We typically make two sowings of French beans and sweetcorn, although we are making three of the latter this year. The first batch of French beans will be grown under cover for an early crop. For this purpose a dwarf bean is ideal. We are growing Beurre de Rocquencourt, a very nice yellow podded bean.… Continue reading Sowing sweetcorn and French beans
Category: Varieties
Spring sowing – winter squash, melons, alpine strawberries, seakale, and assorted herbs
Although I started the summer squash and cucumbers rather early this year, April is a more sensible month in which to sow. I waited a little longer to start the winter squash and melons. The melons are destined for the cold frames, but really do not like cold conditions. The winter squash will be planted… Continue reading Spring sowing – winter squash, melons, alpine strawberries, seakale, and assorted herbs
Sowing in March – cucumbers and summer squash
Summer squash and cucumbers can be sown from mid to late spring. Sowing in May is entirely reasonable. I started these a bit early, though, as I often do, in late March. This is only a sensible proposition if the plants can be kept warm and moved on into larger pots as they develop. I… Continue reading Sowing in March – cucumbers and summer squash
Planting bare root strawberries
I have mixed feelings towards the strawberry. I rarely enjoy processed strawberries – such as in jams, compotes, cheesecake, and so on. Fresh strawberries vary greatly. Not so many years ago one would struggle to find a strawberry in the greengrocer or supermarket that had much flavour, at least according to my taste. Things have… Continue reading Planting bare root strawberries
Planting and pruning fruit bushes
Work on our new fruit cage continues with the planting of various fruit bushes: currants, gooseberries, and a Japanese wineberry. Although we do not have as much space in the new cage, we have chosen some of our favourites of the soft fruit to grow here whilst dropping some of those that we were less… Continue reading Planting and pruning fruit bushes
Planting stone fruits for fan training
Following the renovations to our kitchen garden we have new lengths of east facing and north facing fence. Boundary walls or fences are ideal for planting trained fruit, providing a harvest whilst taking up little space. If walls are available they offer further advantages, warming up during the day and slowly releasing stored heat during… Continue reading Planting stone fruits for fan training
Last sowing of February
February is still early in the new gardening season but it is always nice to set a mixture of seed and try to get a head start on things, and, if a little protection can be offered – from propagators, cold frames, greenhouses or polytunnels, for example – then often these early sowings will succeed… Continue reading Last sowing of February
Second sowing in February
Sowing continued today with a couple of the more tricky seeds – parsley and celeriac – along with some leeks and lettuce. Parsley is somewhat erratic in germination. Although it does not mind the cold, it will germinate better in warm conditions. We sowed four small pots with plenty of seed to allow for failures… Continue reading Second sowing in February
Planting blueberries
Just before Christmas we started to stock our new fruit cage with soft fruit, planting four varieties of raspberry. We have since added five sweet cherries that we are planning to train in something like the UFO (Upright Fruiting Offshoots) method. This week we continued the process by planting five young blueberry bushes. Blueberries favour… Continue reading Planting blueberries
Sowing early carrots in pots
Carrots do not need much warmth to start germinating and begin to grow, but it is still too early to sow into the vegetable beds. Even though they have been covered with black weed fabric, which will help the soil to warm more quickly, it will be a while yet before the soil is suitable… Continue reading Sowing early carrots in pots