firm. I again mark out where my sprouts are going to be planted and I do not turn this over. I walk on it to firm it down before planting.Lime well. I hope this succeeds for you because you only get once chance per season with sprouts as they take so long to mature.Good luck for the future crop.
Posted by: Terry Walton | 22/12/2008 15:56:26
Hi Terry, Can you tell me why all my brussel sprouts are like mini cabbages on the stalk ? I have grown them for 30 years and never had a problem before. i won't say I rotate crops as well as I should, would this have an effect ? Thanks Bob
Posted by: Bob Wright | 19/12/2008 15:39:08
Richard, your cleared patch seems the right size to give you most of what you need to grow. It is no good using the 6x concentrated manure until just before planting. Youe efforts would be better spent adding plenty of compost and in the areas you are to grow greedy feeders like beans and peas a good helping of well rotted manure.It is always difficult to recommend what to grow as it is down to individual taste and you can grow anything that you like to eat. Outdoor tomatoes have been a diasaster in recent summers and I would advise you make a simple cover over them . A piece of polythene will do just to keep the rains off. Good luck with your new venture and I hope you have many hours of pleasure from it and plenty of good wholesome food.
Posted by: Terry Walton | 12/11/2008 15:56:51
Hi Raymond, Okra can only be grown under glass in this country. I have never grown them but they look like green chillies. Send some over the hillside and we will exchange successes.They have to be sown in greenhouse in March/April, transplanted into pots and grown on in greenhouse borders or growbags.
Posted by: Terry Walton | 12/11/2008 15:43:24
hi terry i have recieved some seeds from california which are okra. we are living in merthyr tydfil would u like to grow them for me or what is the best way how to grow them. thanks raymond jones
Posted by: raymond jones | 09/11/2008 19:59:49
I live in Bedfordshire. Having difficulty growing swede. Do I need special soil? Any advice?
Posted by: Bob | 09/11/2008 10:30:31
I have just removed some unwanted decking from a very small area of my garden (10ft square) and have cleared of all stones etc leaving a soil that has been under planks for some four years. I have dug in a bag of 6X conetrated manure but do not know what to do next. I want to grow something and am planning tomatoes against the fence. The soil is very sandy and drains extremeely well. What can I grow please. Having looked at the blog I would assume courgettes, cucumber, lettuce, rocket ec. Any recommendations?
Posted by: Richard Betts | 07/11/2008 14:47:13
Rhubarb "stew". This definitly works BUT the main ingredient is oxalic acid. This is very toxic so you need keep it away from animals and small children. Does anyone know the safe cleaning method? We have a good crop of spinach most years hope to grow sprouts next year with the help of some stew.
Posted by: Geoff & Beryl Fudger | 22/09/2008 14:38:47
The problem with blight is that the spores hang around. It is a good idea to steralise everything to kill off the spores. Make sure the diseased green materials are taken well away from the growing area. The tomatoes are ok as long as the blight as not got onto the fruit and they will ripen. It is more difficult to treat the soil and it is best to avoid planting tomatoes or potatoes in this affected soil for three to four years. Rotate your crops and the soil will recover.
Posted by: Terry Walton | 15/09/2008 08:47:17
Steve the major problem with carrots as you know is the dreaded carrot fly. This pest needs to be kept at bay with barriers. When I sow my seed I erect a two foot high barrier of fleece around them immediately after sowing. This prevents them flying at ground level and laying their eggs at the base of the carrot and then the maggots burrowing into the roots. This works for me.To grow 'super' carrots a fill a 45 gallon drum with old compost and growbag material and these grow long and straight and also evade the fly.
Posted by: terry walton | 11/09/2008 08:45:54
Just discovered your section in time. Just about to chuck the whole thing in. I've got blight!!!. I think it is in the soil. If I pick the tomatoes when they are green most of them ripen to a lovely clean red. Some go a sickly nasty brown. Can I treat the soil with something and should |I dip the tomato supports in Jeyes fluid or something. thank you
Posted by: Dorothy Organ | 10/09/2008 22:06:28
Hi Terry Im growing organic veg. please can you advise me on growing carrots succesfuly.[carrot fly free].I would like to grow a wide range of varieties, not just the carrot fly resistant types.
Posted by: Steve Thomas | 09/09/2008 18:58:52
Irene, so glad to hear from listeners and especially if they are still inspired to keep up the growing tradition. You say wether you have a balcony or not . If you have a balcony thee are endless vegetables you can grow in containers.You can even grow a few early potatoes. Salad crops are the simplest and can be sown several times during a season and will supply you with those tasty little treats. A few small carrots will not go amiss, If you only have windowsills to grow on then herbs such as basil and parsley can be grown in smallish pots. Also these days you can purchase the packets of mixed salad leaves which will give you some tasty bits to add to a sandwich.Hope this has helped to get you started.
Posted by: terry walton | 04/09/2008 09:11:14
Dear Terry, I am a regular listener to Jeremy's programme and I would like to know if there are any vegetables I could grow as I live in a maisonette and do not have any ground available. I am an OAP and would dearly love to grow some vegetables. Thanking you.
Posted by: Mrs. Irene Vass | 30/08/2008 12:26:35
Hi Julie, I am impressed that you have tomatoes grow outdoors this wet summer. Most outdoor tomatoes have fallen foul of blight . The problem with them not ripening is lack of sun. One way to assist the ripening is a high potash feed and if they are still healthy leave them on the plant. If they are just starting to turn colour bring them indoors and a useful way to ripen them is put them in a draw with a ripe banana.If all fails then use the green ones for chutney.
Posted by: Terry Walton | 27/08/2008 09:04:09
Hi Terry - I have 3 healthy tomato plants with lots of huge tomatoes in growbags outdoors but they are green and refuse to turn red - what can I do?
Posted by: Julie Fry | 26/08/2008 19:15:46
Hi Terry, Have you had any luck with the biological attack on slugs? was it called nematodes? where did you buy it? kind regards Lindy
Posted by: lindy gorman | 10/08/2008 15:26:36
Hi Colin, Re: rhubarb recipe, Terry posted the recipe on June 24, further down on this page. Here it is again: Rhubarb 'stew' is simple to make. Get an old dust bin with a lid and fill with water.As you harvest you rhubarb sticks cut off the leaves and put them in this bin of water. Stir them in well. Leave for about four weeks and lift lid and stir well. If the smell makes you eyes water it is brewed. Stir it well and fill a watering can with this neat mixture. Pour it over all members of your cabbage family. It coats the leaves and the butterflies will not go near them. After heavy rain reapply. Keep filling the bin with more leaves and keep topping it up with water as you use it up.Good luck using it , it works for me .
Posted by: Web Editor | 08/07/2008 09:24:14
Soy beans , that is an interesting challenge ! I have never grown them but have seen them grown. A local allotments in Cardiff where growing them and they purchased the seed from a store specialising in Indian foods. You also might find that some of the specialised seed companies might stock them . They certainly do not appear in the main stream catalogues. I do believe theylike the warmer climate , but give them a go and let us know how you fare.
Posted by: Terry Walton | 07/07/2008 16:49:57
This wet weather is the perfect conditions for slugs . I find there are no simple solutions to slug control. Barriers are only a deterent when dry and as soon as they are wet they trundle over the. Beer will only catch a few. The best method is to go out with a flashlight when dark and either pick them up and dispose of them or if you are not sqeamish stab them with a knife. I am going to try nematodes this week which is a biological way of controlling them . As to birds, there is no alternative but to net the crops that are risk or get a cat , with all the pitfalls that will bring.
Posted by: Terry Walton | 07/07/2008 16:34:19
please could I have the recipe for rhubarb mulch as a pest control
Posted by: colin edmonds | 05/07/2008 19:27:35
Hi Terry I've been looking for Soy beans to plant. Bought some from Sainsbury's to try, out of the frozen section, they look very much like a young broad bean, but have an inbetween bean and pea taste. Have searched high and low for some seeds, have you or anybody else got any ideas. I'm sure the packet said produce of Ireland
Posted by: debra Edha | 04/07/2008 19:03:41
Hi Terry, I caught your spot today on Radio 2, and congrats on 5 years. I have two problems where I am. The first is slug control for my Brassicas, especially finding a good organic way (beer does not seem to deter the blighters). Secondly, birds seem to like aside from fruit - Beetroot, and Brassicas, are there any deterrents other than netting everything? I would be grateful for any hints. Keep up the good work that you have done in promoting allotmenteering! Kind Regards Paul Oliver.
Posted by: Paul Oliver | 04/07/2008 18:50:16
I am afraid that this miserable weather is not aiding the growth of sweet corn. To give them a boost use one of the miracle Grow or Phostrogen brands. If like me you are organic use seaweed extract or in my case to vary the feed I use diluted sheep manure or best of all the 'worm pee' from my wormery. If you are not totally organic any of the liquid , high potash feeds on the market will do. We need some warm sunshine to make them 'shoot' up or it is going to be another poor crop like last summer.
Posted by: Terry Walton | 04/07/2008 18:35:50
Hi Terry listening today 4/7/08 you said to give the sweetcorn a liquid feed which feed would you recomend ? I have mulched my corn and keep them well watered they look very good but only two feet high. Many thanks Tony
Posted by: tony avis | 04/07/2008 15:28:46
King Edwards are maincrop potatoes and are probably not ready yet. It is best to grow earlies in barrels but do not despair . Try to push your hand into the compost in the dustbin and feel around to see if there are any good size tubers ready. It there are pick them off and the rest of the plant will continue cropping. If they are not ready , be patient and all good things come to those who wait. If the tops are healthy keep giving them a good liquid feed and the potatoes will swell givng you a good feed later in the saeson.Let me know how you get on.
Posted by: Terry Walton | 04/07/2008 15:26:02
Hello Terry, We are trying to grow King edward spuds in a dustbin. there are loads of green leaves and they look fantastic. I listened to you on Jeremy Vine today, and you said you pulled up one of yours, and you were lpleased wit the crop. Should we try ours? love listening to you Paddy
Posted by: Paddy7 | 04/07/2008 13:57:10
Rhubarb 'stew' is simple to make. Get an old dust bin with a lid and fill with water.As you harvest you rhubarb sticks cut off the leaves and put them in this bin of water. Stir them in well. Leave for about four weeks and lift lid and stir well. If the smell makes you eyes water it is brewed. Stir it well and fill a watering can with this neat mixture. Pour it over all members of your cabbage family. It coats the leaves and the butterflies will not go near them. After heavy rain reapply. Keep filling the bin with more leaves and keep topping it up with water as you use it up.Good luck using it , it works for me .
Posted by: Terry Walton | 24/06/2008 20:50:20
Terry, what is the recipe for your 'rhubarb stew', please? I loathe Cabbage Whites with a passion and would like some form of organic control to operate when I am not on the plot.
Posted by: John Cameron-Cornish | 20/06/2008 22:32:13
With cherry tomatoes there is not the same need to grow on the slope. This is more applicable to the larger types to keep them clear of the support canes. Cherries grow like grapes and as less difficult to grow . There is no need to take the side shoots out and I only do this to stop them get too overgrown . Keep them bush shape and these will crop almost up until next December. Still tie them into the canes but use the string righty around the plant to keep it compact. The hardest problem with the cherries is looking out for the ripe ones in the centre of the plant. I hope this helps.
Posted by: terry walton | 13/06/2008 17:37:43
hi terry..i am groing cherry tomatoes for the first time.. i heard you say that it is best to grow them on a slope.. how do i determin how to nip the centre bud and do i need to tie the plants to the sticks..hope you can help
Posted by: patrick | 09/06/2008 20:15:01
Have you tried Wiggly Wigglers at www.wigglywigglers.co.uk They are a very helpful company and may be able to ship to you. My wormery is one of the best additions I have had to my allotment and provides good compost as well as a good liquid feed.These worms should be very happy in the sunny climes of Spain. Good luck on you quest .
Posted by: terry walton | 02/06/2008 20:48:49
Thanks for replying (rhubarb stew), have had one go so far, and will keep on with it now. When's the rain due?
Posted by: Margaret Kynaston | 02/06/2008 14:29:19
I live in Spain and would like to obtain red compost worms. Do you know of any outlets, or would they survive the post from UK? I have approached by email several advertisers in UK but not had a reply.
Posted by: Pat West | 02/06/2008 06:59:11
The poly tunnels were bought from Lidls and were quite cheap. They are great because the holes allow passage of air around the crops and moisture in and out.
Posted by: terry walton | 29/05/2008 21:12:47
The rhubarb 'stew' works very well and no self respecting cabbage white butterfly will go near it. The only thing you have to do is apply it regularly especially after rain. Good luck if you try it !
Posted by: terry walton | 29/05/2008 21:10:45
On The Big Dig last year you were watering brassicas with rhubarb leaf water. Did it work against the white bufferflies?
Posted by: Margaret Kynaston | 27/05/2008 16:38:06
Terry I noticed on one of your programmes that you had small plastic polytunnels but the plastic had holes in it. I would like a couple of these for my allotment so I would be grateful if you could let me know where you purchased them from. Kind regards Susan Linton
Posted by: Susan Linton | 27/05/2008 13:20:59
