We’re into the height of summer now, and you probably think it’s a bad idea to start off seedlings when there is such a high risk of failure due to the hot, dry conditions we (hopefully!) get at this time of year. You’re right to a certain extent, but there are still some crops that you can sow for harvesting later on in the summer. And I know none of us want to think about it yet, but now is also a good time to make a start on crops ...
Grow Your Own for kids: how to grow salad
Over the last few years my kids have got involved with lots of different aspects of gardening; they've sown seeds, harvested crops, dug, planted, watered, weeded and simply played in the mud. They love all of it, but if you asked them what their favourite gardening job was, they'd say growing plants from seeds every time.I can understand why. There's just something so magical about planting a seed, watering it, and watching ...
How to grow potatoes in a bag
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, you ...
What to Plant Now – May
With spring in full flow and summer just around the corner, May can feel like a hectic month in the garden. Trying to stay on top of seedlings, weeds and watering, I always feel like there are lots of plates to keep spinning. It’s all good fun though!And the planting has only just begun really. May is the first month of the year when the risk of frost dwindles away, and this makes it the ideal time to get lots of less ...
The kit you really need for growing seeds
We may still be trying to wave goodbye to winter, but if you’re even remotely green-fingered your thoughts are bound to be turning to what plants you want to grow this year. I’ve already spent a lovely afternoon with the kids planning what to grow on their plots, and a couple of evenings working out what I want to grow in our garden and allotment over the coming months. I've done my seed order and now it’s a case of waiting for the ...
What to plant now – March
The arrival of March really is the start of the growing season in my mind - even if the weather isn't in agreement and it’s still freezing outside! If you’re raring to go in the garden or allotment, here are some ideas for what to plant this month. Peas I’ve always planted my peas direct into their growing site later in the spring, but this year I’m going to get them started earlier. This month you can sow peas (and broad beans if you haven’t ...
What to plant now – February
We’re almost there.... February is underway and spring is just around the corner. I still want it to hurry up though!It really won’t be long before I’m up to my neck in packets of seed and fussing over my labelled pots like a mother hen. But the fact remains that it’s still winter, and most plants just won’t tolerate being started off until the weather warms up a bit and the light improves. There are some that will happily get ...
Fun winter nature crafts for children
We don’t really see winter as ideal for spending time outdoors with our children, do we? The days are shorter, the weather is often less than inviting, and it’s hard to motivate ourselves to leave the comfort of a cosy house. But in my experience, children just don’t think this way. As far as my kids are concerned, when it comes to getting outdoors the season is pretty much irrelevant; as long as they’re dressed to suit the ...
What to plant now – November
As the gardening year starts to draw to an end, the amount of work to be done outdoors gradually decreases. So far this month my gardening time has been spent clearing up and putting away, rather than looking ahead to next year’s flowers and harvest. But it’s not all about putting things to bed for the winter this month, there is still some planting to be done in November if you feel like a more uplifting task in your garden. Here are some ...
What to plant now – October
Autumn is really underway now. Leaves are falling everywhere you look, and I’m a little obsessed with the pumpkins we’re about to harvest for Halloween. October isn’t all about harvesting and hunkering down for the colder months though, there are still some crops and plants you can grow. Here are some ideas for what to plant this month.Asparagus Some varieties of asparagus can be planted in autumn; planting now helps them to get ...