organic vegetable gardening courses, growing tips and homegrown recipes.
Some seeds need steady, warm temperatures to germinate quickly. Daytime things may be fine, but at night they'll suffer if it's too cold in a greenhouse, outside or even on a draughty windowsill. The King Seeds catalogue gives very good information about the temperature seeds need to germinate. Tomato seeds and corn will germinate in less than a … [Read more...]
Peas need temperatures of at least 10 degrees C to germinate. There are lots of different varieties to try - tall and dwarf, snow peas and sugar snaps (round like a shelling-pea but with tender, edible pods). Here are some tips for success with peas. If you want more help and advice with vegetable garden, come on the fresh food garden course. … [Read more...]
Time to prune apples, pears, plums and roses if you haven't already done them. Goosegogs too. It's a beautiful warm day today, just right for those buds to start into life. I've sown some potatoes this week - probably a bit early, but as we don't get much frost, I might get away with it. And even if we get a late one, they'll just get set back a … [Read more...]
Digging potatoes is physically demanding but rewarding work. Here's a good crop of 'heather' and 'cliff's kidney' potatoes. Dug today, sown at the beginning of November. They'll store well, possibly until the first new potatoes in December. I keep them in calico bags somewhere cool, dry, dark and mouse-free. Not a green one in sight thanks to heavy … [Read more...]
Pumpkins and summer squash are easy to grow, need little care and store through the winter. I've grown the smallest ones vertically and larger ones sprawling on the ground. You can even grow them on a rotting compost heap. Kings Seeds has a wonderful selection to tempt you but if you want to save seeds from your favourite pumpkin and sow them next … [Read more...]
Somehow we never have strawberry gluts. But beans, zucchinis, tomatoes and cucumbers can all prove a challenge at times. If you have enough plants to give you a good portion at the start and end of the season, you'll have more than you can cope with during the height of the summer. The main thing with fruiting plants is to keep picking regularly - … [Read more...]
Picking is a daily necessity particularly after some welcome weekend rain. It gives me time to ponder my resolutions for the next season. There are a few spaces left on this Saturday's fresh food garden course. I'd love to meet you if you want to join the course. It's a great time to sow vegetables to keep you through the winter. Everyone will take … [Read more...]
Here's Tess, once again waiting patiently for Christmas. Gardening has essentially been cancelled for the week due to nearly constant rain and drizzzzzzzzzle. Well we got what we asked for. Fortunately I made an enormous pile of hot compost last week. Worthwhile making plenty now so you'll have something to spread in autumn when the summer crops … [Read more...]
Here are some more or less gardening related gift ideas, to add to last year's ten vegetable gardening gift ideas. I'll send a gift card if you'd like to give someone a place on the fresh food garden course. Next one is Saturday 28 January 2012. 1 The best pair of secateurs money can buy - everyone one loses a pair (or ten) in their … [Read more...]
