The Marvel of Peru, the Four o clock or Tea time plant, Mirabilis jalapa was a great favourite in Victorian times but seldom known now. Which is a shame as it is one of the prettiest and most reliable performers you could try, and once got going almost bomb-proof. You see although you may occasionally […]
Just when you have learnt to spell these, they move them to Delosperma, Dorotheanthus, Carpobrotus or Lampranthus. But does it matter as these are still Mesembryanthemaceae, or are they now called Azoiceae? Anyway this huge group includes many succulent genus including the almost cacti-like Lithops, Living Stones, and the really weird finger like Dactylopsis digitata. […]
At long last winter has relaxed its icy grip, for a few days at least! Temperatures plunged to -10C in this part of Hertfordshire and have been much lower in other parts of Britain, on what is the coldest December on record. I hope that your greenhouse heater didn’t break down at a critical time. […]
One of the most important considerations when growing plants is the quality of the medium that you grow them in and that is just as relevant in a greenhouse as outside in the garden. In the greenhouse our plants are either nurtured in pots of compost and/ or grown on in border soil. Generally the […]
In the depths of winter there is only so much ‘greenhouse gardening’ that can occur. But there is one crop that can be started now in an unheated greenhouse that is not only a very lucrative plant to grow but it is also very educational too. Garlic is one of the few vegetables grown today […]
At first glance some may not think of aubergines or egg-plants as much more than novel foreign vegetables useful for bulking out tastier ingredients. And indeed the supermarket is the only way many are acquainted with these as relatively few gardeners grow them. Closely related to tomatoes, peppers and potatoes these solanum fruits were long […]
This is the month when temperatures dip so you need to protect cold frames and cloches with insulation, winter crops like lambs lettuce are certainly hardy enough to survive but added protection will certainly increase their quality. Open the vents in your greenhouse as long as possible on mild sunny days, shutting them down before […]
You may know of the giant water lily, Victoria regia /amazonica. The remarkably rigid structure of the leaves with their upturned rims and interlaced ribs makes these stiff enough to support a child. They gave Paxton his idea for the iron framework of the Crystal Palace. Unfortunately apart from needing more than considerable warmth this […]
One thing that seems to preoccupies us even more than ever, is the weather. Rather than global warming, we seem to be confronted by erratic weather patterns – more of a climate change. Several nights in October were the coldest ever recorded yet in the first week in November, parts of the UK are expecting […]
Apart from a few hard frosts so far the temperature hasn’t plummeted too far in my greenhouse. That means that the salads and herbs that are languishing in the protected environment of the glasshouse are still producing new leaves to eat. As winter approaches every sprout and shoot grown inside the greenhouse becomes more and […]
Many parts of Britain have already experienced their first frosts – they were even recorded in Devon on the third week in September, according to Anne Swithinbank. It was a gentle reminder that we must be ready for harsher weather which will be on its way, as we edge further into October. I‘m waiting to […]
When it comes to making the most of your garden and greenhouse you need to grab sowing and growing opportunities as soon as they arise. With autumn approaching the greenhouse changes its role and moves from being a light and solar enhancer to support the growth of crops from hotter climes, to a plant protection […]
