Vegetables in April
At last it is time to sow most crops. April weather is highly changeable in spite of good light levels, and the soil is still cool. All seeds germinate better, stronger and faster when the soil is warm. Try and Read more »
Fergus Dowding
Vegetables in March
It takes unbearably long for the soil to warm up in the Spring, but as the Equinox looms there is often a warm spell when you can risk an early sowing of some outdoor seeds. With all small seeds, warmth Read more »
Vegetables in February
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 »
Vegetables in January
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 »
Vegetables in December
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 »
Vegetables in November
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 »
Vegetables in October
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 »
Vegetables in September
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 »
Vegetables in the Garden
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 »
Vegetables in July
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 »