Sow sweet peas indoors from October to November. Soften the seed coat, by putting the seeds on a layer of kitchen towel on a dinner plate, put another layer on top. Dampen the towel, drain off excess water and sow as soon as they begin to swell or sprout, usually after about 48 hours. Those […]
My greenhouse year started late this year and i am only just starting to celebrate the arrival of the aubergines, but what aubergines. They are fat, black and shiny, and their bottoms are good and wide. This is aubergine ‘Ronde de Valence’, though ours have so far come out more triangular than round. Those fruits […]
We all want to do our bit for reducing what we send to landfill and recycling as much as we can. Transforming our kitchen (and some garden) waste into a rich soil conditioner ticks so many boxes for eco warriors and natural gardeners, but it’s rare to find the right information so that you select […]
A simple, radical idea to protect global biodiversity – keep half of the earth for us, and give half back to nature – could take root in our gardens and allotments. Some ideas grab us gently by the throat and just won’t let go. The philosophy behind an idea, together with its aims and goals, […]
I can’t quite believe that I’ve been at Spring Cottage for twelve years. It took me five years to get to the stage when I felt happy with the garden, but now I’ve realised that I’ve got to start again in some areas because some plants are definitely past their best. I’m not a garden […]
The quintessential greenhouse flower is Gloxinia. This tropically splendid beauty produces wonderful displays of luxuriant blooms. Each large almost wineglass shaped flower has fleshy petals with a velvety sheen. As the petals fade the flower drops leaving an attractive star shaped calyx. These were discovered in Brazil and South America and introduced to our Greenhouses, […]
When it is warm and sunny, sow trays, pots or old growing bags with ‘cut and come again crops’ to harvest through autumn and into winter, think land cress, oriental salads, like pak choi, mizuna and mibuna greens plus lettuce, lamb’s lettuce, chicory and radish. You can also use what’s left in the packets from […]
Jean Vernon defends gardeners against the summertime accusation of wasting water We’ve had a lovely spell of hot weather this summer, which in some areas has led to a hosepipe ban and as usual the finger of blame, is pointed at the gardener. Well I beg to differ. I disagree strongly and I want to […]
We are living in a global greenhouse, but our garden media is still cool on climate breakdown, and even cooler on its causes. It’s time to cultivate some candour. Mine ought to be amongst the most joyous, stress-free jobs in the world: days spent waxing away with words about the satisfaction, enrichment and contentment that […]
One of the things I use my greenhouse for is raising annuals every spring. One of my very favourites is the marigold because it flowers right through summer until the first frosts. The flowers come in sunny shades of mahogany-red, orange and warm-yellow and these colours attract hoverflies and pollen beetles. The hoverflies look like […]
In and out of the greenhouse, this is the year of the courgettes. That is, if you can keep them watered. Courgettes are always producing madly at this time of year but the seemingly endless heat is seeing mine pumping out fruits as fast as I can pick them. The watering really has been quite […]
With gorgeous sky blue flowers all of summer the Blue Spider-wort is an ideal plant for a cool greenhouse. True it’s a tad lax and can flop if not supported and the waist high stems of lanceolate leaves are not exactly stunning. However continuous displays of gentian blue flowers redeems all. As these lovely blooms […]
