Welcome! We are Kerry & Dorie 🐶 (9 year old miniature schnauzer) and we are here and on Instagram as @dogontheplot (previously @lifesabooch). I live in Leicestershire and I have a no-dig veganic/organic permaculture/polyculture -ish kitchen garden and (sort of) food forest front garden, which I started cultivating in 2021. In Dec 2022 I took on a full-size allotment plot. These vlogs document my week by week as I try to figure out how to best 'grow your own' in the home garden and on the plot as a relative beginner. Expect plenty of planting, harvesting, composting and yapping (me and the dog...) - there may also be some cooking, fermenting, hiking, and foraging bonus content.
My day job is as a University lecturer, which keeps me pretty busy so if I disappear for a week or two it's probably because I'm marking! I'm going for a pretty laidback and relaxing vibe with plenty of enthusiasm - I hope you enjoy 😊💕
The home garden looks fabulous. I always love a little bit of this and a little bit of that look. Those badger flame beets are yum. Kuri is my fav too. But I buy at the farmers market because of the squash vine borer.
@@dogontheplot They will, the squirrels dug mine up twice, then I got protection over them and all was good. Thankfully the birds are only a problem with the berries for me. Rain day so I'm going to spend the day canning tomatoes and pickling beans. 🥰🍅
Sooo pleased that things are looking up! I’m getting harvests too now of courgettes, runner beans and tomatoes. Most of my French beans have been stripped by the slugs though 😢
Ah that's great! I'm still waiting on the tomatoes - just getting the odd one but I've stripped back loads of foliage now so hopefully the light can get to them and they'll ripen soon.
You’ve given me a few jobs to add to the list! Watering is so time consuming isn’t it.. especially with your water pressure 😂😛 Fabulous to see that you are finally having success with the pumpkins. Looks like your future pumpkin harvest has been saved 🙏🏻❤️ Those Charlottes! They are so impressive! I think they are prolific and reliable, however we grow them. Well done! I’m looking back at you! They were fab! (Thanks for the mention 😊) Love Dorie’s expression. The summer fayre was lovely too. Great video. Love seeing you feeling joy in the garden again after some testing months🥰
Ok - the water pressure! 🤣🤣 it's because from the outdoor tap there is a hose that travels underground (I guess!) to the greenhouse, where I attach another hose that goes part way down the garden, where I attach the flexi hose which I actually water with. There are so may points of drippage and the water travels about three miles 🤣🤣 I should look into something more efficient... I think charlottes are on my forever list. 2 good years. Future pumpkins... we shall see!!! I'm hoping!
How funny about foxes sleeping in your greenhouse 😍....as long as Dorie won't take liking to their 💩 as our fella does🐶 😅 We've been eating our first Sungolds, and they are delicious...❤ Blueberries are amazing, especially homegrown as you say ☺️ It's always really exciting to harvest potatoes 🥔 😋 and you had a fine crop between the different planting areas 🥰 Enjoy your holidays and happy gardening 😊💚🌿
Oh Dorie has had her moments... as an old gal now she prefers to pee on it rather than roll in it, but never say never.... Thank you Maiju. You have a lovely week 😊💕
Hello, Kerry. I love the smell of tansies to such an extent that I collected and hung them up in my house. I also put them along with goldenrods in the vases around my house during summer time😊. I also dry them for early spring concoction against pests. Having said that I do understand that you may ❤ detest the smell of tansies ❤. Fingers crossed 🤞 for your garden as yes, they tend to be a bit invasive 🥴
Waaaaat!! 🤣🤣🤣 See I don't get it. I was reading an article about them and it mentioned their pleasant smell. I wonder if it's one of those genetic things, like people who think coriander tastes like soap 🤷♀️ I'm going to dig them up and move them to the plot in the winter I think. Or I'll send them to you 🤣
@@dogontheplot @dogontheplot yes, yes, yes coriander tastes like 🧼, must be genetics then 😁. The same is with lavender I love its fragrance and my best friend inherently dislikes it. By the way, offer accepted, but I would not sacrifice my space-constrained bed for planting flowers which could easily overtake my precious food production 😂😂😂 Nevertheless, I will find some extra space for them 😇😇😇 Anyway, enjoy your holiday, Kerry🥰😍💪
Loved this Kerry! Front garden looks amazing! I also love your bed bed on the plot with the sweetcorn. You should name it the Sweet Dreams bed. We just harvested our first 3 sweetcorn cobs and i think the timing of the other sowings were off but hoping the next rounds are better. I have found Honeycombs fall off quite easy! They seem to split quite easily too. They were first to ripen for us and was surprised how many are on a truss, compared to the Gardener's Delight we usually grow. Definitely a lunchbox or snack pot variety. I know you are vegan but i did put them in a chicken pasta bake the other day and they were lovely. We also topped it off with bigger sliced tomatoes from the garden. Growing Red Kuri squash for the first time and so proud of the one baby we have on there! We struggle with summer squash, like butternut and also this year was bad with the weather so happy to get one over the arch. Those big veg mesh bags are stronger than the organza ones, so hopefully it holds well on the panel! I like the idea of patty pans and could stuff them with fried mushrooms, onions and herbs but it's making sure you have enough ready for the family at the same time. I sometimes find my first truss tomatoes are catfaced. I can't remember where i watched or read about it and it was a couple of articles maybe a year ago? but some people remove their first truss of tomatoes to promote early growth?! I think i might try this one on the beefsteak next year. Some nice potatoes there Kerry! Have a great week and take care!
Thank you. This is the first year I've heard about 'cat faced' tomatoes. Yes, I've definitely got a few like that on the lower trusses, but I'm ok with it. I really, really hope at least one of these remaining squash plants is an uchiki kuri! Keep your fingers crossed for me...
Hey Kerry, So much to clean up but then you are able to appreciate the garden so much more. I am glad you did this right away so you don't have to worry about it and waste time thinking about it. I am bringing in bowls of tomatoes everyday. All the banana and poblanos peppers are coming right now and he tomatoes and peppers are being made into salsa. My goal is 24 quart jars for the pantry. Then it is the tomato sauce season. You have so many nice flowers I only have a few but a couple more every summer. This year I am growing 4 tomatoes 2 paste and 2 slicer. We have been having sliced tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella, fresh basil and balsamic vinegar reduction on top almost every evening before dinner. I saw the simple lunch you had on the sourdough the other day. I hope you have a very peaceful productive holiday. Cya next thyme, Steven
There is nothing like fresh tomatoes - NOTHING!! I can't wait for them to start coming. I've got my paste tomatoes outside on the plot - midnight roma - so I'm hoping they ripen before the dreading B-word hits!! I wish I had more flowers on the plot - I was relying on the self-seeded cosmos but it didn't come back like it did last year. There is some coming so we'll see if it flowers for September. Thank you for watching Steven 😊
Nice to see things are going in the right direction. Thanks for sharing your tansy experience, I plan to collect some tansy seeds from a nearby wild patch, but will be weary where I eventually sow them now. I haven't noticed any odour from them, but they are inbetween lots of invasive and other native wild flowers.
Hi Trude. It is odd because I read on a site that it has a lovely smell - that is NOT my experience!!! Yes, be careful. I am going to dig out what's in the front garden in the Autumn and move it to the plot where it can romp away!
@@dogontheplot On the walk with Leni today I dug my nose into several tansies both fresh and browned and didn't smell anything. A little wet today so I didn't collect any, but I think those nearby here seem odourless luckily. ☺ I foraged some aronia berries though. Yummy for breakfast cereals.
I just spent 2 hours pruning 🤦♀️ but in my defence it was so hot out during the day I couldn’t get out to do it for a few weeks. WOW fox in the house 😳. I have had 2 ripe tomatoes both Sun gold the rest are green. You certainly got lots done let’s hope the weather is nice for you time off work. I’ll have. G&T or 2 for you. Have an awesome week, Ali ☁️🇨🇦
The weather has actually been really nice - we just had some rain overnight and that's cut the temp. I can't wait to get down to the plot and plant into the soft (ish!) ground. Lots to go out! Thank you Ali 😊💕
Dorie is so cute with his little head tilts and expressive eyebrows! I'm curious to see how you get on with your hybrid perennial kale cross, I'm trying a Daubenton's / Cavolo cross, it's interesting to read that historically more of our brassicas were perennial but the Victorians selected for quick maturing varieties to keep gardeners buying seeds each season! My oca flops too, and half of our plants grew from tiny little pellets that I missed when I harvested it in December. Good to know it's pretty hardy! I love that you've kept yours going for three seasons now. I agree, it really feels like we've turned a corner recently. I was starting to feel pretty downbeat about all the slow growth and slug damage but we're starting to catch up and see the summer harvests appear. It's funny, I often say to Ed that I think my videos are too quiet / slow / sleep inducing, so it's lovely to hear you enjoy them, thank you for sharing my channel! I am so happy to have found your channel too, I'm amazed at how many different varieties you grow on your plot and in your front and back gardens and love that your videos feel like gardening with a friend. Super relaxing, lots of inspiration, and really enjoyable to watch!
Aw thank you - and you're most welcome. My first video I really strived for a gentle, calm vibe - but it didn't take long for my rather chaotic personality to exert itself! 🤣 I love to grow loads of different varieties - again, a bit chaotically. It means I lose track of what's what and that I sow far too much, but that's half the fun 🤗 I'm so pleased to hear you're experiencing a 'turn' on the plot too - we've just had rain and I'm so hoping the slugs haven't come out and made a fool of me! 🤣
@@dogontheplot rain here overnight, too. Makes me feel like an idiot for the watering I did yesterday evening 😂 I also sow too much and take a higgledy-piggledy approach to planting... I call it a polyculture but the reality is that I mostly just shove stuff wherever there's space with little planning about where or why. It is half the fun, experimenting and trying lots of things keeps it exciting and means that there's always something that's doing well even in a tough year.
Hi Ann. Yes, I haven't had much luck with clematis in the past but this one romps away! Oca is also called New Zealand Yam, so you might know it as that. It is a small tuber - the foliage is edible but you grow for the tuber and it tastes like a lemony potato. They're a bit of a novelty but a really tasty novelty!
Thank you ❤️ erm... I think it was Joules? But a few years back now. I just googled and it looks like Dunelm is currently selling something similar for a bargain tenner!
A front garden always welcomed you home. At first sight it transports you into a creative beautiful calm and exciting reflection of your life. Love your all your gardens and enjoy all of them!
Wow! I have watched since January and planted my garden along with yours and mine is super small growth and yours has been profilic. Your soil is amazing or you are just blessed with a green thumb. So enjoy your vlogs. Thank you for sharing with us. ❤
The garden has fared a lot better than the plot. It is more sheltered and established. But it has it's share of failures! I'm going to have to lift the beetroot teeny tiny as the birds have now eaten all the foliage. It's been such a tough year. I honestly feel the plot is only just turning the corner and I can only hope we're going to have enough summer left to get things to harvest. I hope your garden bursts into life any day now ❤️
Aah, three weeks off sounds lovely! 🍷🍷Most people here are back to work, schools are starting this and next week. A less manic version? Where’s the fun in that?! 😂 But going to check out the channel, another gardening channel is always interesting 🤩
Absolutely loved the video, great to see you grinning and enjoying the plot 😍 lovely editing too, so easy to watch. Water!!!! It’s just water 😂😂 Mr Singh😂 Eighteen&cloudy off to have a look. We need some calm 😂 This year has just been tough, it’s all happening later than anticipated BUT ITS HAPPENING 😊 Ooooh sugar pie 🥧 I’m excited to try these. Wow look at your spinach, not got mine out yet. Keep squeezing all my tomatoes 😂 darker ones seem to take so much longer. Oooh ooooh 😍 you will have tomatoes 🍅 gave mine a talking to today, they must ripen by Thursday for taste testing with Nik 😂😂😂😂 Again, lovely job on the filming and editing. Have a wonderful week. Allie & Tricia xx
Aw what a lovely comment Allie - thank you so much. IT'S HAPPENING PEOPLE!!! If I get a squash this year I'm calling it a success despite all the challenges. I would love to see a video of you and Nik taste testing tomatoes!!
Ah good idea! I often have a podcast/audio book on when sowing and pricking out. It's not so much that it's boring but physically quite demanding. My arms kill afterwards! Ive probably got poor form 🤣
@@dogontheplot Domestic strimmers are killers in my experience. I’ve had three in total and they are all the same - aching arms, shoulders and back for a couple of days afterwards.
anotehr great vlog from manic kerry n dory lol I'm glad you mentioned oka falling over cos mine got so tall they're now bending over the edge of the beds but no flowers yet but hoping with the amount of foliage I have ill get a ton to harvest ,we ll see lol
Love your enthusiasm and joy when you harvest things only people who grow food understand this. My family glaze over when I start talking about it my gardening 😂. Loved the farm rescue that you went to and I especially loved seeing the one Herdwick sheep, they're my favourite sheep from the Lake District. They always look as though they are smiling and they are such hardy sheep bred to withstand the harsh weather they encounter in the Lake land hills. As I have mentioned before we don't go travelling anymore because of hubby having dementia, but to see the herd made my day.
Aw I'm really pleased you liked the farm visit Liz. I really like to include my little trips and things (this is a vlog after all) but I know some people would just prefer the gardening... comments like this encourage me to keep them in though so thank you 🤗💕
I moved one of our courgettes too, it flopped dramatically and I thought I'd killed it, but it revived within a day or two. The sourdough rolls and cake look amazing, I bet it was very satisfying to sit down and enjoy cake and a cuppa in the sunshine! I'm amazed at how prolific nasturtiums are. I let ours go to seed all over the place last year and there are so many volunteers popping up that I've either left in situ or moved to bare patches just like you have. Plot's looking great, and your tomatoes are starting to ripen nicely! Not much rain here, we had a bit of thunder yesterday morning but it didn't come to much. I do love a good summer downpour though, the footage in your garden is so atmospheric!
Thank you Stéphanie. I love summer storms too - although they do now come with the anxiety of what might snap or get battered! The hollyhocks have been surprisingly resilient so far - last year they were prone to flopping. I love that the nasturtiums have self seeded in the woodchip although those ones aren't really producing flowers - the ones in the beds are romping away. The sparrows have eaten all my lettuce so all my sandwiches have nasturtium leaves in them now! 🤣
Ok I'm going to try and show a little more restraint 🤣 the tomato in the plot greenhouse was actually black trifele and not Alice's Dream - I picked it yesterday and it was lovely on my sandwich.
Charlotte's do not store well in buckets Kerry ,better to lift then they'll store happily for a few months in a shed . Plot and garden looking great ! Can't wait to hear what you think of "Alices Dream".Going to try tree spinach I think 🙂 I tried straw as a mulch but it just constantly attracted slugs ,they love cardboard too .I now just use weed membrane with holes burned in it which works a treat for squash .I remove when harvests done and mulch the bed in autumn .Lasts for years .Had over 20 good sized squash last year from a couple of 4ft X 6 beds .Cant grow them anymore as too high in carbs for Diabetics😢
Ah that's good to know about the Charlottes. I think the buckets are just the first earlies though. Once the foliage is completely died back I'll pop them in the shed and see how it works. I really like the taste of tree spinach - but be warned, it will self seed! But it is so pretty!! Now I was waiting for someone to call me out on the cardboard/straw attracting slugs - because it totally is! It's one of those lesser of two evils things - slugs or weeds. Tbf I wish I'd chosen weeds!!!
Fab update Kerry ❤ Good bit of watering done there today 👏 👏 👏 😂 Pick your strawfloers with only 2 or 3 rows of petals open. Take off the leaves and hang upside down in a dark airy place for a couple of weeks. They should then be dry and they last for months . Have a great week ❤ x
Thank you Linda. Yes, I definitely want to dry some strawflowers - I want to make decorations for the christmas tree! Thank you for the tips. I did this last year but hung them in the shed and I think it was too damp and the centres moulded - though that could be because they'd opened just a tad too much. I've cut for a vase for this first flush and I'm hoping I'll get another lot to then dry next month.
hehe kerry i cant throw away tomato suckers i repot them i cant help myself but they all have tomatoes on them and look great and im actually glad i did ive been doing it since may and ive tons!! lol , gardenlooks bloody amazin i loove all the different areas like mine its nice to walk around and discover things growing , my daughter said to my dont i miss all the space? im like why would i i cant eat grass and paving slabs :P xxx
Oh totally agree - I do not miss the lawn at all. I love how enclosed and full everything is. Although it does mean when it has rained and all the foliage is damp, I get wet clothes whenever I have to visit the compost heap!
@@therightpearplot i also found that if you do leave the suckers on pinch them off after the first fruit truss on the sucker, although i only do this on cherrys or currant toms not the beefsteak xx
@@__Shellspace__ oh really 😊thank you for sharing this tip 🤗 I’ve just ordered another 6 tomato varieties for next year 😍 can I ask what is your favourite tomato?
I was sat making a list of the jobs I have been putting off when I started watching this. Watching you do your jobs makes me feel like I have done mine...problem solved! Have a wonderful 3 weeks off Kerry! 😎
Haha - if only!!! Thank you Kerry - I'm looking forward to heading to the plot this morning to do some planting now that we've had a bit of rain here and the ground will be (hopefully) soft.
I struggle with pronouncing words too. My Neil is forever laughing at me. He even makes notes on his phone, to tell family/ friends when we’re together. I find if I’m tired, I’m much worse.😉😂❤️
My cousin even told me the other day that I've now said it wrong twice in my videos - and I still did it! My sister thinks I'm trying to be Nigella - 'mircrowaaaveeee' 🤣
