An Organic Lifestyle (Organic Growing Pains)

 New season, new allotment! I have been a very lazy Blogger and then became a very absent Blogger. I cannot believe how long it is since I logged in.I have debated with myself whether to even bother continuing with the blog as it is easier to FB photos as I take them, and Blogger has not gotten any easier since the last time I used it. As regular readers will know I left the Hydro Farm allotments where we had a plot for 6 years and where I began plotting and blogging.D. Kathryn moved so S.Billy came in with me and we took a plot nearer to home, got it into shape and productive but had a few problems and again thought of giving the whole thing up but have now moved to another allotment in the same area more or less and will give plotting and blogging another 'go'.  It is a very secure site but some very overgrown plots on it, we picked one and then discovered there were two raised beds buried beneath the grass ( see header pic) We cleared one bed and covered it with envir...

The word faux is a really nice word,somehow it does not seem to mean false, just a kind of copy! I had read about making these stone looking troughs or flower pots and again it was on my list of things to try.With my supply of donated flower pots I decided this was as good a time as any.The first pic is of the completed trough or tub filled with compost waiting on plants. I began with a plain white plastic tub, it does not have to be white it can be any colour.Glue ,I used PVA which was painted on thickly and left to get tacky and either sand or I used a mix of small stones and sand, sold in the builders suppliers as 'filling'. It is not a quick job to do as each side is pasted, shake on the sand thickly and press down to dry, I also did the opposite inside edge. I left it overnight each time but if it was sunny and warm it would probably dry faster.The first side drying, when it is dry shake off the excess leaving a thin covering. The final application and it is completed onl...