Hartley Magazine

All the latest news, hints, tips and advice from our experts

Written in United States

Greenhouse Heating. Part 1: Power Source Choices

In New England, heating a greenhouse in winter makes the difference between being able to grow citrus trees or tropical herbs and flowers versus growing only plants that can tolerate cold and even an occasional freeze. For many greenhouse owners in northern climates, growing the tropical and semi-tropical options is just too tempting. This means […]

What’s the difference between Compost and compost?

Are you confused about compost? Jean Vernon unravels the mystery If you watched the ITV documentary last month about garden centres, you could be forgiven for being confused about compost. In fact compost is one of the most misunderstood subjects in gardening and that’s mostly because of what we call it. There are two totally […]

Written in United States

Fruits in the garden and greenhouse

The other day I almost picked a quince. It was an incidental quince:  The Japanese flowering quince shrub it was growing on had been planted for stunning coral-and-white spring flowers, not for fruit. However, the plant hadn’t gotten that memo and had developed half a dozen substantial, apple-like fruits anyway. Unfortunately, the shrub wasn’t mine, […]

Written in United States

Grade your garden – new plants go to the top of the class

At this back-to-school season, it’s time to study—what gets an A in your garden and greenhouse, and what rates an F? Take notes on both the perfect and the problem areas. Then you can hunt for plants that fit into these two categories. If, say, your foxgloves were a glory, find more for next year. […]

Frangipani; marzipan, vanilla, honey and jasmine

Ideally you need a warm sunny greenhouse for Plumeria to thrive for if you keep these happy they’ll reward you with months of the most delicious blooms each so heavily perfumed you almost want to eat them (please don’t, they’re likely poisonous). Their common name Frangipani was taken from an Italian Renaissance nobleman who blended […]

Time to harvest and sow

Aubergines and tomatoes that have finished cropping, as some of mine have, can be composted, creating more space in the greenhouse border and between pots on the bench, admitting more sunlight and improving air circulation around the plants that remain. Early in the month, remove individual leaves around aubergines, peppers and cucumbers and continue feeding […]