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 »
How many ways of getting it wrong are there? Every year of sowing my seeds seems to discover a new way of getting it wrong. But all newly sown seed need is warmth, moisture, nutrients and light, so it must Read more »
As the spring gap looms, it makes sense to use as much of last year’s labours as you can. Even though the veg garden is now looking a little empty, it often holds more than you think. Parsnips are heroic Read more »
Coke of Norfolk made a big name for himself in the 18th century through doubling the production and profit on his 44,000 acre farm. His trick was to sow stubble turnips after wheat, so growing two crops a year, feeding Read more »
Pruning fruit trees is a perfect health remedy for humans suffering daylight deficiency in the dead of winter, and makes the tree healthier and more productive too. The main aim with all fruit trees and soft bush fruit is to Read more »