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 […]
Cardboard is one waste problem that’s actually a solution, with a host of labour-saving, cost-cutting, earth-friendly uses in your garden and greenhouse. Brown, bulky, boring and super-abundant: if there’s one thing we’ve not been short of during these tough and trying pandemic months, it’s cardboard. Booming local deliveries, click-and-collect services, and online buying generally have […]
In Homage to Shakespeare’s Sonnet 43 – “How do I love thee. Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day’s Most quiet […]
At this moment in the year I love to see all of my semi tender plants tucked away in the mini greenhouse. The temperature has dropped and my aeoniums, pelargoniums and other succulents suddenly looked delicate and vulnerable in a way that they hadn’t a week or so earlier as they bathed in late summer […]
It might be autumn, but Jean Vernon is starting to hunker down for winter and preparing her greenhouse for cold weather I know it’s October, but this year has really flown by. The pandemic has brought every day into focus and yet when I look at the calendar I seem to be turning the pages […]
Often the most rewarding greenhouse will be one you’ve filled with plants you’ve grown from seed. It’s that personal connection, you’ve known them at each stage, rather like your own children. And if you have children little will give them such an appreciation of nature as growing plants from seeds in fruits they’ve eaten. There […]
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 […]
Sun’s up: as summer fades, these solar-powered stalwarts reach their zenith. Sunflowers are my September saviours. As autumn starts to win the tug of love with summer, I’m drawn to these tall, slightly improbable-looking, reach-for-the-sky flowers every bit as much as the clouds of bees, drone flies, hoverflies and pristine red admiral imagos. These tough, […]
There has suddenly been a need for quick action in the greenhouse. We have been idling on, letting the green tomatoes slowly turn a sort of half hearted faded pink in the waning sun, holding out for every bit of ripening we can get. But now the temperature has dropped and quite dramatically, and it […]
Gardeners love a September day, when morning mist and heavy dew give way to warm afternoon sunshine. It’s more than that though: the garden is bathed in a crystal clear light that flatters colour and there’s a relaxed air. No need to rush, the garden’s winding down and so am I. I always liken early […]
As individuals we need to take responsibility for our health and well-being. With the current pandemic still in full swing, it’s so important to stay well and safe. Many of our modern medicines have botanical origins and many plants have provided powerful healing properties for centuries and indeed are still prescribed today by qualified medical […]
I recently blogged how simple it is for you to use your greenhouse to force, that is bring on much earlier, crops than by growing these out of doors. Now as winter approaches we can also use our greenhouse to extend the productive life of other crops, and produce many for eating fresh throughout winter. Obviously […]
