One of the few things I’ve learnt in my vegetable career is that plants germinate better, stronger and faster when it’s warm. Our 2019 new year’s resolution is to put all module trays in the airing cupboard this spring: a Read more »
Want to double your productivity this year? The technique of sowing or transplanting a second crop between ones soon to finish increases productivity, especially valuable if you have a small growing area. For instance last year, leeks sown in April Read more »
At last, a month when there is nothing to sow! In the mild weather, our vegetable garden is looking good where we transplanted lots of turnips, rocket, Mizuna and lettuce as we gradually removed summer crops in September and October. Read more »
Growing salads is easy in the spring when their leaves are at their most tasty and sweet, but needs more thought and effort at other times. Lettuce are the backbone of our salads throughout the year. They are tricky in Read more »
Every year is different. After a hot and dry June and July, we expected the usual wet and dismal school holidays. But no, you can never gainsay the weather. This year we have been scrabbling around for tomato recipes, as Read more »
Tomato maintenance this month is brinkmanship with blight about, although at the time of writing we have had less rain than most and there is no blight, even on potatoes, and what a pleasure that is. Blight strikes tomatoes just Read more »
It looks like this month will again be all about water management, with little rain in sight until at least September. Crops that need most water are newly sown seeds and transplants, followed closely by leaf crops such as salads Read more »
Intercropping is a great way of boosting the amount you get off your ground, especially in the valuable but limited ‘hot space’ of a polytunnel. Examples outdoors are to sow lines of carrots or parsnips between lines of established crops Read more »
It’s irresistibly dangerous predicting the weather in a monthly magazine, but after such a cold spring, the wind centred in the northeast may treat us to a flaming June. Even if not, June is a busy month. We have been Read more »
May is a critical month for establishing so many crops, and if time is in short supply, don’t rush it, as early plantings need more work than when all is warm. It is five years since we have had such Read more »