Overwintered beets can produce prodigious amounts of seed List of Biennial Vegetables Botanically speaking, biennials are plants that grow one season and bloom the following spring after a period of winter chilling.
Black polythene is very effective for this. The weedy strip is ground that hasn't been mulched, while the clear ground either side beautifully demonstrates how a thick layer of mulch keeps weeds away and the ground nice and clean.
But the answer is right there in your garden! Grass clippings make excellent mulch at a time when other mulching materials may be in short supply. Sawdust should be used with care, as if used fresh it can mat together and make it hard for water to permeate.
By midsummer, the structure that underpins a terraced vegetable garden disappears as it is overrun by exuberant plants. In this way, retaining logs or boards have what you might call a hugelkultur effect.
Get Ready for Planting Garlic Finally, it's never too soon to get ready to plant garlic, which deserves loose, deeply dug soil that has been generously amended with compost. By the time planting day comes, the soil will be as crumbly as chocolate cake.
Ripening Green Tomatoes on the Plant Towards the end of the season the race is on to bring home the final fruits before cool weather closes the window of opportunity. Remove the cover during the day or leave it in place if it is forecast to remain cold.
Here, then, are some top tips to keep those pickings coming... And if you're heading away from home for more than a week, encourage your neighbors to harvest them – they'll get free food and you'll come home to continued pickings! Keep picking to keep...
If codling moths on your apples are a problem, you can use sandwich bags to make the fruits inaccessible. A bug spray massacres pests. No food gardener's armory is complete without a length of fine mesh netting.
And with a little planning it's even possible to enjoy cabbages year round, by planting a carefully curated succession of varieties suited to each season. A bed improved with compost or well-rotted manure is ideal for these hungry feeders, who will appreciate...
Permanently positioned garden seating looks fantastic when it's visually anchored. Avid gardeners are busy gardeners. Easy DIY Drinks Cooler On hot summer days don't forget to quench your thirst with all manner of smoothies, cordials and lemonades made...
Asian radishes grow slower than little salad radishes, so they are best planted about eight weeks before your first frost date. Watermelon radishes provide a unique color in the kitchen that's welcome in salads, sandwiches and sushi Thin slices of watermelon...
As you'd expect, there are many thousands of chutney recipes. I love my trusty dehydrator and use greaseproof sheets to make fruit leathers . The exact length of time required to blanch your vegetables depends on the type of vegetable.
Rutabaga seeds sprout quickly, with shade-grown seedlings ready to transplant in only three weeks. The most stalwart members of the turnip tribe, rutabagas are a rustic cross between wild turnip and cultivated cabbage that came about in Scandinavia, Russia...
Once the plant displays its fluffy seed heads, pull it out of the ground and hang it upside down indoors to dry. Especially suitable candidates include peas and beans, tomatoes, peppers and lettuce, which can all be saved at the same time they are harvested...
Don't use a wound paint or wrap to try and seal the wound. Plants Related to this Article Plum (Dwarf) Grow Guide Plum (Large) Grow Guide < All Guides They look like they've been used for shotgun target practice, giving the disease its alternative name...
Dried chilies are just as versatile as fresh chilies. They're incredibly easy to make and they can look just stunning. To speed drying, and ensure a thorough job, start by splitting the just-picked chili peppers in two lengthways.
Now lay the mulch so it's at least an inch (2cm) thick around your plants. Once you're done sowing, cover the seeds back over but don't water again until after germination. Concentrate your watering where it's needed: young seedlings to help them establish,...
You can also protect plants against light frosts by wrapping the container in layers of corrugated cardboard or bubble wrap. Harvesting and Storing Second Crop Potatoes The moment of truth is when the foliage starts to turn yellow and die back.
It also stops trees from cropping heavily one year, only to produce very few fruits the next – a phenomenon known as biennial bearing. Aim to leave one fruit every couple of inches (5-8cm), or if it's easier, one pair of plums every six inches (15cm).
Then, when the eggs hatch, the young Encarsia feed on the larvae from the inside out. Here are five tactical techniques to help you banish the bugs: 1. And it gets worse. They need a relatively warm temperature of at least 21°C (70°F) and can really...
Position Full sun. Companions Beet, Chamomile, Carrot, Strawberry, Lettuce, Chinese Cabbage and Cabbage. Crop Rotation Group Allium (Onion family) ● Soil Fertile, well drained soil with compost dug in.
Damage: Striped cucumber beetles emerge in late spring and immediately begin feeding on cucumber, melon and squash seedlings. Preventing Problems: Plants including buckwheat, borage, catnip and radishes attract numerous beneficial that can help control...
A fresh crop of plants can be planted in late summer for bloom in the fall. Notes Borage seedlings are only edible when very young. Position A sunny spot where bumblebees and other large pollinators are desired.
They lay eggs at the base of onion plants, and the larvae tunnel into onion roots. Frequently the plant will break off as you pull it from the ground. Managing Outbreaks: Remove badly damaged plants, as the maggots can move from one plant to another.
Spacing Single Plants: 2' 11" (90cm) each way (minimum) Rows: 2' 11" (90cm) with 2' 11" (90cm) row gap (minimum) Sow and Plant Start with a purchased plant, or start seeds indoors and set out seedlings two to four weeks before your last frost.
Frost tolerant A cold-hardy perennial, lemon balm can survive temperatures to -20F (-30C). Spacing Single Plants: 1' 11" (60cm) each way (minimum) Rows: 1' 11" (60cm) with 1' 11" (60cm) row gap (minimum) Sow and Plant Start with a purchased plant, or...
In less than full sun, tulip blossoms will twist toward the strongest directional light. Allow 4in (10cm) between bulbs of miniature tulips, and 6in (15cm) between taller varieties.
