Spread over many seasons, the initial purchase becomes very low indeed. It's essential to make sure that no weedkiller has been used on the grass, as any residues may harm your crops.
This is one of the little quirks you learn from gardening on a slope. Very steep slopes that require steps to navigate need beds that sit atop one another and must be maintained from the sides, while more moderate slopes can include pathways between shallower...
Cool-season cover crops are a beautiful and bioactive way to increase your soil's organic matter content during the off season, and you won't need a tractor to chop down the plants when the time comes.
Ripening will always be more effective when the fruits are left on the plant. There are some reliable methods to ripen green tomatoes at the end of the season. Another complication is wind, which here in the British Isles becomes increasingly present...
Remove covers during the day to enable pollination, then replace it in the evening to provide a little warmth and protection against lower temperatures. And if you're heading away from home for more than a week, encourage your neighbors to harvest them...
A pest is just a creature that likes the same food we do, so show some tolerance, protect what crops you can, and use nature's own balancing system to ensure your crop doesn't get munched before you have time to harvest it.
How to Sow Cabbage Cabbages may be started off in an outdoor seedbed to transplant once they're bigger, or under cover into modules or pots, which also enables an earlier start to the season.
Position it somewhere you can easily hear it so it becomes a relaxing backdrop as you go about your business. But a few carefully placed lights, turned on when outside, can transform a daytime garden into a nighttime wonderland.
There are many ways to enjoy the “little ginseng” of the vegetable world. The leaves are thin, smooth and hairless compared to other radishes, with attractive red stems. Warm soil temperatures promote fast germination, so the seeds will be up and...
Have you tried bottling, preserving in vinegar, flavoring oils or making your own fruit liqueurs? The exact length of time required to blanch your vegetables depends on the type of vegetable.
See my Miraculous Micronutrients article for more information on using boron in the vegetable garden. Should insects become an issue, you can always cover the plants with a barrier of tulle or another lightweight row cover.
Saving these vegetable seeds isn't challenging and it's amazing how many seeds you can get from just a few plants. Seeds should be stored in paper envelopes labeled with the variety and date.
Make pruning cuts to an upward-facing bud to prevent branches from drooping too much when heavy with fruit Some plum varieties, like ‘Victoria', tend to grow branches that spread outwards horizontally.
The knot will support the first chili so it needs to be a good size so it won't drop off. Keep them whole or halved for dropping into spicy homemade curries, or pulverise them first – in the food processor or with the end of a weighty rolling pin (somewhat...
Once you're done sowing, cover the seeds back over but don't water again until after germination. If you can offer any further tips or advice, please go ahead and share them in the comments section below.
Potato foliage can be kept snug with an insulating layer of fleece, removed during the day to allow maximum sunlight penetration. Apply an occasional feed of liquid fertilizer ( home-made fertilizers are great for this purpose).
Thin fruits clusters to two fruits, so there's around 4-6 inches (10-15cm) between fruits. Many tree fruits, including apples and pears, naturally thin their fruits in early summer during the so-called June drop .
You can buy sticky traps, or make your own. Whitefly love the color yellow and will flock to the cards, only to get stuck and meet their end. They will attack plants growing outdoors as well as in the greenhouse.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area. Remove infested plants. Feeding Not normally required. Frost tolerant Yes. Troubleshooting Onion root maggots can cause plants to collapse.
Managing Outbreaks: Striped cucumber beetles are difficult to hand pick because they are small and prone to flying away. You can also try growing varieties like ‘Little Leaf' and slicing cucumbers, which lack the bitter gene and are less attractive...
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area. Harvesting Cut back borage plants by half their size in midsummer to encourage reblooming.
Companions Echinacea, Catnip, Agastache and Dill. Frost tolerant Extremely cold hardy, even in harsh winter climates. Dried valerian roots are used to make a bedtime tea that promotes sleep.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area. Troubleshooting Control lemon balm's spread by cutting back flowering stems in late summer.
Hot pepper sprays help to deter these nibblers. Clear primary colors create a festive effect in a mixed planting. Planting tulips behind daylilies or other summer-blooming perennials hides the fading foliage from view.
In midsummer, drench plants with a liquid plant food to stimulate new growth. Frost tolerant None. Harvesting Snip off spent blossoms to keep plants looking neat, and to prolong flowering.
Spacing Single Plants: 1' 7" (50cm) each way (minimum) Rows: 1' 5" (45cm) with 1' 11" (60cm) row gap (minimum) Sow and Plant Start seedlings indoors or start with purchased plants.
