There are plans in east London to have a more visual experience of the area’s nature which is now recognised to be important. Groups are talking about how to enhance the area for all to enjoy.
We should all be involved with this conversation so as to improve our future whilst taking note of how the history of the area has evolved. Doing so will ensure that future generations will be proud of our endeavours.
With this in mind, The East London Garden Society is planning to produce an app to compliment people's interest in our wonderful urban nature.
If you value having someone campaign on your behalf to protect the environment and having access to useful articles about gardening and local environmental matters, please make a donation to help us with the cost of maintaining The East London Garden Society.
It goes without saying that seasonal gardening tasks should be performed at specific times of the year, mainly because of the weather. But many gardening practices are also best performed at certain times of the day to ensure the health of your plants.
For instance, early mornings are best for watering lawns and gardens, and there are several reasons for this.
The timing allows for water to work its way down to plant roots before the sun gets too strong. Midday watering often results in faster evaporation from the soil’s surface, which is not only wasteful but also unhelpful to plants.
Watering in the evening risks the opposite: Without sufficient sunlight for evaporation, excess moisture becomes trapped within and between plants, creating a perfect breeding ground for mould, mildew and fungal diseases.
Other tasks to tackle early in the day:
End-of-day gardening tasks:
Never mow wet grass, regardless of the time of day; doing so can stress the lawn, spread disease and clog the mower.
Wait until after rainfall to pull weeds, and the job will be a lot easier. But if the weeds must go and there’s no precipitation in the forecast, water the bed deeply the day before, and you’ll reap the same benefit.
Any time's a good time to enjoy your garden.
There are some garden activities that you can, and should, do throughout the day. These include admiring your handiwork, basking in the beauty you’ve co-created with nature and smelling the flowers.
No-till gardening promises healthier soil, stronger plants, and better long-term fertility, but it comes with trade-offs that catch many growers by surprise.
When you stop turning the ground, you protect delicate underground ecosystems, fungi, microbes, and earthworms, that form the backbone of soil health. These living networks improve structure, boost water retention, and feed your crops naturally.
At the same time, leaving soil undisturbed changes how weeds behave. Seeds that sit near the surface have the light and space they need to sprout, and deep-rooted perennials gain a foothold without being chopped up by tillage. This creates a new challenge: your soil thrives, but weeds become more difficult to manage.
Instead of relying on tillers to bury problems, you need layered approaches that match the type of weed you’re fighting. That shift requires planning and patience, but it also puts you in control of your garden in a more sustainable way. Understanding this balance is the first step toward mastering no-till and finding strategies that keep your soil alive while keeping weeds in check.
Perennial weeds require patience and covering, not quick fixes.
Plants like bindweed, bermudagrass, johnsongrass, and Canadian thistle store energy in underground stems called rhizomes, which act like hidden batteries that keep the plant alive. Pulling what you see above ground rarely works, because the underground network quickly resprouts.
Tilling makes the problem worse by chopping the rhizomes into pieces that grow into new plants. Instead, covering the soil with heavy tarps blocks sunlight, forcing the weeds to drain their reserves until they die. This process is slow and sometimes takes a full year but it drastically reduces their presence long term.
Annual weeds spread through speed and numbers, so timing is everything.
Pigweed and other quick-sprouting species complete their life cycle in just a month or two, meaning a single plant scatters thousands of seeds if ignored.
Because no-till systems don’t bring buried seeds to the surface, most problems come from seeds in the top inch of soil or blown in from nearby fields. Killing these weeds while they’re small using a scuffle hoe or wheel hoe stops the seed cycle and keeps infestations under control. Once they set seed, you face a multiplying problem that carries into future seasons.
Mulching locks weeds out before they start.
Straw, wood chips, or the residue of cover crops form a blanket over the soil, stopping light from reaching weed seeds. Without sunlight, seeds fail to germinate. Mulch also protects soil moisture, regulates temperature, and feeds soil organisms as it breaks down.
You can convert a garden without heavy machinery.
A layer of cardboard or newspaper smothers grass and weeds underneath, while amendments like compost, straw, or aged manure add nutrients as they decay. Over time, earthworms and microbes pull that organic matter down into the soil. The end result is fertile ground that requires less fertilizer and water. For you, that translates into a garden that steadily improves year after year instead of declining with each round of tilling.
Planting and maintenance become easier once the no-till system is established.
In spring, plant directly into the layered beds without breaking apart the soil. Mulching around new seedlings with straw or compost suppresses weeds, locks in moisture, and keeps soil temperatures stable. That translates to fewer hours battling weeds and more time enjoying healthy plants that grow in rich, living soil.
No-till gardens become more self-sustaining as time goes on.
Each year, adding just 1 or 2 inches of organic matter is enough to feed the soil, rather than relying on repeated, heavy inputs. Cover crops like clover or buckwheat planted in fall add extra fertility and prevent weeds during the off-season.
By spring, they break down into mulch, saving you money and reducing the need for constant intervention. While farmers often till or spray to end cover crops, backyard growers can use plants like clover or peas that naturally die back in cold weather or can be mowed before they set seed. The longer you commit to this process, the less maintenance your beds demand.
Leaving the soil undisturbed allows its natural ecosystem to flourish.
Microbes, fungi, and worms build structure underground, creating pores that let water and nutrients flow freely. Compost and mulch feed those organisms, which in turn feed your plants. This leads to healthier roots, stronger growth, and better yields without chemical shortcuts. Healthy soil does the work for you, turning your garden into a productive, resilient system instead of a high-maintenance chore.
Tilling disrupts the very system plants depend on to thrive.
Every time a tiller blade cuts through soil, it collapses pores, increases compaction, and destroys fungal threads that act like scaffolding underground. Once broken, soil loses its ability to hold water and nutrients. For a gardener, that means more runoff.
Sheet mulching, also called lasagne gardening, is an accessible no-till technique.
In this system, you layer cardboard, food scraps, grass clippings, and leaves to create a thick bed of organic matter. Over time, those layers decompose into rich soil without ever turning the ground. This technique allows you to recycle materials you already have into a low-cost, high-yield garden bed that steadily improves each season.
Leaving roots in place after harvest to feed microbes and improve soil texture.
Cutting plants at ground level instead of pulling them keeps underground tunnels open while giving beneficial bacteria and fungi a steady food source as roots break down. This way, every crop works double duty, first producing food for your table, then building the foundation for future harvests.
Starve out stubborn perennials with tarps.
If you’re dealing with thistle, johnsongrass, or other deep-rooted perennials, covering the soil with a heavy tarp is the smartest first step. The opaque material blocks sunlight and forces the plant to burn through its stored energy until it dies. Yes, this takes time, often a season or more, but you end up with ground that’s ready for planting without endless regrowth.
Stop annual weeds before they drop seed.
Annuals like pigweed turn one plant into thousands if you let them go to seed. The trick is catching them early with a sharp hoe or cultivator. Knock them out while they’re small, and you’ll save yourself years of problems. Think of it as a short daily task that pays off with a season of cleaner beds.
Use mulch to block sunlight and protect soil.
Cover your soil with straw, wood chips, or the remains of your cover crops. Mulch keeps weed seeds buried, locks in moisture, and keeps the soil cooler in summer heat. If you’re gardening on a bigger scale, rolling and crimping cover crops leaves a long-lasting mat that keeps working for months. Think of mulch as armour, it shields your soil and makes your job easier.
Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines. They are low, creeping shrubs or vines up to 2 meters long and 5 to 20 centimetres in height. They have slender stems that are not thickly woody and have small evergreen leaves. The flowers are dark pink. The fruit is a berry that is larger than the leaves of the plant; it is initially light green, turning red when ripe. It is edible, but has an acidic taste.
The history of the cranberry begins with Native Americans who used the fruit for food, medicine, and dye. European settlers encountered cranberries, adopted their use, and eventually gave them the name crane berry, because the plant's flower resembled the head of a crane. The name was later shortened to cranberry.
Commercial cultivation began in the 1800s with the first planted crop by Captain Henry Hall on Cape Cod in 1816. He planted a crop and began shipping it to market. The fruit was later popularised as a Thanksgiving staple and became a major industry, with the formation of Ocean Spray in 1920 and the development of processed products like canned sauce.
Indigenous peoples of North America harvested cranberries for centuries, using them as a food source, a medicinal remedy, and for dyeing. They created an energy-dense food called pemmican by mixing cranberries with dried meat and fat.
Other varieties and farms were established on Cape Cod in the following decades, like the Howes variety in 1843 and the Early Black variety in 1847.
Cranberries were introduced at the first Thanksgiving, helping to cement their place as a holiday staple in American culture. The popularity of cranberry sauce was further boosted during the Civil War when Ulysses S Grant ordered it for his soldiers.
Walking along the River Lea in London involves following the Lea Valley Walk; a 50-mile route from its source near Luton to Limehouse Basin on the Thames.
Within London, the path transitions from rural landscapes to urban areas and features sights like Walthamstow Wetlands, Hackney Marshes, and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. You can walk specific sections or the entire path, with options for public transport to access different points.
The London section of the route becomes increasingly urbanized as it enters London, though it maintains scenic and wildlife-rich areas. Sections are waymarked with a swan symbol, though signage can be limited in places.
The path is mostly level but consists of a mix of paved and unpaved paths, with some steps, gates, and uneven terrain. While the overall route is mostly level, wheelchair accessibility is limited due to some uneven paths.
The walk can be broken down into shorter, more manageable sections, which is ideal for day trips. The route is well-connected by public transport, with Tube and Overground stations located near various access points.
Resources like the Go Jauntly app can help you navigate the route in sections. Be aware of potential variations in path conditions and plan for transportation at the end of your walk if doing a point-to-point route. The Lee Valley is a habitat for various wildlife, including birds so the walk is great for birdwatching, especially in areas like the Walthamstow Wetlands.
In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, onion and water. Cook over medium heat until the berries pop - about 15 minutes.
Cool slightly. Transfer to a food processor; cover and process until smooth. Return to the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, uncovered for 20 minutes or until mixture is reduced to two cups, stirring frequently.
