Growing carrots is pretty simple and as long as you keep away the carrot fly they are pretty hardy too! On Sunday I decided to see how tasty my carrot growing efforts had been this year.

You can imagine my surprise when I saw my carrot growing efforts as I pulled the biggest monster of a carrot I have ever seen out of the Cultivation Station. In fact, not only is this the biggest carrot I have even grown, but the biggest vegetable I have ever grown!

When growing carrots most people do what I used to do and that is plant them, grow them and then harvest them all when they are ready. Instead I was given a tip by a gardening expert to leave the carrots in the ground until they are needed – and that is exactly how I got that corker!

Growing carrots this year has been really tasty and successful! I can’t wait to harvest the next and hopefully bigger carrot out of the garden!

How have your veg growing efforts been this year?

Sounds complex doesn’t it? Well I thought the term sounded highly technical and complicated for some reason, however in reality actually learning how to harden off seedlings wasn’t difficult at all.

This year I have applied myself to a successful year of gardening, and although I was a bit ‘lazy boots’ rather than Daisy Boots last year, it’s now all in order!

Growing From Seed

You are probably wondering what this has to do with knowing how to harden off seedlings. Well last year I cheated a little by buying young plants from the garden centre, but this year I have grown all my plants from seed. So my success with seed germination required a little knowledge about how to plant the seedlings outside without the loss of any of my beloved plants.
So, I had to learn how to harden off seedlings.

Pampered Seeds

All of my seeds have been well and truly pampered! All have been grown in a greenhouse in EPS seed trays which has provided them with more insulation than other alternative seed trays. I would certainly say my seed growing exploits have – all in all – been very successful.

I have grown from seed;

• Beetroot
• Lettuce
• Sweetcorn
• Roma Tomatoes
• Baby tomatoes
• Peppers

3 Steps To Harden Off Seedlings

I’ll begin with what I found out this year, and most importantly what worked for me.

• Step One – Are Your Seedlings Pampered?

If like me you have kept your seedlings nice and warm and protected from the harsh weather, be it the bright sun, excessive rain or strong wind then you will need to ‘harden off’ those seedlings.

• Step Two – Understand what ‘harden off’ means.

To ‘harden off’ literally means to acclimatise seedlings gradually to new outdoor conditions, this includes not just cooler weather but also the harsh sunlight.

• Step Three – Hardening off Seedlings

To harden off seedlings will take anywhere between 7 to approximately 10 days. Make sure all frosts have passed otherwise the change may be too extreme.

Begin with putting the seedlings out for a couple of hours in the garden during the day in the shadier parts initially to avoid the harsh sunlight.

After a couple of days you will be able to put them out for a little longer each day and also start exposing them to more and more direct sunlight. You will soon notice the plants start to go a darker shade of green as you successfully harden them off.

NOTE: If you have a greenhouse you may want to begin this process by opening the door for a couple of hours each day and cooling down the green house first.

My Experience with Hardening off Seedlings

I found the process very simple and straightforward and it prevented the loss of my precious seedlings! The seedlings did indeed change to a darker shade of green over that short period of time and sure enough all of my seedlings have all been planted out into the raised bed and they are thriving.

Just a quick update regarding some eps seed trays which I had dutifully planted up this year with some sweetcorn.

I was very pleased with how well the seeds had been growing until I lifted them up to have a closer look and noted a small accident. The sweetcorn either ‘grew the wrong way’ or someone may have planted the seed the wrong way up, although in truth I was only aware of that for onion sets.

Ooops.

Short on Space? Maximise Space Using a Stackable Planter

If your growing space is limited, why not maximise your use of space with the stackable Clover planters. Ideal for patios, balconies and decking, each stackable set contains three tiers which can be stacked on top of each other. No tools. No Glue!

Zesty Herbs, Juicy Strawberries or Beautiful Floral displays

With stackable planters the possibilities are endless, why not prepare for the big summer tennis event with layer upon layer of your own home-grown delicious strawberries?

Herbs are both easy to grow and delicious when added to home cooking. So perhaps create a space close by for the quick picking of your fresh and tasty kitchen herbs. Or if you are feeling creative be the envy of your
neighbours and create some stunning floral displays on your patio.

Strong and Sturdy but also Extremely Lightweight

The Clover and Lucky Clover stackable planters are both versatile and lightweight. Manufactured from EPS exclusively in the UK the planters offer root protection and are so lightweight they are effortless to move around. Drainage holes are included and each tier stacks in alternate positions to aid with watering.

Special Offer 3 sets for the price of 2!

Clover stackable planters are available in four colours and are just £11.99 per set, or for more growing room the Lucky Clovers at £13.99 per set. If you are considering buying more than one set, why not take advantage of our 3 for 2 offer! All prices include delivery in the UK.

Last year I set about growing some herbs, and decided that the herbs that would be grown would be those I liked the most, so thyme, rosemary, coriander, sage (because I wanted to make stuffing) and in the end I also opted for dill as we wanted to pickle some cucumbers.

So How Did They Do?

Well I was glad to see that the freezing temperatures had not killed all of my herbs over the winter, although I admit I have had to buy a few plants as extras or replacements.

The thyme has lasted really well, but also surprisingly the sage and parsley. I did not expect the last two to survive as they seem like delicate plants, in contrast to the thyme which seems a little more ‘hardy’ – but there you have it. I think the insulation properties of the Cultivation Station really helped with protecting the roots!

Herbs are pretty easy to grow and I think that my accidental mistreatment of the thyme was probably in its favour with its conditions resulting in well drained soil in a sunny position – in other words I often forgot to water the poor thing!

An Abundance of Parsley

One herb that lasted really well was the parsley. I thought the parsley was going to die over the winter as it was compacted under all the snow we had, however it has sprung back with vengeance and now looks like a really pretty ornamental tree.

The only problem is that unlike the rosemary which I used pretty much all the time last year, I don’t actually use a huge amount of parsley and I am aware that herbs need to be used to survive. So when dinner came about last night I was thrilled that the recipe called for 8 sprigs of parsley for some homemade burgers, I did however get a little ‘scissor happy’ and ended up with 20 sprigs. They were yummy burgers though!

Growing Herbs 2011 – 2012

Herbs I am growing this year include rosemary which I had to replace from last year, and coriander as my supermarket-bought plant died, thyme, sage, dill, parsley and some garlic chives which smell really yummy.

Finally my love for pesto, and possibly home grown pesto has also lead me to grow some basil from seed.

Raised Bed Kits don’t have to be expensive. Potty Innovations offer affordable raised bed kits from just £50 including delivery without sacrificing on quality.
  

Raised Bed Kit Benefits

Raised beds offer many benefits including;

• Ease of access to crops
• Control over soil to suit your needs
• Easy crop rotation (if sectioned)
• Less digging is required
• Better drainage
• Longer growing period
• Added protection against slugs and snails
• If sectioned  – easy crop rotation

Raised Bed Kit Types

There are many different types of raised bed on the market offering different advantages and disadvantages.

Some timber raised beds for example have a natural ‘look’ about them, but are often heavy to move around and require DIY knowledge for assembly. In addition timber will be susceptible to rot usually requiring treatment to preserve the wood.

Potty Innovations manufacture a 100% recyclable raised bed system (Cultivation Station) which is assembled in minutes by simply sliding the planters together.
   

Cultivation Station: Set-Up in Minutes

Manufactured in the UK, the Cultivation Station is available in four different raised bed kits and helps you get planting as quickly as possible by;

• Raised bed kit slides together in minutes.
• Set Up – No Tools. No Glue. No Digging. DIY Knowledge Not Needed.
  

  

• Decide where you want to put it, assemble it, and if you change your mind it is so lightweight it can be easily moved to another spot.
• No treatment/preservative or required.

Warmer Soil: Grow For Longer

• Manufactured from 100% recyclable EPS providing unbeatable insulation properties.
• Unbeatable insulation for roots.
  

  

• Soil warms up earlier in the year and stays warmer longer in the year so you can keep growing for longer.
  

• Will not rot or crack during temperature extremes.

Durable and Functional Raised Bed Kits

• Sectioned planter areas offer easy crop rotation.
• Central area can be used for planting deeper rooted vegetables.
• Strong walls to maintain insulation and shape.
• Material is not brittle, but strong enough to hold a fully grown man.
• 30 cms (12 inches) off the ground – easier to reach crops.
• Non-toxic material.
• Can be used for vegetables, fruit, flowers and herbs.
• Available in black or green.

Cultivation Station: Raised Bed Starter Kits

Potty Innovations is a UK manufacturer based in Northampton. We offer the following raised bed starter kits to help you get started with your growing quickly.

  
  
Our raised bed starter kits are available to buy online through our secure SCA Online Shop.
   

  

If you are a little unsure on how to grow onions, then you have come to the right place.  A quick update on my onion growing antics will be followed by a quick beginners guide on ‘how to grow onions’.

A Quick Update

So far this year I have been focused on planting onions and garlic. I had hoped to have some purple sprouting broccoli, but alas it got eaten last year.

Anyway I have started with a few different onions so far, some white ‘radar’ variety, ‘Senshyu’ variety and also some red onions. Iam planting plenty in the hope they will last me quite a while, thats if I don’t make the same mistake as last year and instead allow them to dry properly!

How to Grow Onions in 5 Steps

1. For those of you not yet versed in the ways of growing onions, its best to use small bulbs (immature onions) called ‘sets’. These are usually more expensive than seeds, but are however far more reliable to grow.
2. To plant simply create a hole in which to place your bulb, I usually just use my finger but if you have a dibber you may want to use that instead.
3. Ensuring the roots are facing into the ground, place the bulb in the hole and cover over with soil ensuring the tip (pointy end) is just poking out above of the soil level. Be careful not to press the bulb hard into place as you may damage the root base.
4. Refer to the packet instructions for advice on spacing recommendations for the sets.
5. You may wish to protect your newly planted onion crop from birds using netting. Birds can be tempted to swoop down and start lifting them earlier than you wish!

Lifting

Depending on the onion variety onions are generally ready to lift in July/August.
A tell tale sign that they are ready will be when the green foliage starts to flop over and die back.

Drying

The onions will then need to be lifted and left to dry. If the weather is warm the onions can be left to dry on top of the soil, if not they need to be left somewhere else to dry where there is no damp.

Drying is very important, I made the mistake last year of lifting the onions and not letting them dry for long enough and then placing them in a hessian bag. The result was 60-70% of the crop went mouldy or started to rot after a period of time. It was a real shame as the onions we did manage to eat were really quite nice and did taste different to shop bought ones.

So in summary growing onions really is quite easy.

Order a Cultivation Station raised bed and give it a go!

Yes, I know I was a little remiss on my gardening exploits last year but with my new Cultivation Station raised bed system ready and waiting for my attention I now need to get out and start planting. I also have to replace 6 fence panels in my garden as they were blown over in the ferocious winds we had.

My 2010 growing episode consists of successfully growing tomatoes, carrots and onions, which were really yummy. Not much to write about you may be thinking! However I did also grow lots of courgettes, so many I actually had to give most of them away in the end.

My sweetcorn didn’t bloom as it had the year before and my leeks still look like spring onions they just didn’t seem to want to fatten up so hopefully will have better luck this year.

2011 Plans

My plans are to prepare my soil within the next few weeks and then plant up some potatoes and onions in the centre. Carrots will be planted up one side of my Cultivation Station, sweetcorn along another, beans and cabbages – the list is endless! I do however have my little garden helper on hand this year which will be helpful – i hope.

Protecting My Cabbages

As for my ‘cabbage issues’ from my last post, I have come up with a solution!  With some garden wire, insect netting and a few elastic bands I propose to make my cabbages ‘butterfly proof’.

Diagram Instructions

1. Thread gardeners wire through very fine protective netting (mesh).

2. Make hoops over Cultivation Station using Gardeners wire and stick into either side of the planter (3 for each).

3. Using discarded elastic bandsruche netting to prevent any unwanted visitors.

Other Issues

Ooh, just one other thing, I find I have a lot of woodlice in my garden. They like to nestle at the bottom of tubs in the corners of my raised bed, my question is can they harm my growing exploits? I wondered if they had anything to do with my failed leeks and sweetcorn last year. If anybody can answer this question about woodlice it would be much appreciated.

See you all soon.

Even though I don’t have any boots due to a camping accident (where they got accidently split), Daisy Boots has now been re-named Lazy Boots for my lack of posts (thanks VG).

So this year I aim to write more and I will start with butterfly pests.

This year I will plant cabbages but with newly constructed butterfly defences. Oh yes, the butterflies LOVE cabbage as I am sure you know!! Even though I have successfully grown cabbages before, both times they have been got at by the cabbage white butterflies. The blasted fluttering pests seem to do all the damage away from the naked eye. I thought I had grown a beautiful cabbage this year, picked it up and a leaf fell back revealing loads of prospective fluttering pests for future cabbage chaos. Cabbage chaos! That’s a tongue twister!!

Although the cabbage white butterflies are a menace to cabbage growers, I don’t have the same loathing for butterflies as I do for slugs. Butterflies are pretty to look at when they are fluttering around in the summer but they are the devil in disguise so measures do have to be taken. Slugs however are from the deep depths, not nice to look at and will munch anything in site – so death to slugs it still is.

If you had any issues with garden pests or have advice for keeping the butterflies at bay let me know, I look forward to reading your comments!

I thought I would share my five top do’s and don’ts for the beginner gardener. Well, I was going to do my top 10 do’s and don’ts, but I think I need another full year in gardening practice first!

In no particular order…

Top 5 Don’ts

1. Don’t start planting too early, you’ll only be depressed when everything dies or nothing happens.
2. Don’t underestimate watering – be regular and don’t let plants dry out. I had many plants bolt because of irregular watering.
3. Don’t underestimate the pure destruction that bugs can do to your crops. Butterflies can and will cause havoc to your cabbages and broccoli, create a frame with old gardening canes and use some mesh to keep them out.
4. Don’t cover the whole raised bed in mesh to protect it from bugs as you’ll end up excluding the bugs that will pollinate your plants.
5. Don’t fill the window ledges in your house with seedlings, you‘ll only forget what daylight looks like!

Top 5 Do’s

1. Do remember that you need insects for pollination, so be mindful of bug spray usage and perhaps read up on companion planting. Spraying the whole garden might make you feel better, but will probably kill everything in the process.
2. Do use EPS seed trays, they provide better insulation for roots and last longer than flimsy plastic ones.
3. Do use a torch to locate slugs at night! Once located, choose your trowel of preference and fling them over the fence (but not into a neighbouring garden).
4. Do get a nice tin to keep all of your seed packets in otherwise you will end up with packets all over the place.
5. Do get a reasonable sized water butt, we skimped on a small one and now need another! They are pretty easy to install and you won’t regret it when you have lots of thirsty plants.

Hope they are helpful!
VG