Conventional wisdom tells us that shade is the last thing that vegetables need, but Mark Hoffman from Kempton, Illinois disagrees. He will tell you from personal experience that some shade can have unexpected benefits. For instance potatoes which are grown partly in shade are more resistant to leaf hoppers. While crops grown in shade will [...]
→ No CommentsTags:gadgets·guerilla gardening·proactive gardening·shade·vegetables·veggies·weeds
While gardening is regarded as an enjoyable hobby we are all happy to use labour saving equipment to help with the heavy and boring tasks. Although a rotavator is not essential if you only have a small area to cultivate, no-one would think of maintaining a lawn without a mower. And you don’t even have [...]
→ No CommentsTags:chickens·coop·green lantern·suburb·urban foraging
After two months without any rain and unseasonal high temperatures the last three weeks have reversed the trend with heavy showers and longer periods of rain nearly every day. As a result my roses bloomed a month earlier than usual and so now have finished their first flush, but made a great show for a [...]
Last week I wrote about the preparations for the Chelsea Flower Show and included some links to pictures of some of the more unusual show gardwns. One of these was the Irish Sky Garden designed by Diarmuid Gavin which won a Gold medal and The RHS People’s Choice Award. I found this video tour of [...]
→ No CommentsTags:Chelsea Flower Show·Irish Sky Garden·japanese maple·rooftop garden
In my last post I mentioned the preparations for the Chelsea Flower Show and this is the week that the show opens its doors to the public. Each year sees more and more ambitious designs to the extent that there is some adverse press comment that the structures are taking over from the flowers. For [...]
“Why garden high in the sky?” asks Linnea Due writing in the East Bay Express. The obvious answer is to increase the growing area by making maximum use of the space. Mind you to describe it as “high in the sky” is somewhat of an exaggeration when what the article goes on to discuss is [...]
→ No CommentsTags:bee nest boxes·Chelsea Flower Show·skyfarming·vertical gardening
I found this article by Brian Minter about using vines to solve garden problems. “Looking for a simple but fast cover-up to screen an old fence or wall, an unsightly building or a nosy neighbour? Why not try some interesting and attractive vines?” His review covers most of the common vines including Virginia Creeper, Hummingbird [...]
→ No CommentsTags:aggressive plants·climbing plants·potting soil·thugs·vines
“No Excuses, Just Vegetables” is the title of an article by Mike Lieberman in which he shows how, with a little ingenuity, even apartment dwellers can grow their own veggies. “It’s worth the time and effort if you grow even one herb or vegetable. It will make a difference” he says. Of course he really [...]
→ No CommentsTags:balcony·containers·foraging·micro-greens·sprouts·vegetables·veggies
Shortly after I moved to my present home some seven years ago, I planted two plum trees. One was a greengage and the other a victoria plum. At the garden center there were several fine specimens of the victoria plum, but with the greengage it was a different story. As far as I can remember [...]
I know it’s rather late but I have just noticed an article on new plants for 2011 and this has prompted me to check a few sites to see what new varieties are on offer this year. Black and white seem to be common themes with the Black Velvet petunia and the Coconut Ice sunflower [...]
→ No CommentsTags:burlap·DIY·gadgets·herb·new plants·Queen Anne's Lace·wild carrot
