It's potato planting time! I think it's impossible to beat the taste of homegrown new potatoes, and they're not difficult to grow at all. In fact they're a brilliant veg to grow with kids; they're nice and chunky to handle when planting, the kids get to pile soil on them as they grow, and harvest time is basically a treasure hunt as all those lovely spuds are unearthed! If you've got lots of room in the garden or at an allotment, ...
Autumn gardening: how to save seeds
With autumn getting underway and many plants starting to shut down for the colder months, now is a good time to try harvesting seeds from your garden. Like dividing existing plants, saving seeds is a great way to get lots of new plants for free - and it’s easier than you think. Here are some tips on how to save seeds. Seed saving tips Get your timing right - you need to collect seeds when they are just about to disperse, as this means they are ...
Ideas for enjoying autumn outdoors with children
I just love autumn. The weather is still mild, the sunlight is at a fabulous angle, and nature is visibly changing everywhere you look. My kids love it too; it’s such a tactile time of year with all those crisp leaves, changing colours, and of course the conkers! As September marches on, I’ve been thinking about how to make the most of being outdoors with the kids as much as possible before the colder weather arrives. Autumn is ...
Tips for preserving your homegrown harvest
Whether you have an allotment, a small vegetable patch, or a couple of fruit trees in your conservatory, it's great to be able to preserve what you grow. Preserving what you grow means that you can enjoy nutritious food year-round, and keep your food bill under control. The problem is that it can be hard to find enough time to get everything done while the fruit and vegetables are still fresh enough to work with. All too often, everything ...
Review: Qwerkity Grow Cage plant protection
Do you grow soft fruit or leafy veg in your garden or allotment? If the answer is yes, chances are you know the pain of trying to protect it from hungry wildlife! Since getting our allotment three years ago, we've tried to grow lettuces, cabbages and broccoli in our raised beds. Every year, the local pigeons have a good old feast before the plants get really established; we've tried using netting, but we've never managed to get the supports ...
2. The 10 minute gardener: Midwinter gardening jobs
If ever there was a week on the calendar where you need to cut back the garden jobs, it’s this one! Frankly the garden and allotment are nowhere near the top of my to do list; our house is awash with wrapping paper, teacher presents, half-finished festive jobs and crazed children, and I feel like I’m clinging on by my fingernails. Yes, it’s all lovely fun stuff, but hectic nonetheless. But surely I can reclaim 10 minutes from somewhere for ...
5. A Grow-Your-Own Photographic Diary with Baby Bio Outdoor
Welcome to the final instalment for this year in my photographic diary series. Since late Spring, I've been keeping a grow-your-own photographic diary of my allotment, and it's been such a brilliant project. It's allowed me to follow my plants' progress really easily, and given me a reference point for next year's planning. It's also been hugely rewarding seeing the growing journey from tiny seedling right through to harvest. To help my ...
4. A Grow-Your-Own Photographic Diary with Baby Bio Outdoor
Harvest time is in full swing :) This is the fourth update in my photographic diary series. For the whole growing season this year I'm keeping a grow-your-own photographic diary of my allotment. It's a way of following my plants' progress, and creating a reference for when I'm planning next year's crops. To help my plants thrive and produce bigger crops, I'm using Baby Bio® Outdoor Fruit & Vegetables. Baby Bio® Outdoor Fruit ...
3. A Grow-Your-Own Photographic Diary with Baby Bio Outdoor
Welcome to the third post in my photographic diary series. I'm keeping a grow-your-own photographic diary of my allotment this Summer, using Baby Bio® Outdoor Fruit & Vegetables to help my plants thrive and produce bigger crops. Why keep a photographic diary of your plants? Well for starters, it's been so interesting seeing just how fast my plants have grown; when you're not documenting the growing season in any way, it's really easy to ...
3. Taking the Big Boost Challenge with Baby Bio
Welcome to the latest update on my Baby Bio® Big Boost Challenge project. The Big Boost Challenge involves using Baby Bio Outdoor® Flowers & Shrubs to show just what a difference the right plant food can make to your plants' size, health and number of flowers. Baby Bio® Outdoor Flowers & Shrubs is a liquid feed tailored to the needs of flowering plants and shrubs, giving you up to 70% more flowers compared with not feeding. ...