All cacti are succulents but not all succulents are cacti! They combine to form a remarkable group that flourishes in deserts, one of the most hostile environments in the world. However, not all bask in hot dry conditions, a few prefer rainforest conditions, living in the upper branches of trees where high evaporation rates and […]
Madeira, a jewel in the Atlantic with a balmy, maritime climate, is known as the ‘Island of flowers‘ and every year, particularly in early spring, British gardeners arrive on its shores to savour the joys of landscapes awash with wild flowers and gardens burgeoning with blooms. The major town, Funchal, (so called because early Portugese […]
Growing vegetables in raised beds, a technique developed centuries ago in Asia, is the perfect way to make small domestic plots productive. There are many tempting advantages; the soil warms earlier in spring, extending the growing season, they are easier to maintain as you don‘t have to bend to ground level, crops are sown closer […]
As the first autumn catalogues arrive through the letterbox, it‘s time to order seeds for autumn and winter vegetables. Most gardeners close down the green house in winter, using it only to protect tender plants in a frost free environment. Don‘t limit your options, it‘s a great opportunity to grow salads in cool, frost free […]
We‘re past mid-summer and the erratic spring weather that overstayed its welcome has been replaced by a spell of high temperatures and traditional thunderstorms. All of the lovely rainwater is too good to waste so I‘ve somewhat belatedly added water butts to the down pipes on the greenhouse. There‘s a range of designs on the […]
Go away in May, pay for it in June! This could easily be a tempting advertising slogan, instead it expresses my frustrations perfectly. After sailing around the Baltic leading a gardening cruise for two weeks I returned to find that heavy rain interspersed with frost and strong winds had taken its toll on both greenhouse […]
In the past I worked in the Palm, Temperate and Alpine House‘s at Kew and although they are among the globe‘s greatest greenhouses, there‘s nothing like one of your own. Now, at last I‘ve got it! As a student at Kew, I often stared over a yard with a Hartley House when lectures became a […]
By the end of February you should be thinking about ‘chitting’ your potatoes. ‘Chitting’ or sprouting first or second early potatoes by allowing several shoots to develop before planting, encourages faster growth, heavier crops and is a way of beating the weather. Timing is the key – start them off about six weeks before the […]
To misquote John Cleese; ‘Don’t mention the rain’! It has been the most extraordinary year for precipitation; it started as soon as the hosepipe ban was announced. Low temperatures and lack of sunshine, has meant plant growth has often been at a standstill. Normally restricted growth forms of gooseberries, redcurrants and apples, like fans and […]
Alpine plants often rot in damp, cool temperate climates, with succulents and rosette plants the most vulnerable. Protect them from rain and provide good ventilation by laying a sheet of Perspex or glass, supported by a couple of bricks or a cloche, over the plants keeping it well away from the foliage. Ideally they should […]
Apart from the few days of summer last month we spent most of last month in low light, constant rain and chilling winds, so the ground is still too cold and wet for sowing crops directly and will be for a while yet, so thank goodness there is plenty to do in the greenhouse. Seeds […]
‘Hardening off’ is the process of acclimatising plants which have been grown indoors, until they become robust enough to grow outdoors for the summer like bedding plants, ornamental or vegetable seedlings propagated in the greenhouse and tender or half hardy plants, like Fuschias and dahlias, which have been protected through the winter. It usually takes […]
