Keep compost heaps and potting mixes covered to prevent blown-in seeds from settling. To outwit weeds you'll need to wage a concerted campaign on several fronts, but it can be done, and without resorting to weedkillers.
It can take two years or even longer for leaves to rot down enough to be considered leafmold. Best of all, mulch can be made – for free! – in your own garden. When dug in, they are said to ‘rob' nitrogen from the soil as they rot down.
I have been gardening on a slope for more than 10 years, and every season I learn a little more about the hillside and its potential. It's like being on a stair-step machine sometimes but you get used to it, which may be one of the reasons why living...
The legumes germinate best while the soil is still warm, so they are usually planted in September. There are dozens of cold-tolerant species from which to choose, or you can use a cover crop blend offered by your favorite seed company - a great way to...
Simply lay these soft-skinned beauties, stem-side down and not touching, between two layers of breathable linen. Tomatoes, for example, need a minimum temperature of 10°C (50°F) to fully develop.
Top Up Mulches for A Nutrient Boost Mulches of organic material applied earlier in the season may now be looking a little scant. Prune to Let the Sunshine In Strong growth over the summer months can mean that taller plants cast shade where they didn't...
Make sure your garden provides year-round shelter for allies such as frogs, toads, insect-eating birds and beneficial insects such as ladybugs and hoverflies. Or, if you keep chickens let them search and destroy for you! Healthy soil helps to make your...
Harvest cabbages once the heads have firmed up How to Harvest Cabbage Use a sharp knife to cut your cabbages once the heads have firmed up. Sow two to three seeds per cell about half an inch (1cm) deep.
Well-considered seating is the answer. If you're patient, why not lay down plans for a country wine or two? Bamboo adds gentle sound and movement to the garden An Evening Outdoor Retreat What remains of the warmer evenings may be enhanced with a little...
The popularity of purple daikons is growing fast, so don't be surprised to see ‘Sweet Baby' and other purple daikon radishes at local farmers markets later this fall. Wonderful Watermelon Radishes The round radishes with red interiors called watermelon...
Ideally chutneys should be left to mature for at least four months before serving – just long enough to make a batch in summer for giving at Christmas. Place them into a pan with your spices, plus sugar and vinegar.
By any name, they are a top storage crop to grow in the fall garden. The best rutabagas are harvested from cool soil after autumn leaves start to fall. Thin direct-sown rutabagas gradually to at least 8 inches (20cm) apart.
You'll be able to see and feel the beans swelling within their pods. Spread them out onto newspaper to dry out on a warm windowsill for seven to ten days. But if you need the space, you can hurry things along by cutting the heads a little earlier.
These issues are heartbreaking when they occur, but the good news is they can usually be avoided by carefully performing one simple annual maintenance task: summer pruning. Summer Pruning Plum Trees Thinning fruits can be regarded as the first stage of...
Well, after plenty of careful nurturing and a recent run of fine, warm weather, I'm delighted to say my first chilies are ready for picking. Once all of your chilies are threaded on, tie off the line to make a loop.
Now lay the mulch so it's at least an inch (2cm) thick around your plants. They'll all save you time while ensuring your plants stay in the best condition possible. Suspend it over plants to help them keep their cool.
Potatoes need a period of dormancy before they can sprout into a new plant, so in this case you really will need to start with genuine seed potatoes. You can save your own seed potatoes for second cropping by keeping some of your spring seeds back.
Plums are notorious for over-producing – with often-disastrous results. Finally, continue thinning until the fruits are evenly spaced, leaving only the biggest and healthiest. It sounds counterintuitive, but there's logic behind this apparent madness...
Organic insecticidal soap. Flowers and flowering herbs such as calendula , thistles, oregano, fennel, parsley, poached egg plant and buckwheat are all easy to grow and will draw in whitefly-eating predators by the crowd.
Some varieties bloom rose-red or orange. Crop Rotation Group Miscellaneous ● Soil Average garden soil with excellent drainage. The tall, arching flower spikes of agastache contrast beautifully with shorter, mound-forming flowers like alyssum or petunias.
Troubleshooting Onion root maggots can cause plants to collapse. In clay soil, use raised beds or rows. Position Full sun. If storing shallots, cure in a dry place for 10 days after pulling the plants.
The foliage can be gathered and composted. Crop Rotation Group Miscellaneous ● Soil Any average, well drained soil. A good companion for any crop that needs strong defense from insects.
Gather them for use as cut flowers to keep valerian from reseeding and becoming invasive. Feeding Not generally needed. After two years, valerian will grow into a 18" (45 cm) wide clump.
Allow 4in (10cm) between bulbs of miniature tulips, and 6in (15cm) between taller varieties. In less than full sun, tulip blossoms will twist toward the strongest directional light.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area. Feeding Mix a light application of a balanced organic fertilizer into the soil prior to planting.
Spacing Single Plants: 7" (20cm) each way (minimum) Rows: 7" (20cm) with 11" (30cm) row gap (minimum) Sow and Plant Sow direct into soil, and cover the seeded bed or furrow with a board to keep it moist.
Healthy hazel trees will bear twenty years or more. Crop Rotation Group Miscellaneous ● Soil Prefers well-drained loamy or sandy soil. Corridors within the orchard that are planted with clovers and other legumes contribute to soil fertility and attract...
