How To Grow Autumn-Planting Garlic
Planting autumn garlic from October to January will provide you with a crop from May to July next year. A member of the onion family, garlic is a staple of…
How to make your own compost – and why we all should
As any gardener will tell you, the compost heap is the beating heart of a garden. The cherished ‘black gold’ is essential for the health of your garden and plants;…
How to Plant Spring Bulbs
The appearance of early spring flowers is when many of us breathe a sigh of relief. The dark days of winter are nearly over. Be they dancing daffodils, pure snowdrops…
Preserving Surplus Crops
Much of what we grow is best eaten fresh. Often, cherry tomatoes or sugar snap peas don’t even make it as far as the kitchen, and ripe sweetcorn cobs go…
June on the Allotment Garden
By Richard Chivers The weather has just been glorious over the last few weeks. I can’t remember the last time I’ve worn shorts as often!
March on the Allotment Garden
By Richard Chivers For gardeners, the arrival of March arouses a sensation others savour only at Christmas. Winter is always a long season for us allotmenteers. Dark, cold and when…
Chitting Potatoes – Is it Necessary?
On the subject of potatoes, one of the questions we are most frequently asked is whether chitting is necessary. Our response is that first early and second early varieties should…
How to keep your vegetables thriving in a heatwave
Keeping our vegetable gardens or allotments alive and thriving during the worst that summer can throw at it can feel like a battle. With UK temperatures hitting record highs during…
Allotment Jobs for May
May is a busy time in the allotment or veg patch. With temperatures rising, plants are growing apace and need more and more attention with watering, hardening off, potting up…
Top Winter Vegetables: Best Hardy Varieties to Grow
Many of us grow an abundance of wonderful crops for harvesting over summer and autumn. In the meantime, winter vegetables are too often overlooked! However, there is no reason you…