Perfect for the warm greenhouse or conservatory or even as a houseplant in a warm light window The Croton is actually a Codiaeum. The genus Croton are different plants although both are in the Euphorbiaceae. There are only a few species of Codiaeum and in cultivation you almost always find a plant to be Codiaeum […]
There is an easier middle way between the effort of traditional composting and the specialised requirements of a wormery: invite the worms into your regular bin, and let them do the work. Of all the ongoing experiments and trials in my garden, the longest-running, most revealing and ultimately most fruitful are those around compost-making. I’m […]
There are few crops that store so well that you can eat them right up until next year’s sowing time, but winter squash is one. The squash that I sowed at this time last year, grew on in my greenhouse, planted out in early summer and harvested in autumn are still in perfectly good nick. […]
Has the world gone bonkers? Are we totally brainwashed by capitalist adaptations of age-old celebrations? Think Valentines Day? And you may just start to understand where I’m coming from, but it’s not the only hijacked ‘festival’ in our calendar. Don’t get me started on Christmas and Easter! Everywhere you look at the moment are adverts […]
Prune Wysteria should be pruned now, as they will bleed if left too late Hardy evergreen hedges Conservatory climbers should be pruned back before birds begin nesting Any winter flowering shrubs which have finished flowering Apple and pear trees should be pruned by the end of February Plant Roses can now be planted – if […]
Long term greenhouse crops like peppers, chillies and aubergines, taking up to five months to mature, should be sown this month. The third week in February is ideal, mid March is fine; by the first week in April, you are pushing your luck! Water the surface of a 10cm pot of multipurpose compost with a […]
