The Vegetable Growing Year: Jobs to do in April

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Steve

Deprecated: Using null as an array offset is deprecated, use an empty string instead in /home/thevegetableplot/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-block-type-registry.php on line 168

Deprecated: Using null as an array offset is deprecated, use an empty string instead in /home/thevegetableplot/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-block-type-registry.php on line 168

Deprecated: Using null as an array offset is deprecated, use an empty string instead in /home/thevegetableplot/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-block-type-registry.php on line 168

Deprecated: Using null as an array offset is deprecated, use an empty string instead in /home/thevegetableplot/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-block-type-registry.php on line 168

Deprecated: Using null as an array offset is deprecated, use an empty string instead in /home/thevegetableplot/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-block-type-registry.php on line 168

Deprecated: Using null as an array offset is deprecated, use an empty string instead in /home/thevegetableplot/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-block-type-registry.php on line 168

Deprecated: Using null as an array offset is deprecated, use an empty string instead in /home/thevegetableplot/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-block-type-registry.php on line 168

Spring is here, the soil is starting to warm up and by now your seedlings should start popping up. However it is important to keep an eye on the weather as cold snaps in April are not unknown.

Weeds will also take this opportunity to take over, so keep the hoe going. Simply slide your hoe back and forth under the soil to kill and stop the weeds taking hold. Also remember to sharpen your hoe to make things easier. Continue reading →

How to grow Brussels Sprouts

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Steve

Brussels Sprouts is a hardy slow growing vegetable that belongs to the brassica family. It is a staple vegetable throughout winter and tastes even better when the plant has been exposed to a frost.

Continue reading →

How to grow Sweetcorn

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Steve

Sweetcorn is an easy crop to grow and loves long hot summers. Sweetcorn is wind pollinated, so you will need to grow it in blocks and traditionally each plant produces one or two cobs. Continue reading →

How to grow Sweet Potatoes

Posted on January 19, 2014 by Steve

Sweet potatoes are traditionally growing in warm climates, but hardier varieties are now becoming available in the UK and can be grown quite easily as long as they are grown in a warm sheltered spot.

Continue reading →

How to grow Garlic

Posted on November 17, 2013 by Steve

Garlic is a must have vegetable and is simple to grow. There are two types of garlic; hardneck and softneck. Hardneck varieties produce a flower spike which can be eaten, while softneck varieties don’t and tend to store longer. Bulbs that are planted in the autumn have time to develop than spring planted bulbs and this allows them to produce an extensive root system and you are more likely to get a better harvest. Continue reading →

Vegetables to grow in the winter

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Steve

The growing season is coming to an end but you’ve still got time to sow or plant out some vegetables to grow overwinter. You can sow in modules in a cold frame or in a greenhouse and plant out in a couple of weeks. If you don’t have access to a cold frame or greenhouse, you can use a fleece to help protect the young seedlings. Continue reading →

Warming the soil in the winter months

Posted on October 12, 2013 by Steve

With the winter months approaching, it is time to start thinking about next spring and possibly getting a head start on the growing season. One way to do this is by creating a hotbed. In its simplest form, a hotbed is a trench or raised bed filled with organic matter with soil on top. Not only does this keep the soil warm, but they are also great for improving the soil structure. To build a hotbed:

Dig a trench roughly 6-10 inches deep and roughly a metre wide (for ease of access).
Add a layer of woody material (bark chippings, twigs) roughly 6 inches deep.
Add another layer of general garden waste such as grass clippings. You want this layer to be roughly 6-8 inches deep.
Next add a layer of farmyard manure roughly 6 inches deep.
Finally add a mixture of top soil and garden compost on top of the bed. This will be used to sow or plant your vegetables in.
Your hotbed is ready to use. If you’ve used a raised bed, you can cover it with an old window to help keep the heat in.

How to Grow Plums

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Steve

Plums are one of the great unexplored parts of the fruit world. In the past there were many different varieties, all with different flavours and textures, but now all knowledge of such fruit seems to have been lost. At most, one or two varieties surface occasionally in shops, but few people seem to know of the treasury of delights that could be available. Fortunately, many of the old varieties are available from specialist nurseries, and anyone who takes the trouble to search them out is really in for a treat.

Continue reading →

Green Manure

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Steve

Green manures are often used on bare soil to help smother weeds and help lock in the nutrients. They are then dug into the ground in spring releasing the nutrients back into the soil and also help improve the soil structure.

Continue reading →

How to Avoid Potato Blight

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Steve

Potato blight is a fungal disease that can devastate a potato crop. The first sign of infection are black spots that appear on the leaves and then turn yellow. If left untreated, the plant will die back completely and can also affect the tubers. Continue reading →

The Vegetable Plot

An attempt to live a little more self-sufficient

Tag Archives: how to

The Vegetable Growing Year: Jobs to do in April

How to grow Brussels Sprouts

How to grow Sweetcorn

How to grow Sweet Potatoes

How to grow Garlic

Vegetables to grow in the winter

Warming the soil in the winter months

How to Grow Plums

Green Manure

How to Avoid Potato Blight