Katrina and Clayton

MEADOW BUTTERCUP
Latin name: Ranunculus acris

WHERE TO PLANT:
Meadow Buttercups do well on many soil types but do particularly well on heavier soils. They prefer sunny sites but will cope with some shade. They are best sown by seed as a mixture of grasses and other wild flowers. With its nectar and pollen rich flowers attractive to bees & butterflies.

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
We have ours growing in several places throughout our grass and they have grown a lot taller throughout the food forest area where they don’t get mowed.

Do you have meadow buttercup growing?

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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CHERRY TREE
Latin name: Prunus avium

WHERE TO PLANT:
Cherry trees do best in a warm, sheltered frost-free spot in well-drained, slightly acid soil. Morello cherry varieties are generally smaller and will also tolerate some shade, so can be grown against a north-facing boundary.

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
We have ours growing in several places throughout our food forest. This one has fruit on it this year. They are all on dwarf stock so won’t grow so tall that it shades everything out. 2 are out in the food forest area, 1 was the original ones we planted in the cage and this one is in the ground in the raised bed path (these planters are bottomless so aren’t contained to just that space)

Do you have Cherry Trees?

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🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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THIS WEEK’S BLOG: Our next part of the Permaculture Principles. This month we are on Permaculture Principle No. 7 is “Design From Patterns To Details”

https://buildingafoodforestscotland.com/2024/07/22/permaculture-principle-no-7-is-design-from-patterns-to-details/

🌿We post a blog post every week, writing about the current topic we have going on in our garden. With lots more details of how, why, the benefits, how to, on planting and caring for with videos/reels.

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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GERMANDER SPEEDWELL
Latin name: Veronica chamaedrys

WHERE TO PLANT:
Although I don’t think this wildflower is ever planted on purpose by anyone it generally grows in grassy places like meadows, pastures, verges and lawns, as well as in woods, hedgerows and waste ground it is an excellent nectar source for solitary bees and can be grown in the garden.

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
We have ours growing throughout the grassed areas that are under the trees, it doesn’t seem to have come across into the lawn, but that is maybe because I keep those areas shorter and leave under the trees more wilder.

Do you have Germander Speedwell growing?

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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YOUR SUNDAY REMINDER

Whatever the week has brought you. Here’s looking forward to brighter one.

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." – Albert Einstein

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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OREGANO
Latin name: Origanum vulgare

WHERE TO PLANT:
Oregano looks great planted in a herb bed or herb container with other aromatic sun lovers, such as marjoram, sage and thyme. It also works well in gravel gardens, dry gardens, Mediterranean style plantings and pollinator friendly borders, as the flowers are a magnet for butterflies and bees

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
We have ours growing underneath our rosemary in the food forest area, in our herb wine barrel planter and up in our kitchen garden courtyard area. Really flowering well this year, I find they need a lot of water so the ones in small pots haven’t lasted and died off.

Do you grow oregano?

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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GUEST BLOG: ALL ABOUT ROSEMARY

🌿We have a GUEST BLOG SERIES at talking about different the herbs & fruits we grow in our garden. How to grow, sow, divide, prune, care for each, looking at sustainable & environmentally safe practices.

https://caledonianhorticulture.co.uk/rosemary-riches-cultivating-a-thriving-herb-garden/

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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HAPPY FRIDAY & HAPPY WEEKEND

Whatever the week has brought you. Here’s looking forward to brighter one.

IN THE GARDEN, TIME SLOWS DOWN AND WORRIES FADE AWAY
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Happy Friday!
Have a wonderful Weekend 🌿💚

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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SELFHEAL/HEAL ALL

WHERE TO PLANT:
Selfheal likes sun to partial shade, is a low-growing, perennial herb-part of the mint family, a wildflower native to the UK, where it’s found growing in grassland, meadows and lawns and provide a nectar source for bees and wasps.

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
We have this growing throughout all our lawns and some larger ones have made it’s way to the food forest. They are enjoyed by the bees and lovely to see the low growing pop of colour when you walk past.

📸Pictures showing both short ones in the lawn & larger/taller ones in the food forest.

Do you grow self heal?

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Love Katrina & Clayton

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WHAT’S GROWING THIS WEEK?

🌿Had a stroll around the garden early this morning, as we were away last week you can really see things moving on.

🌿FRUIT & BERRIES🌿
Strawberries wild and big ripening all over
Raspberries really starting to fill out
Apples filling out well

🌿VEG🌿
Sweetcorn starting to put on some height
Sunchoke getting so tall! 

🌿HERBS🌿
Oregano flowering
Crimson Clover growing from last Autumn

🌿FLOWERS🌿
Nasturtium colours coming out
Sweet Peas starting to flower too
Dwarf Sunflowers looking vibrant
Lupins in the pots are getting big
Lavender hedge has come out now

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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LUPINS SEED PODS

WHERE TO PLANT:
Plant lupins in full sun to partial shade, in moist but well-drained soil. Protect young plants from slugs and snails. These are usually perennials, so they die down in winter and re-sprout in spring

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
The lupins have already gone to seed, these big fury pods they produce after flowering. These will then start to dry out & turn colour and once they are crispy you can remove them for seeds for the following year. If you don’t once they get extra dry they’ll just burst open sending their seeds all over the area.

Do you collect your lupin seeds?

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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DWARF SUNFLOWERS

WHERE TO PLANT:
They prefer full sun, though they will tolerate light shade. The taller varieties need shelter from the wind and should be placed where they won't cast unwanted shade on other plants, but these don’t more than 60cm.

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
We add these to our squash raised beds, they are great at attracting bees to the bed to pollinate the squash and also help attract the slugs, they’ll eat these rather than the squash.

Do you grow Dwarf Sunflowers?

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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THIS WEEK’S BLOG: Summer Garden: Harvesting Our Berries

https://buildingafoodforestscotland.com/2024/07/15/summer-garden-harvesting-our-berries/

🌿We post a blog post every week, writing about the current topic we have going on in our garden. With lots more details of how, why, the benefits, how to, on planting and caring for with videos/reels.

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE OR SUNCHOKE

WHERE TO PLANT:
Jerusalem artichoke needs full sun, prefers loose, well drained soil but will grow almost anywhere. Add aged compost or sand to planting beds before planting; loose soil will make tuber harvesting easier.

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
As these spread and can take over areas quickly we added them to one of our large raised beds, it is at the back so they don’t shadow out the sun to the other plants as they grow really tall. They are great tubers and taste great added to a roast.

Do you grow Jerusalem artichoke?

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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ADOPT THE PACE

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Love Katrina & Clayton

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CRIMSON CLOVER

WHERE TO PLANT:
Clover will grow in light shade, but not very fast. You may want to double your seeding rates if planting in light shade. Clover will not fair well at all in dense shade and is not recommended

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
We use ours a cover crop in our raised beds over winter and spring, from the time the harvests come out to when they go back in. Some seem to have popped up throughout the summer too. We use it as a Nitrogen fixer cover crop.

Nitrogen fixation is carried out by symbiotic rhizobia bacteria. These bacteria colonise specialised structures called root nodules. The clover plant supplies carbohydrates to the rhizobia which are used to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that can be utilised by the plant.

Do you grow Crimson Clover?

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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GUEST BLOG: ALL ABOUT RASPBERRIES

🌿We have a GUEST BLOG SERIES at talking about different the herbs & fruits we grow in our garden. How to grow, sow, divide, prune, care for each, looking at sustainable & environmentally safe practices.

https://caledonianhorticulture.co.uk/growing-raspberries/

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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>>>>UPDATE

NASTURTIUM

WHERE TO PLANT:
Nasturtiums need to be grown in a position with full sun. They grow best in reasonably well-drained, poor soil. If the soil is too rich, too much foliage will be produced at the expense of flowers and may grow above the flowers hiding them from view.

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
Ours are in our raised beds among the fruit bushes to deter pests, we also threw some seeds around the food forest so they may grow too. We have several different colours, but this is the first to pop out this year.

Do you grow Nasturtiums, what colours do you have?

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🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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FIELD BEANS

WHERE TO PLANT:
Field Beans grown in full sun are particularly good on heavy soils and their deep roots are not only able to pe*****te & break up the soil but fix nitrogen too. Field beans can be sown from late October to mid December, and from mid February through until June, grown as Winter or Spring crop.

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
Ours were grown as a cover crop in our raised beds as an alternative to crimson clover last year, they look a really long time to get going and have only just got full sized beans on. As an alternative to broad beans, these are smaller and much less bitter tasting.

Do you grow field beans?

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🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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While the temptation to reach for chemical pesticides may be strong, Katina Gelderbloem uses natural methods in her garden to effectively protect her plants without harming the environment or beneficial insects.

Companion Planting is one method she uses to keep her garden thriving and pest-free.

“Companion planting involves strategically placing plants next to one another to enhance growth and deter pests. By choosing companion plants wisely, you can create a natural barrier against unwanted insects and other garden pests.

“For example, marigolds are renowned for their ability to repel nematodes, which can damage the roots of many garden vegetables. Planting marigolds alongside tomatoes, peppers, and other susceptible crops can help keep blackfly and greenfly at bay too.

“Similarly, herbs like basil, mint, and rosemary emit scents that repel insects such as aphids, mosquitoes, and cabbage moths. Placing these herbs amongst your vegetable beds or ornamental plants can help protect them from insect damage while adding beauty and flavour to your garden.

“Chives is our ‘go to’ for everything, whenever we plant something, chives goes next to it. The slugs and snails do not like the smell and it is toxic if they consume it due to the allicin it produces. Chives are so easy to grow from seed and divide to spread around, you can ensure an endless supply.

“Researching which plants complement each other and provide natural pest control is key to successful companion planting. By harnessing the power of nature's alliances, you can create a harmonious garden ecosystem that thrives without the need for chemical intervention.”

Do you use companion planting as a natural method of protecting your plants?

Find the rest of Katrina’s top tips inside the current issue of Scotland Grows magazine - out now!

Grab your copy here>>> https://www.subscribepage.com/sg_subscribe

JULY LOVE

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished
- Lao Tau

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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LUPINS/LUPINES FROM SEED

WHERE TO PLANT:
Plant lupins in full sun to partial shade, in moist but well-drained soil. Protect young plants from slugs and snails. These are usually perennials, so they die down in winter and re-sprout in spring

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
Ours are on the flower slope going down into the raised bed area. Every year we collect the seeds and grow more, these are this years depending on how big they get by end of Summer they’ll either be planted out or left in the pots until next Spring to go out. If they go out too soon/small they just get eaten by the slugs and won’t grow enough to establish. ALSO the Deers seem to love these when they get into our garden!!

Do you grow lupins?

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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THIS WEEK’S BLOG: Half Way through our Temperature Blanket for the year!

https://buildingafoodforestscotland.com/2024/07/06/temperature-blanket-2024-6-months-in/

🌿We post a blog post every week, writing about the current topic we have going on in our garden. With lots more details of how, why, the benefits, how to, on planting and caring for with videos/reels.

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

🌱Plant🌻Grow 🐝Feed

PEONIES

WHERE TO PLANT:
Peonies need full sun and a fertile soil, which has been improved by digging in garden compost. They will grow well in a range of soils, including clay, as long as it does not get waterlogged in winter and dry out in summer. They are fully hardy so don't need any winter protection.

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
Ours was here when we moved in, there are 2 I dug one up and moved it to a pot in a summer location, it hasn’t flowered. This one grew in location in a very half day sun location and produced the first flower I’ve seen in 5yrs.

Do you grow peonies?

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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WALKING IN NATURE

"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks." – John Muir

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Love Katrina & Clayton

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BLACKCURRANTS

WHERE TO PLANT:
Blackcurrants fruit best full sun, but will still do well in light shade. Avoid sites prone to cold winds or late frosts, which can damage the flowers and reduce the crop. They prefer well-drained but moisture-retentive soil, although they will cope in most other soil conditions.

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
We have ours in the food forest area and we added 2 new ones into the raised bed path which are thriving as well already this year. We hope year after year the harvest will double and we can propagate more to move around other areas of the garden.

Do you grow blackcurrants?

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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GUEST BLOG: ALL ABOUT CORIANDER

🌿We have a GUEST BLOG SERIES at talking about different herbs & fruits. How to grow, sow, divide, prune, care for each, looking at sustainable & environmentally safe practices.

https://buildingafoodforestscotland.com/all-about-series-with-caledonian-horticulture/

🌱Plant A Seed
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🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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NO MISTAKES

There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments
- Janet Kilburn Phillips

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🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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CLIMBIMG ROSES

WHERE TO PLANT:
Climbing roses need fertile soil, ideally improved with a mulch, in sun or light shade. Several are suitable for north-facing walls, pillars and fences. They appreciate generous watering in summer.

IN OUR GARDEN IN JULY:
These were here when we moved in, 1 we grew up over an archway by the house, but moved it as it got too dangerous with the spikes to walk through and this one which is at the front of the house that needs re-pinning, grow upwards rather than in a bush.

Do you grow climbing roses?

🌱Plant A Seed
🌻Grow A Flower
🐝Feed The Bees

Love Katrina & Clayton

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