There are two types or sub-species of garlic, softneck and hardneck. So which is best for you? Softneck (Allium sativum var. sativum) • Produces more cloves than hardneck but they are smaller • Stores better than hardneck • Not as hardy as hardneck (can be grown in autumn or spring […]
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They may not be the fastest veg to grow but they are well worth the effort – the aroma of freshly pulled carrots and fresh to the plate is a joy not to be missed. Oh dear, but what are those black streaks? These are the tell-tale sings of carrot […]
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We grew lots of sweet peppers in the polytunnel this year – wonderful crop! Grown undercover in pots, they don’t need much attention apart from watering, feeding with tomato food (when the flowers arrive) and making sure you pot them onto larger pots as they grow – this is because […]
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If you cherish your gooseberry crop, keep an eye out for gooseberry sawfly, which can devastate the foliage on your gooseberry bush. They first thing you’ll notice is that the foliage will start to disappear and then when you look underneath remaining leaves you will see little green caterpillars with […]
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The tips of broad bean plants are something of a magnet for blackfly (black aphids). These will cause stunted growth and affect the quality of the pods. So what can you do about it? 1. Prevention. When the flowers on the plant start to set (produce pods) at the bottom […]
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If you want to grow broad beans, when is the best time to sow them? The answer, of course, is it depends. Autumn Sowing • If you sow in October/November you will have an earlier crop than those sown in spring (estimated 30 weeks from sowing). The plants are also […]
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Chilli peppers are wonderful plants and there are lots and lots of varieties, coming in all different shapes, sizes and degrees of heat. They can make great ornamental plants too! However, people sometimes wonder why their chillies don’t do so well. Here are a few tips: • Chilli seeds need […]
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