Садовое обозрение - Антикризисная теплица: здоровая почва - гарантия урожая:
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Friday, 27 March 2015
Sunday, 15 March 2015
Mint.
Alys Fowler: mint | Life and style | The Guardian: "Spearmints (M. spicata), including 'Tashkent' and 'Moroccan'"
'Moroccan'.JPG)
Spearmints (M. spicata), including 'Tashkent' and 'Moroccan', are good for salads, sauces and flavouring new potatoes.
I have a patch of pennyroyal, Mentha pulegium, which creeps between the cracks of my brick path.
Pennyroyal is suitable ground cover for partial shade and there is a childish joy to trampling over it on the way to the compost, its sharp scent following my footsteps.
The lilac flowers hum with bees and butterflies and, despite the plant's spreading nature, it has yet to become a problem. If or when it does, I shall pull ruthlessly. It is very hard to kill a mint.
Nearly all mints love damp, moist soils, but not necessarily rich ones, and prefer sun to shade, though they will not complain bitterly if given the latter.
The old trick is to grow them in a large pot or bucket with its base shorn off to stop them taking over.
The more invasive mints – M. x smithiana (red mint), M. suaveolens (apple mint), M. x villosa f. alopecuroides (bowles' mint) and M. longifolia (horse mint) – will rampage, so use a barrier to keep their shallow-growing roots in check.
Still, they are not hard to weed out. I have a couple of stands of red mint that I have eaten into submission: paired with flat-leaf parsley, it is one of the best-flavoured mints for salads such as tabbouleh.
Spearmints (M. spicata), including 'Tashkent' and 'Moroccan', are good for salads, sauces and flavouring new potatoes.
I grow M. x piperita f. citrata, the eau de cologne mint, but the flavour is too strong and soapy for anything culinary; added to a bath, however, it is utterly enlivening. (Mentha citrata (Ehrh.) (syn. Mentha × piperita L. var. citrata (Ehrh.) Briq.; syn. Mentha aquatica var. citrata (Ehrh.) Benth.;[1] syn. Mentha odorata Sole, Mentha adspersa Moench) is an herb. It is also known as Bergamot mint, Eau-de-cologne Mint, Horsemint, Lemon Mint, Lime Mint, Orange Mint, Pineapple Mint, Su Nanesi, Water Mint, Wild Water Mint)
Any mint in a pot needs to be turfed out once a year, in early spring or after flowering. Be ruthless: the roots spiral around the edge of the pot with little growing in the middle. Discard the centre and plant half of the roots back in the pot, add a new layer of compost, give them a long soak and they'll quickly recover.
Welcome to Jekka's Herb Farm | Specialising in Organic, Culinary, Aromatic, Decorative and Medicinal Herbs:
'via Blog this'
'Moroccan'.JPG)
Spearmints (M. spicata), including 'Tashkent' and 'Moroccan', are good for salads, sauces and flavouring new potatoes.
I have a patch of pennyroyal, Mentha pulegium, which creeps between the cracks of my brick path.
Pennyroyal is suitable ground cover for partial shade and there is a childish joy to trampling over it on the way to the compost, its sharp scent following my footsteps.
The lilac flowers hum with bees and butterflies and, despite the plant's spreading nature, it has yet to become a problem. If or when it does, I shall pull ruthlessly. It is very hard to kill a mint.
Nearly all mints love damp, moist soils, but not necessarily rich ones, and prefer sun to shade, though they will not complain bitterly if given the latter.
The old trick is to grow them in a large pot or bucket with its base shorn off to stop them taking over.
The more invasive mints – M. x smithiana (red mint), M. suaveolens (apple mint), M. x villosa f. alopecuroides (bowles' mint) and M. longifolia (horse mint) – will rampage, so use a barrier to keep their shallow-growing roots in check.
Still, they are not hard to weed out. I have a couple of stands of red mint that I have eaten into submission: paired with flat-leaf parsley, it is one of the best-flavoured mints for salads such as tabbouleh.
Spearmints (M. spicata), including 'Tashkent' and 'Moroccan', are good for salads, sauces and flavouring new potatoes.
I grow M. x piperita f. citrata, the eau de cologne mint, but the flavour is too strong and soapy for anything culinary; added to a bath, however, it is utterly enlivening. (Mentha citrata (Ehrh.) (syn. Mentha × piperita L. var. citrata (Ehrh.) Briq.; syn. Mentha aquatica var. citrata (Ehrh.) Benth.;[1] syn. Mentha odorata Sole, Mentha adspersa Moench) is an herb. It is also known as Bergamot mint, Eau-de-cologne Mint, Horsemint, Lemon Mint, Lime Mint, Orange Mint, Pineapple Mint, Su Nanesi, Water Mint, Wild Water Mint)
Any mint in a pot needs to be turfed out once a year, in early spring or after flowering. Be ruthless: the roots spiral around the edge of the pot with little growing in the middle. Discard the centre and plant half of the roots back in the pot, add a new layer of compost, give them a long soak and they'll quickly recover.
Welcome to Jekka's Herb Farm | Specialising in Organic, Culinary, Aromatic, Decorative and Medicinal Herbs:
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Kale.
Growing your own: Kale | Life and style | The Guardian: "Winterbor and Redbor are reliable curly kale growers (both F1 hybrids). The Redbor is a particularly attractive, rich-red variety"
Sow: April to June
Plant: June to August
Harvest: September to May
This tough old brassica can withstand extreme temperatures and often succeeds where other cabbage-patch kids fail.
Recommended varieties: "Winterbor and Redbor are reliable curly kale growers (both F1 hybrids). The Redbor is a particularly attractive, rich-red variety," says Joy Larkcom.
Sowing and planting: Sow in modules from mid- to late spring. Seedlings will appear after 7-12 days. Once established (6-8 weeks after sowing) transplant to their final position, spacing them in rows 45cm apart. Water plants thoroughly before moving and "puddle-in" to their final position.
Cultivation: Look after young plants by watering during dry patches and keep weeded. Tread around the base of the stem every so often to prevent the larger varieties swaying in the breeze. Remove yellowing leaves, "earth up" the stems and stake tall varieties if exposed (kale can handle exposed, slightly shady plots).
Pests and diseases: Yet another reason to grow kale - it's rarely bothered by the dreaded banes of the brassica family.
Harvesting: Kale is a frost-hardy cut-and-come-again plant. Young leaves can be picked from autumn to mid-spring. Remove leaves with a sharp knife as required (mature or yellowing leaves won't have the same bite). Once the crown has been stripped, the plant will grow side shoots which you can harvest between February and May. When flower buds form and stems turn coarse, stop picking.
Storage: Spring leaves can be frozen, but cut-and-come-again cropping will provide you with fresher leaves.
Extending the season: Dwarf varieties can be harvested 14 weeks after sowing and allow you to cram more crop into your patch. Sow in situ in early summer in rows 18cm apart. Harvest after they reach 15cm. Dwarf varieties also make great cut-and-come-again crops. Sow in situ and harvest when the plant is about 5cm high.
Growing without a veg plot: Dwarf varieties are perfect - try Showbor and Dwarf Green Curled.
Kale - Companion:
beets, celery, cucumbers, dill, garlic, hyssop, lettuce, mint, nasturtium, onions, potatoes, rosemary, sage, spinach, swiss chard
'via Blog this'
Sow: April to June
Plant: June to August
Harvest: September to May
This tough old brassica can withstand extreme temperatures and often succeeds where other cabbage-patch kids fail.
Recommended varieties: "Winterbor and Redbor are reliable curly kale growers (both F1 hybrids). The Redbor is a particularly attractive, rich-red variety," says Joy Larkcom.
Sowing and planting: Sow in modules from mid- to late spring. Seedlings will appear after 7-12 days. Once established (6-8 weeks after sowing) transplant to their final position, spacing them in rows 45cm apart. Water plants thoroughly before moving and "puddle-in" to their final position.
Cultivation: Look after young plants by watering during dry patches and keep weeded. Tread around the base of the stem every so often to prevent the larger varieties swaying in the breeze. Remove yellowing leaves, "earth up" the stems and stake tall varieties if exposed (kale can handle exposed, slightly shady plots).
Pests and diseases: Yet another reason to grow kale - it's rarely bothered by the dreaded banes of the brassica family.
Harvesting: Kale is a frost-hardy cut-and-come-again plant. Young leaves can be picked from autumn to mid-spring. Remove leaves with a sharp knife as required (mature or yellowing leaves won't have the same bite). Once the crown has been stripped, the plant will grow side shoots which you can harvest between February and May. When flower buds form and stems turn coarse, stop picking.
Storage: Spring leaves can be frozen, but cut-and-come-again cropping will provide you with fresher leaves.
Extending the season: Dwarf varieties can be harvested 14 weeks after sowing and allow you to cram more crop into your patch. Sow in situ in early summer in rows 18cm apart. Harvest after they reach 15cm. Dwarf varieties also make great cut-and-come-again crops. Sow in situ and harvest when the plant is about 5cm high.
Growing without a veg plot: Dwarf varieties are perfect - try Showbor and Dwarf Green Curled.
Kale - Companion:
beets, celery, cucumbers, dill, garlic, hyssop, lettuce, mint, nasturtium, onions, potatoes, rosemary, sage, spinach, swiss chard
'via Blog this'
Saturday, 14 March 2015
Friday, 13 March 2015
Желе смородиновое неправильное...
"Итак, рецепт взят отсюда:
Ягоды - помыть,перебрать. Сложить в ту посуду, в которой будем варить.
Засыпать сахаром из расчета 1 кг ягод - 1 кг сахара, добавить 2 палки корицы на 1 кг ягод и оставить на 3-4 часа.
Через 3 часа ставим на средний огонь, помешивая доводим до кипения, кипятим 3 минуты, накрываем крышкой и отставляем с плиты.
Забываем до завтрашнего дня - ягоды должны отдать все лучшее, что в них есть.
На следующий день размешиваем,нагреваем слегка, вынимаем коричные палки. И далее начинается полное отступление от классического рецепта.
Берем погружной миксер и пюрируем всю смесь. Смысл: ягоды измельчатся, а косточкам - все ни по чём, они так и останутся косточками!Это ж не косточки, это гравий какой-то, честное благородное слово.
Сразу после этого процеживаем смесь через сито. Конечно, тоже придется покрутить ложкой, по процесс в разы менее трудоемок и более быстр, чем в классическом варианте.
В отцеженную смесь добавляем желирующий сахар по пропорциям на пакетике, доводим до кипения,кипятим 1 минутку и сразу же разливаем по банкам ( банки я стерилизую в микроволновке). Закрываем облитыми кипятком крышками.
Банки накрываем одеялом и оставляем остывать до следующего дня.
Просто! Быстро! Вкусно! Коричный аромат сбивает с ног. Темный цвет полученного желе объясняется тем, что у меня была и черная, и красная смородина. Из одной красной получится классического цвета желе.
А зимой мы его будем есть и с блинами/йогуртом, и с мясом. Только для мяса я в него покапаю соуса типа "табаско" и бальзамического уксуса - немного, по нескольку капель всего."
Ягоды - помыть,перебрать. Сложить в ту посуду, в которой будем варить.
Засыпать сахаром из расчета 1 кг ягод - 1 кг сахара, добавить 2 палки корицы на 1 кг ягод и оставить на 3-4 часа.
Через 3 часа ставим на средний огонь, помешивая доводим до кипения, кипятим 3 минуты, накрываем крышкой и отставляем с плиты.
Забываем до завтрашнего дня - ягоды должны отдать все лучшее, что в них есть.
На следующий день размешиваем,нагреваем слегка, вынимаем коричные палки. И далее начинается полное отступление от классического рецепта.
Берем погружной миксер и пюрируем всю смесь. Смысл: ягоды измельчатся, а косточкам - все ни по чём, они так и останутся косточками!Это ж не косточки, это гравий какой-то, честное благородное слово.
Сразу после этого процеживаем смесь через сито. Конечно, тоже придется покрутить ложкой, по процесс в разы менее трудоемок и более быстр, чем в классическом варианте.
В отцеженную смесь добавляем желирующий сахар по пропорциям на пакетике, доводим до кипения,кипятим 1 минутку и сразу же разливаем по банкам ( банки я стерилизую в микроволновке). Закрываем облитыми кипятком крышками.
Банки накрываем одеялом и оставляем остывать до следующего дня.
Просто! Быстро! Вкусно! Коричный аромат сбивает с ног. Темный цвет полученного желе объясняется тем, что у меня была и черная, и красная смородина. Из одной красной получится классического цвета желе.
А зимой мы его будем есть и с блинами/йогуртом, и с мясом. Только для мяса я в него покапаю соуса типа "табаско" и бальзамического уксуса - немного, по нескольку капель всего."
Пересаживаем смородину.
В прошлом году посадила саженец черной смородины, за лето он дал хороший прирост, но я ошиблась в месте посадки куста. Можно ли его пересадить?
В. ЛАВРЕНТЬЕВА.
Такой куст смородины можно пересадить, соблюдая определенные правила.
Помните, что близко от черной смородины нельзя сажать вишню и черешню, крыжовник и малину.
Отличительная особенность смородины – относительно ограниченное распространение корней в почве и неглубокое залегание всей корневой системы. Всасывающие корни в основном находятся в верхнем (до 30 см) слое почвы.
В. ЛАВРЕНТЬЕВА.
Такой куст смородины можно пересадить, соблюдая определенные правила.
Помните, что близко от черной смородины нельзя сажать вишню и черешню, крыжовник и малину.
Отличительная особенность смородины – относительно ограниченное распространение корней в почве и неглубокое залегание всей корневой системы. Всасывающие корни в основном находятся в верхнем (до 30 см) слое почвы.
Смородина черная: подробности весеннего ухода.
Садовое обозрение - Смородина черная: подробности весеннего ухода:
"Я строго держу кусты до 8-9-ти лет, а далее уничтожаю.
Тля внутри листа, почковый клещ - внутри почки.
Я бы советовала такой алгоритм обработки кустов смородины. Провести обрезку искривленных макушек (последствия бесчинств тли). Удалить старые (более 7 лет) ветви, обрезав как можно ниже. Собрать вручную вздутые почки, в которых зимуют клещи. После этого можно устроить и обливание. Даже если вы не сможете полностью обработать куст, часть вредителей и возбудителей болезней уничтожите.
Весной перекопайте приствольные круги смородины. Днем высыпьте в центр куста ведро грубого перегноя из соломистого навоза. Почву замульчируйте, стараясь, чтобы не было зазоров, через которые зимовавшие в почве вредители начнут атаковать смородину. Очень удобно пользоваться старыми газетами. Из нужно смачивать и укладывать в 3-4 слоя. В середине мая в газетных листах надо будет ломиком проделать дырочки для прохождения воды, и замульчировать сеном, соломой или просто подсушенными сорняками слоем 10-12 см. Это важно не только для поддержания почвы в рыхлом и влажном состоянии, но и не дает бушевать сорнякам, которые и являются промежуточной культурой для тли.
Борьбу с тлей лучше всего вести природными средствами. Я бы советовала вплоть до начала окрашивания ягод провести 2-3 опрыскивания либо раствором дегтярного мыла, либо зольным настоем. А еще лучше чередовать их.
Мыльный раствор: на один литр воды 40 г дегтярного мыла. Кстати, можно использовать и зеленое (калийное) мыло.
Зольный настой: 2 кг древесной золы залить 10 л горячей воды и настаивать 2-е суток.
Эти средства безопасны, но эффективны, а зольный настой еще и отличная внекорневая подкормка.
Что касается огневки, которая повреждает ягоды (кто не удивлялся первым крупным черным ягодам, которые на поверку оказывались с гусеницей внутри), то самое лучшее – посадить рядом с кустами по парочке томатов. Из тех, которые сажать в теплицу не стоит, а выбросить жалко. Вы не поверите: 2-3 года такого соседства и огневка в ваш сад ни-ни! Да и тли заметно меньше. Кстати, на таких томатах даже и плоды могут в хорошее лето вызреть.
Но весенняя обработка черной смородины фуфаноном не спасает кусты от нашествия тли в теплое лето.
Поэтому появление вредителей для меня сигнал варить отраву из одуванчиков.
О, их вокруг моего сада море! Так что денег на покупку средств защиты тратить не надо.
400 г мелко нарубленных листьев и корневищ заливаю 10 л теплой воды (40°C), ставлю на слабый огонь, накрываю и томлю часа 2."
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"Я строго держу кусты до 8-9-ти лет, а далее уничтожаю.
Тля внутри листа, почковый клещ - внутри почки.
Я бы советовала такой алгоритм обработки кустов смородины. Провести обрезку искривленных макушек (последствия бесчинств тли). Удалить старые (более 7 лет) ветви, обрезав как можно ниже. Собрать вручную вздутые почки, в которых зимуют клещи. После этого можно устроить и обливание. Даже если вы не сможете полностью обработать куст, часть вредителей и возбудителей болезней уничтожите.
Весной перекопайте приствольные круги смородины. Днем высыпьте в центр куста ведро грубого перегноя из соломистого навоза. Почву замульчируйте, стараясь, чтобы не было зазоров, через которые зимовавшие в почве вредители начнут атаковать смородину. Очень удобно пользоваться старыми газетами. Из нужно смачивать и укладывать в 3-4 слоя. В середине мая в газетных листах надо будет ломиком проделать дырочки для прохождения воды, и замульчировать сеном, соломой или просто подсушенными сорняками слоем 10-12 см. Это важно не только для поддержания почвы в рыхлом и влажном состоянии, но и не дает бушевать сорнякам, которые и являются промежуточной культурой для тли.
Борьбу с тлей лучше всего вести природными средствами. Я бы советовала вплоть до начала окрашивания ягод провести 2-3 опрыскивания либо раствором дегтярного мыла, либо зольным настоем. А еще лучше чередовать их.
Мыльный раствор: на один литр воды 40 г дегтярного мыла. Кстати, можно использовать и зеленое (калийное) мыло.
Зольный настой: 2 кг древесной золы залить 10 л горячей воды и настаивать 2-е суток.
Эти средства безопасны, но эффективны, а зольный настой еще и отличная внекорневая подкормка.
Что касается огневки, которая повреждает ягоды (кто не удивлялся первым крупным черным ягодам, которые на поверку оказывались с гусеницей внутри), то самое лучшее – посадить рядом с кустами по парочке томатов. Из тех, которые сажать в теплицу не стоит, а выбросить жалко. Вы не поверите: 2-3 года такого соседства и огневка в ваш сад ни-ни! Да и тли заметно меньше. Кстати, на таких томатах даже и плоды могут в хорошее лето вызреть.
Но весенняя обработка черной смородины фуфаноном не спасает кусты от нашествия тли в теплое лето.
Поэтому появление вредителей для меня сигнал варить отраву из одуванчиков.
О, их вокруг моего сада море! Так что денег на покупку средств защиты тратить не надо.
400 г мелко нарубленных листьев и корневищ заливаю 10 л теплой воды (40°C), ставлю на слабый огонь, накрываю и томлю часа 2."
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How to Grow Blackcurrants: 6 Steps.
How to Grow Blackcurrants: 6 Steps - wikiHow:
Harvest. Don't pick the blackcurrants too soon. Once ripened, leave the berries to hang on the bush a few extra days to improve the flavour. When you see some of the upper level berries fall off unaided, the blackcurrants are ready for harvesting.
Prune. Each bush should carry around 6 to 10 shoots. Remove the oldest canes post-harvest yearly. This will stimulate the new growth.
Pruning off the oldest canes will renew the entire bush about every three years.
Blackcurrants are quite different in their requirements to red or white ones. They must have sunshine and very rich soil, with a thick mulch added every year. Their pruning regime is different, too, as instead of producing fruit on spurs they form on 'strigs' (bunches of fruit). To get the best from them, you should remove a third of all stems every year so that the bush completely replaces itself every three to four years. Another
way is to have three bushes and to remove all the growth from one of them each year.
MY FAVOURITE VARIETIES
'Ben Sarek', 'Ben Connan', 'Ben Lomond'. /Monty-Don/
More!
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Harvest. Don't pick the blackcurrants too soon. Once ripened, leave the berries to hang on the bush a few extra days to improve the flavour. When you see some of the upper level berries fall off unaided, the blackcurrants are ready for harvesting.
Prune. Each bush should carry around 6 to 10 shoots. Remove the oldest canes post-harvest yearly. This will stimulate the new growth.
Pruning off the oldest canes will renew the entire bush about every three years.
Blackcurrants are quite different in their requirements to red or white ones. They must have sunshine and very rich soil, with a thick mulch added every year. Their pruning regime is different, too, as instead of producing fruit on spurs they form on 'strigs' (bunches of fruit). To get the best from them, you should remove a third of all stems every year so that the bush completely replaces itself every three to four years. Another
way is to have three bushes and to remove all the growth from one of them each year.
MY FAVOURITE VARIETIES
'Ben Sarek', 'Ben Connan', 'Ben Lomond'. /Monty-Don/
More!
'via Blog this'
Wednesday, 11 March 2015
Monday, 9 March 2015
Seeds and the Seasons.
Seeds and the Seasons - Gardening Jones:
Growing your garden can be so rewarding whether your passion is for pansies or potatoes. However, it’s not just about planting seeds, watering them and waiting for them to grow. Knowing the best time to plant your chosen seeds can have a big impact on how well they grow. Doing the right researching can leave you with a luscious garden that has flowers in bloom all year round.
January offers an array of flowers, salad and herbs to sow. For more colour in your garden why not look at growing Sweet Pea. Sweet Peas not only produce beautiful blooms but also have a gorgeous scent. To add different levels to your garden arrangement why not give them plant supports and create columns of summer colours.
Tip – Annual Sweet Peas give off an incredible fragrance but only last one season while everlasting Sweet Peas return year after year, but with less fragrance than their annual cousins.
For something more edible why not start the year by planting broad beans. They’re a great vegetable to grow and fun to grow with children. Remember when planting them to sow one bean directly 5cm deep and 23cm apart for the best results.
The month of Valentine’s Day where love is in the air is a great month to plant a number of flowers including the Snapdragon, a beautiful plant with an unusual marble effect in an array of colours. Snapdragons are a very hardy plant which makes them great for beginners especially as when the outcome is a plant of sheer beauty. Another great plant for February is Chinese Forget Me Nots, a stunning little blue and white flower.
Spinach, radish, aubergine, chilli, cucumber and tomatoes are all great foods to start growing in this month.
Don’t forget to support your tomatoes with a sturdy stakes or strings to ensure they grow properly.
As we move into March the question is what flowers can’t you grow? After all the options are almost endless. You can pick from pretty poppies to an array of bloomers from the sunflower family. March is the month to get excited about the colours your garden can display for the rest of the year. If you are looking to involve children a sunflower competition is a great way to get the kids excited about gardening.
While you’re planting all the colours of the rainbow you can also get started on your parsnips, lettuce, beetroot, brussel sprouts, carrots and why not get ready for Halloween by planting your very own pumpkins.
April, the month of fools; but even fools can plant themselves a stunning garden. Dropmore is a striking blue flower which can be frozen into ice cubes to make your summer drinks stand out. Why not grow Borage ‘Blue’ as well, these can be added to drinks to give a cucumber like taste but with a beautiful vibrancy. This is also the time to get your onions, leeks and butternut squash started.
Why not add a little magic to your garden in May by planting ‘Snow Pixie’, a beautiful white flower or ‘Pink Fairy’, Lupin, or why not use May as the month for ‘Falling in Love’ with Papaver rhoeas. Sweetcorn and runner beans are also perfect for planting in May.
Cosmos, ‘Dwarf Sensation White’, are a stunning little flower ideal for planting in June, along with Echinops also known as the ‘Globe Thistle’.
Wild Rocket and Artichoke or Artichoke are also all great choices for planting in June and July.
Papaver somniferum or ‘Black Beauty’ is a glamourous deep red poppy while Orlaya grandiflora is a beautiful and delicate white flower. Both are great choices for growing in August.
When it comes to vegetables, August is a great month for planting cucumber, chive, a number of lettuces and spring onion.
As the leaves turn orange in September the Calendula officinalis, ‘Indian Prince’, is the perfect flower to plant as you can enjoy the orange flower in the months to come. Staying on the orange theme the Eschscholzia californica ‘Orange King’, is also a stunning flower ideal for planting during this month.
During the spooky month of Halloween why not plant a Ladybird also known as Papaver commutatum, a beautiful red and black flower. The poached egg plant is also a brilliant and easy plant to enjoy with bright yellow and white flowers which resemble a poached egg.
November and December sees us returning to the same flowers and vegetables of January including Sweet Peas and Broad Beans. It’s especially handy if you’ve kept the seeds from your last successful crop.
Each flower and vegetable is different and needs to be planted and grown in different ways. Some like moist soil while others prefer drier soils, but before worrying about any of that the most important thing to know is when you should break out the garden tools. For more information about plants and seeds have a look around online.
Author Bio: Perrywood is an Essex based garden centre that sells a variety of seeds, plants, tools and furniture. They regularly release guides on how to care for your garden from what to plant to dealing with pests.
'via Blog this'
Growing your garden can be so rewarding whether your passion is for pansies or potatoes. However, it’s not just about planting seeds, watering them and waiting for them to grow. Knowing the best time to plant your chosen seeds can have a big impact on how well they grow. Doing the right researching can leave you with a luscious garden that has flowers in bloom all year round.
January offers an array of flowers, salad and herbs to sow. For more colour in your garden why not look at growing Sweet Pea. Sweet Peas not only produce beautiful blooms but also have a gorgeous scent. To add different levels to your garden arrangement why not give them plant supports and create columns of summer colours.
Tip – Annual Sweet Peas give off an incredible fragrance but only last one season while everlasting Sweet Peas return year after year, but with less fragrance than their annual cousins.
For something more edible why not start the year by planting broad beans. They’re a great vegetable to grow and fun to grow with children. Remember when planting them to sow one bean directly 5cm deep and 23cm apart for the best results.
The month of Valentine’s Day where love is in the air is a great month to plant a number of flowers including the Snapdragon, a beautiful plant with an unusual marble effect in an array of colours. Snapdragons are a very hardy plant which makes them great for beginners especially as when the outcome is a plant of sheer beauty. Another great plant for February is Chinese Forget Me Nots, a stunning little blue and white flower.
Spinach, radish, aubergine, chilli, cucumber and tomatoes are all great foods to start growing in this month.
Don’t forget to support your tomatoes with a sturdy stakes or strings to ensure they grow properly.
As we move into March the question is what flowers can’t you grow? After all the options are almost endless. You can pick from pretty poppies to an array of bloomers from the sunflower family. March is the month to get excited about the colours your garden can display for the rest of the year. If you are looking to involve children a sunflower competition is a great way to get the kids excited about gardening.
While you’re planting all the colours of the rainbow you can also get started on your parsnips, lettuce, beetroot, brussel sprouts, carrots and why not get ready for Halloween by planting your very own pumpkins.
April, the month of fools; but even fools can plant themselves a stunning garden. Dropmore is a striking blue flower which can be frozen into ice cubes to make your summer drinks stand out. Why not grow Borage ‘Blue’ as well, these can be added to drinks to give a cucumber like taste but with a beautiful vibrancy. This is also the time to get your onions, leeks and butternut squash started.
Why not add a little magic to your garden in May by planting ‘Snow Pixie’, a beautiful white flower or ‘Pink Fairy’, Lupin, or why not use May as the month for ‘Falling in Love’ with Papaver rhoeas. Sweetcorn and runner beans are also perfect for planting in May.
Cosmos, ‘Dwarf Sensation White’, are a stunning little flower ideal for planting in June, along with Echinops also known as the ‘Globe Thistle’.
Wild Rocket and Artichoke or Artichoke are also all great choices for planting in June and July.
Papaver somniferum or ‘Black Beauty’ is a glamourous deep red poppy while Orlaya grandiflora is a beautiful and delicate white flower. Both are great choices for growing in August.
When it comes to vegetables, August is a great month for planting cucumber, chive, a number of lettuces and spring onion.
As the leaves turn orange in September the Calendula officinalis, ‘Indian Prince’, is the perfect flower to plant as you can enjoy the orange flower in the months to come. Staying on the orange theme the Eschscholzia californica ‘Orange King’, is also a stunning flower ideal for planting during this month.
During the spooky month of Halloween why not plant a Ladybird also known as Papaver commutatum, a beautiful red and black flower. The poached egg plant is also a brilliant and easy plant to enjoy with bright yellow and white flowers which resemble a poached egg.
November and December sees us returning to the same flowers and vegetables of January including Sweet Peas and Broad Beans. It’s especially handy if you’ve kept the seeds from your last successful crop.
Each flower and vegetable is different and needs to be planted and grown in different ways. Some like moist soil while others prefer drier soils, but before worrying about any of that the most important thing to know is when you should break out the garden tools. For more information about plants and seeds have a look around online.
Author Bio: Perrywood is an Essex based garden centre that sells a variety of seeds, plants, tools and furniture. They regularly release guides on how to care for your garden from what to plant to dealing with pests.
'via Blog this'
Friday, 6 March 2015
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