It is important to ‘harden off’ or acclimatising greenhouse grown plants to outdoor conditions before finally planting them out. Move them straight from greenhouse to garden and they can suffer from shock, particularly in cooler weather; most recover but it checks growth, causes yellowing and some vegetables may ‘bolt’ or run to seed. ‘Hardening off’ […]
It’s a good time to repot citrus just before they start into growth. To keep my lemon tree at a manageable size, the old compost is teased gently from the roots, which are then trimmed back by about 1/3 and repotted into peat free John Innes no 2 mixed with 20% horticultural grit for drainage. […]
There are two important jobs for the greenhouse at this time of year. From February onwards, it’s time to sprout (or ‘chit’) first and second early potatoes and sowing tender, long season crops like tomatoes. Gardeners’ ‘chit’ potatoes so they are already growing when planted, – it’s a chance to get ahead. The technique is […]
If you didn’t sow your broad beans last autumn, January is the ideal time to get sow seeds in the greenhouse for an early harvest. Sow them on edge 5-8cm apart and 2.5cm deep in deep trays of peat free multipurpose compost or individually in 7.5cm small pots. Put them in a cool frost-free greenhouse […]
Start Amaryllis bulbs into growth, watering sparingly at first; just trickle a little tepid water around the bulb, then increase the amount as growth appears. Once they are actively growing, keep them constantly moist but not waterlogged and take care not to get the growth tip wet. They need temperatures around 20C so move them […]
Victorian gardeners ‘forced’ mint for Christmas for garnish, adding to roast vegetables during and after cooking and at the same time took the opportunity to repot their pots of mint. Pot grown mint should be divided and re-potted every couple of years. Growing in pots preferable because it can spread and become a weed; if […]
Now that the weather is starting become distinctly autumnal, it’s time to pick your last tomatoes and ripen them on the windowsill or greenhouse. Some green, blemish free fruit can be stored in a cool drawer, to be ripened in the fruit-bowl or in a paper bag with an over ripe banana, as needed during […]
Ventilate the Greenhouse on warm days but reduce this when temperatures drop later in the month and the amount of shading, so crops ripen and to avoid problems with grey mould caused by damp air and cooler nights. Before bringing plants in for overwintering check them for pests and diseases, and treat accordingly. Red spider […]
It’s time to sow Fennel, oriental vegetables like mizuna greens and Pak Choi, rocket, coriander dill, spinach, claytonia and land cress in modules as soon as you can. These will germinate quickly and can be planted out by mid-August for cropping in autumn. Continue sowing ‘cut and come again’ crops like mixed herbs, in pots, […]
While temperatures remain high, watering and ventilation are top of the list. Open vents early in the morning, as temperatures in the greenhouse soon rise (shading should be in place by now), water preferably in the evening or early morning and check plants several times a day to ensure that they don’t dry out. Consider […]
The erratic weather continues to preoccupy our gardening thoughts, with hot sunshine and cold drying winds over much of UK and barely enough rain, in most areas, to top up the water butt. Check your pots twice a day and water if necessary, make sure tomatoes are moist. Erratic watering causes fruit splitting. Pinch out […]
The weather has been strange this spring, with low temperatures and chilling winds, punctuated by hot days. Gardeners are used to erratic conditions, for sure, but this spring has been very odd. One interesting feature is that drought and dry cold wind have meant the best slug free hostas in the garden for years and […]
