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, ...
Gardening Calendar: What to Plant in April
April is when things really start to get going in the garden. The soil is warming up, the risk of frost is much lower, and there's lots of planting to be done! If you’re keen to sow, grow and plant things this month, here are some ideas for what to plant in April. Flowers to plant in April Bedding plant & hardy annual seeds April is a good time to sow seeds for hardy annuals and summer bedding plants. Growing these plants ...
Gardening Calendar: What to Plant in 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 in March. Flowers to plant in March Bedding plant & hardy annual seeds If you have a greenhouse (even a miniature one), you can get started on sowing seeds for summer bedding plants and hardy ...
Fun gardening with children: growing sunflowers
Have you planted any seeds yet this year? Now's the ideal time to get growing, and if you're looking for easy seeds to grow with children it's hard to beat sunflowers. As well as producing seriously impressive blooms, sunflower seeds are easy for little hands to deal with, and pretty low maintenance to grow. They're also brilliant for local wildlife; the flowers are great for bees and other pollinating insects, and birds love to eat the seeds. ...
Gardening Calendar: What to Plant in 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! If you’re keen to sow, grow and plant things this month, here are some ideas for what to plant in May. Fruit & Vegetables to plant in May Courgettes Courgettes are ...
Tips from Wido on sprucing up your spring garden
Are you getting busy in the garden yet? We've had some amazing weather lately, and it's definitely motivated me to get out there and make the garden look presentable! We tend to use our gardens much less in the winter months, but spring is the perfect time to give things a spruce-up and tackle those jobs you've been ignoring. If you're not sure what to do first, check out this fab infographic from online retailer Wido which is full of ideas ...
What to plant now – Container Vegetables
So we’re into April - which means the growing season is well and truly underway and you can really get cracking with sowing seeds. You may not have an allotment or a large vegetable plot in the garden, but there are lots of vegetables that can be grown really successfully in containers. Here are my top container vegetables to plant this month. Carrots Carrots have a bit of a reputation for being tricky to grow, because they don’t like ...
Taking the RSPB Wild Challenge: spotting signs of spring and sowing sunflowers
Last year we had a great time partnering with RSPB on family-friendly activities that would help to give nature a home in our garden. You might remember that we planted wildflower seeds, grew flowers for butterflies, made a frog and toad abode, grew plants for moths, and made a bird bath. It was a busy year! We’re thrilled to be working with RSPB again on some fun new projects. Over the next few months we’ll be bringing you more ...
5. The 10 minute gardener: quick Spring gardening jobs
This week, for the first time in months, I’ve been warm while gardening - which must mean that spring is definitely on the way! With the sun streaming in through the window as I write this, it’s hard to resist the call of some spring gardening; that lovely leisurely pottering that only the warmer weather of spring and summer allows. So far it’s been all about wrapping up warm, concentrating on the task in hand, then heading back indoors for a ...
Perfect spring garden projects
So the weather has finally warmed up, and it feels like we’re well and truly into spring: trees are laden with blossom, plants are putting on lots of new growth, and the lawnmower is back into regular action. Doesn’t it make you feel altogether more cheerful? Warmer temperatures also make it a lot easier to motivate yourself to tackle some outdoor projects. After months of cold weather, chances are your garden and outdoor space is in need of ...