Onions can be grown in two ways; from seed or onion sets. Onion sets are small onions that can be planted out in autumn (over wintering onions) or in spring. If possible, purchase onions sets that have been heat-treated as this will stop them running to seed. Continue reading
Cobnuts or hazelnuts are not very large nuts, but they are sweet, tasty and easy to crack. The trees are easy to grow and have the advantage of producing catkins or tassels of male flowers from midwinter to early spring. The female flowers are inconspicuous red tufts. Fortunately, both types are wind pollinated, which compensates for the lack of pollinating inserts so early in the year. There are several self-fertile varieties, so it is not necessary to grow more than one if you are short on space. They are perfect for providing shade in which to sit plants as well as to grow shade-loving plants. They are really a large bush, rather than a tree, growing to no more than about 4m/13ft high, which makes them suitable for a small garden, unlike many of the other nut trees. Continue reading
Nothing beats eating fresh peas straight out the pod on a summers days. You can sow your peas in a cold frame in autumn or straight into the ground in spring. The soil will need to be warm though as peas will rot in cold wet soil, so if you want an early crop cover the soil beforehand to warm it up. Continue reading
Home grown tomatoes taste so much better than the supermarket tomatoes and they are easy to grow in any garden as long as its in a warm sheltered spot. They can be grown indoors, a greenhouse, containers and hanging baskets, or outdoors so it’s important to choose the correct variety for where you want to grow them. Continue reading
Carrots are one of the easiest crops to grow. Carrots come in two different varieties; early and maincrop. Early varieties are ready within 12 weeks while the maincrop varieties are ready within 16, however the maincrop varieties are better for storage. Continue reading
Potatoes are probably one of the easiest vegetables to grow. They can be grown in an type of soil even containers if you’re short of space. However before you can begin, you must choose the variety you want to grow and whether you want to grow first or second early, or maincrop potatoes.
First early potatoes are ideal if you want to harvest them a little quicker or short of space. They are normally ready to harvest within 8-10 weeks depending on the variety you decide to grow. They are also less likely to encounter pests and diseases. Second earlies can be harvested roughly 16 weeks after planting, usually from late June and into August. Maincrop potatoes are ready to harvest after 18 weeks from planting. Maincrop potatoes generally take up more space but are ideal for storage. Continue reading
Originally from South America, where they have been part of the staple diet for centuries, pumpkins are extremely popular in North America, and it is from there that their recent revival in Britain has come. They are, in fact, winter squashes but are frequently separated from the other members of the family simply on grounds of their size and uses. The distinctive name of pumpkin is usually given to the large, round winter squashes. Continue reading
Grapes have long been appreciated, not only as fresh fruit, but also for making wine. Varieties of white or black grapes are specially selected for their purpose, and growing grapes for wine-making in particular is a very specialized business. Soil and weather conditions as well as choice of variety or varieties can make all the difference. If there ever was a case for checking what other gardeners in your area are doing, this is it. Continue reading