67 Comments
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Lori Seaborg's avatar

I really appreciate how often you think of the cost of things, and how to do gardening for less, both in your videos and in your books. Thank you for that, it has helped me often.

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Huw Richards's avatar

I love to hear feedback like this, thank you so much!

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Gill's avatar

Loving the diary being back, Huw. Great platform for it

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Huw Richards's avatar

Thank you, Gill!

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Jane Jerard's avatar

Loved this video! I’m at the research phase for the perennial fruits that I’m going to put into my front garden. I used to love rosehip syrup when I was a kid and now I know which one to go for! Thanks guys :)

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Huw Richards's avatar

Ahh so glad to hear it thank you Jane! Hope all the perennial fruits grow well for you!

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Kristina Love's avatar

Lovely video, and really nice to see the series return. I'm happy that I was able to watch it even though I'm currently an unpaid subscriber. Maybe it has been covered elsewhere, but I'm curious how this garden is run? How many people work on it? It seems like a decent-sized farm that would need considerable staff.

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Huw Richards's avatar

The garden is just me, Sam, and a part-time colleague. We haven't had or done any volunteer days this year, but those may return next year. Thank you so much for watching :)

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Kristina Love's avatar

That's amazing! I guess as a beginner I don't have a great frame of reference for what is possible for one person or a handful of busy people. Even more inspiring!

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David Hawkins's avatar

That was so good 👍

I've got to agree with Sam, it does give an insight into your mindset.

Thanks for bringing the format back and I really hope you do more.

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Huw Richards's avatar

Ahh thank you David! We absolutely will be doing more!

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Linda's avatar

I'm going to protect this melon, with my life. Oh I so get that. I try melons every year, and don't get any every year, but I keep trying. Ha ha. Zone 2b.

Really enjoyed this, thank you.

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Huw Richards's avatar

Hahaha thank you so much! Wait, zone 2B? USDA? Thanks so much for watching!

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Susan Walding's avatar

Huw, how did you get on with your tomatoes that you weren’t going to take off side shoots? Did you give in?

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Huw Richards's avatar

Hi Susan! I will post an update on them/how the experiment went in my next Diaries video :)

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TJ's avatar

I grew 20 melon and watermelon plants this year in one of the poly tunnels to find which would be worth planting again next year - a bit inconclusive, they all have 1 or 2 fruits but the cold weather is hurting them - I've been using all the JLF and JMS inputs for years after coming across Chris Trump, but decided to do these melons just with my own compost and no feed - Like you, the aubergines have been awful, maybe 15 off 20 plants, the peppers have been great inside and maybe 2-3 peppers on each outside, but the tomatoes and cucumbers have been prolific, but the cucumbers now feeling the cold too.

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Huw Richards's avatar

Hi! Hopefully you will have some conclusive results at the end of the growing season. But so glad to hear that your tomatoes have been prolific, I am very jealous!

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TJ's avatar

I hope so too, though with 10 varieties, I’ll get some results … as a personal observation, I really like the way your output is cementing your role as an experimenter and educator. Your content is focussing on the broader aspects of food production, self-sufficiency and the process of thoughts in permaculture. Everything I do is a an amalgamation of every other system from nutrient mining to successional sowing and from compost creation to microbial solutions and from amino acids to the soil food web, there’s a place for it all.

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Jo Harold's avatar

Talking about protecting crops with your life…. I go out most evenings and relocate slugs. The crop I am protecting is my Sweet Potatoes (in a large bag of sandy soil Polytunnel).

Enjoying the new films Huw (although I do notice lightening quick flickering black parts throughout, maybe you are aware?)

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Huw Richards's avatar

Yeah my wild Friday nights this year has been slug patrol haha! Thank you, there may be an error with my lens which I am investigating. Thank you so much for watching Jo

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Ken Treloar's avatar

Lovely 🌿

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Denise Martin's avatar

Have you considered getting some ducks to take care of your slug problem?

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Huw Richards's avatar

Yes, many times and something I hope to integrate for next year!

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Katie Lee / KJ Lyttleton's avatar

I have TWO melons and I’m so excited., but also very afraid. The first ever aubergine I grew was munched by slugs. Like you, I’ve been protecting its siblings with my life. So far I have 8 aubergine growing across 4 plants (with 2 plants not producing any at all). I have one pepper fruit growing so far. The tomatoes are not great. Like you, the beef have ripened first and I’m just starting to get a few cherries a day.

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Huw Richards's avatar

Hi Katie! I hope the last few weeks of the growing season brings an abundance from everything!

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Sybille's avatar

Hi Huw,

I love your material and I learn so much from you.

Can you please clarify. I would like to become a paid member but is substack or patreon different with regards to material you will publish?

Thanks for clarifying

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Huw Richards's avatar

Hi Sybille,

Everything will be here on Substack and Patreon will be closed :) Susbstack is going to be the new heart of all the projects I do.

Best wishes and thank you for your kind words, Huw

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philipbutchers@gmail.com's avatar

Brilliant, thank you

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Huw Richards's avatar

Thanks!

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Sophie S.'s avatar

Happy to see this series again 😊

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Huw Richards's avatar

Yay thank you!

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Vicky's avatar

Lovely to see this video ☺️ I've has a mostly terrible garden year but I did manage to hopefully get a few perennial fruit and veg in - including some Korean mint! Mine is in with my strawberries which seeing yours might have been a bad plan! 🤣

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Huw Richards's avatar

Hahaha yeah they get huge but at least the Korean Mint doesn't spread by runners and suckers!

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