Would you like healthy and strong plants? Crops that aren’t destroyed by pests? And a bountiful harvest of produce? If your answer is yes to any of these (and who wouldn’t want all three) then maybe it is time to consider taking a close look at companion planting. Anyone growing vegetables at home, or on an allotment, can take advantage of it. Companion planting is … Continue reading Companion Planting for Fruit & Vegetables
It is miserable to see your plot sitting waterlogged after periods of heavy rain. This is something we are faced with now after a prolonged period of wet weather, but there are ways to successfully manage a plot with such drainage issues. The weather so far this year has been cold and wintry, with the UK Met Office saying January 2021 was the coldest January on record for … Continue reading How to Deal With a Waterlogged Allotment
Sowing seeds and growing your own vegetables is one of the most satisfying things you can do. A sowing plan will help organise your propagation and ensure seeds are sown at the right time, plants are strong and healthy, and you’re not having to bin straggly plants or lose out on harvests. It often pays to be patient and not rush. You will see all … Continue reading Importance of a Seed Sowing Plan
The first month of the year can be difficult for gardeners. It is likely to be cold, wet and maybe even snowy, but there are some very productive and enjoyable tasks that can sit atop your list of gardening jobs for January. I will be doing many of these tasks over the next few weeks and recommend other gardeners to do the same, if they … Continue reading Enjoyable January Gardening Jobs
There is now an increased focus on the excessive uses of plastic in gardens, so what approaches can gardeners take when it comes to eco-friendly options for sowing and growing your seedlings? Continue reading Eco-friendly Alternatives to Plastic for Propagation
One of my little projects at home at the moment is my attempts to grow Dahlia ‘Bishops Children’ from seed. This is my first attempt to grow dahlias from seed, and I admittedly went into it not really expecting much and seeing it as a bit of an investigation. Continue reading Growing dahlias from seed
In my first Six on Saturday I showcase six highlights from my last week in horticulture, including propagating from seeds and cuttings, a couple of fantastic winter plants and some back-breaking bouts of mulching. Continue reading Six on Saturday – February 10
I have been getting hands-on with the fashionable gardening trend of micro-leaves and they are not only tasty and nutritious but very easy to grow. Continue reading The world of micro-leaves
I got a reminder on Facebook this week that one year ago I had been embarking on the challenge of cutting a very prominent topiary bird at Hidcote. It was one of the birds that sat overlooking the bathing pool and a piece of topiary that tended to feature in the photos of most of the garden’s tens of thousands of visitors. I felt very … Continue reading Recollecting taxing topiary
As part of my new job I am coming into contact with unusual fruit and vegetables from around the world. In focus here is the South American crop known as Oca, or Oxalis tuberosa Continue reading A first experience of Oca
Perennial Nerd 