Vegetables in September
Hopefully after a wet August we will have an Indian summer. The hot spell in June fired up all our summer crops, with the result that most have continued yielding well in the damp weather. A high point has been Read more »
Fergus Dowding
Vegetables in August
This month there is a long list of sowings to keep your soil busy and productive. For most of these crops, sowing early in the month is best for outdoor autumn picking, later in the month for indoor winter harvests. Read more »
Vegetables in July
Watering becomes an issue at this time of year, although writing about it usually makes it rain—good both ways! Almost all crops except perhaps parsnips and cabbage need help when young. It’s not a question of your veg plants ‘just Read more »
Vegetables in June
‘Rain in June keeps all in tune’ is true up to a point. Last year heavy June rain produced huge crops of potatoes and broad beans. My father’s comment that ‘we need rain, but only in some fields’ came true Read more »
Vegetables in May
Oh joy! Dancing around the Maypole at last! And the added happiness of transplanting our high summer fruiting crops—tomatoes, french and runner beans—and courgettes. The courgette is a beautiful plant, a dramatic size and shape with exotic leaves adding drama Read more »
Vegetables in April
April is a big sowing month, the sun rising ever higher with life and energy on the soil increasing and making it easier for strong germination. April is traditionally fickle, with warm spells and then cold ones. So try and Read more »
Vegetables in March
Venturing into the garden on a sunny March afternoon fills us with thoughts of sowing our first outdoor crops, such as broad beans, peas and early potatoes. These crops all have large ‘seeds’ with stored energy to get them going. Read more »
Vegetables in February
What can I write about in February? The winter is such a difficult time for leaves to grow or look happy, and if they do then wildlife moves in and eats them. Yet there are still many good harvests of Read more »
Vegetables in January
New Year’s Resolutions This year, I will: Sow all seeds in optimum conditions Sow only healthy and lively seed Keep seeds and growing plants in perfect conditions, generally warm and moist Allow optimum spacing for top yield Keep the Read more »
Vegetables in December
After a deluge of rich foods at Christmas many people will be delighted to see a bowl of salad hit the table, and possibly even some freshly picked and al dente sprouts might go down well too. Our sprouts have Read more »