Hartley Magazine
Greenhouse growing
Month by month
As seen in Gardens Illustrated A new guide on the 1st of every month
After a wet, cold May and low light, let’s hope plants and people can finally enjoy some sunshine. Aubergines, peppers and chillies should be transplanted into pots one or two sizes larger once they have formed a good root system but before they become pot bound. Transplant repeatedly until they reach a final pot size […]
Although we should be looking forward to May, it’s impossible not to comment on April’s extraordinary weather where conditions were totally alien gardeners in warmer parts of the UK. First sowings were abandoned or delayed and the ground was too cold and dry for transplanting. I have never known anything like it! First of all, […]
This is the time of year when the greenhouse becomes a plant production line, and shows its value for side stepping the effects of the weather – particularly in cooler areas. It’s also the time when you will be rewarded for the hours spent washing pots and trays during winter. Sow the following in trays […]
March usually says ‘Farewell’ to winter and ‘Hello’ to spring, a transition that seems to herald a month of erratic weather. I start sowing outdoors after warming the soil then add a few ‘back ups’’ under glass to fill the gaps if germination is erratic. In northern or cooler locations, you can also start sowing […]
It’s a real joy to have a greenhouse where you can potter when the rain, snow and waterlogged ground make gardening outdoors impossible. Thankfully, there’s plenty to keep you busy in there and hey, it’s not long now until spring. If you lifted and stored your dahlias over winter, encourage them back into growth by […]
The Romans were recorded as the first to create greenhouses, specifically growing cucumbers for Emperor Tiberius. There are early Korean records of greenhouses being used to grow flowers and force vegetables by 1438, and the Chinese grew mandarin trees indoors – the first ‘greene’ houses. In 1663, the Orangery was opened at Versailles. The Victorian […]
Damp, still air in the greenhouse causes grey mould, particularly on damp leaves or soft tissue like cyclamen flowers. It is less of a problem with good air circulation, so open greenhouse slightly vents on mild sunny days, shutting them before temperatures drop, early in the afternoon and avoid chilling draughts, (the lack of frost […]
With winter approaching it’s time to take another look at your garden and greenhouse to see what edibles you can grow and harvest in winter Gardening as a beginner can be very daunting without some expert guidance. Spring and summer are the natural time to sow, grow and harvest fruit and vegetables. But, with winter […]
It is time to sow sweet peas in a cool greenhouse for an early display next year. Soften the seed coat by putting the seeds between two layers of kitchen towel on an old plate. Dampen the towel, drain off excess water, sow those that start to swell or sprout after about 48 hours. Leave […]
Check your greenhouse heater early in the month to make sure that it works before the cold nights set in. If it doesn’t, there is still time to make some running repairs or to buy a replacement; it is worth having a cheap back up heater, on standby, too. Ventilate the greenhouse on sunny autumn […]
It is that wonderful time of year when you start reaping the reward for your labours with tomatoes, aubergines and peppers are rapidly ripening and ready for cropping. It’s when plants are at their most ornamental. Imagine the fuss if with a slight change of mindset, glossy black aubergines and vibrant red peppers were regarded […]
Sow Fennel, oriental vegetables like mizuna greens and Pak Choi, rocket, coriander dill, spinach, claytonia and land cress, in modules as soon as you can in August. These will germinate quickly and can be planted out by mid-August for cropping in Autumn. Continue sowing ‘cut and come again’ crops like mixed herbs, in pots, greenhouse […]
