GIANT VEG: EASY WAYS TO GROW

RECORD-BREAKING CROPS AT HOME TOP RHS

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 Editor’s Letter

WELCOME Can’t get enough of Grow

EDITORIAL …to the March issue of Grow
Editor Your Own! Here on the GYO Your Own? Catch up on
Laura Hillier team, we are all thrilled to any mags you’ve missed
laura.hillier@dcthomson.co.uk
see spring on the horizon, with the DC Thomson
Senior Content Creator
and we are itching to get Shop by heading to
Emily Peagram dcthomsonshop.co.uk
emily.peagram@dcthomson.co.uk started with our favourite crops! Propagators
Content Writer are being dusted off up and down the country,
Sophie King seed tins are out, and we are ready to get started!
sophie.king@dcthomson.co.uk As ever, our wonderful experts are on hand to share their tips on getting
DESIGN the best from your plot this spring. Anne Swithinbank will be focusing on
Art Director James Philp climbing peas for growing in pots (page 18), the RHS are delving into the
Designers world of carrots (page 22) and watermelon (page 25), while Mark Lane is
Debbie Pratt, Lee Francis, continuing to set up his brand-new garden (page 16), and Nick Bailey puts
Gemma Eales & Cat Morton
another unsung garden hero under the microscope (page 14).
ADVERTISING As well as all this, we will be sharing our five favourite tomatoes (page
Deputy Group Advertising
Manager
42), the unusual fruit you should try (page 78) and how to grow without a
Daniel Hewlett 01206 505 950 garden (page 56) – yes, really!
daniel.hewlett@dcthomson.co.uk We hope you enjoy the magazine, and do get in touch and share what is
Business Solutions Manager going on in your garden this month – use the hashtag #growwithgyo and you
Amy Shaw could see your photos featured in the magazine next month.
amy.shaw@dcthomson.co.uk
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growfruitandveg.co.uk 3
 March’s
CONTENTS
Smart gardening
52 Smart news
54 Smart design
56 Smart guide: Growing without a garden

Regulars
7 This month
8 Have your say
10 Jobs on the plot
12 Charles Dowding’s no dig FAQs
14 Nick Bailey: What Lies Beneath
16 Mark Lane’s new garden diary
18 Anne Swithinbank: Climbing peas
30 Plot essentials
44 Subscribe today!
84 #growwithgyo
90 Ellen Mary: Samphire

RHS
22 Growing guide: Carrots
25 Edible exotics: Watermelon
26 Forest gardening
28 RHS diary dates

More growing advice

18
33 Sow your bonus seeds
42 Top 5 tomatoes
46 Pick of the crop: Cloches and
cold frames
10
48 Spring essentials
51 Emily’s top 5
58 Kim Stoddart: Climate change
gardening
61 Ask the experts
64 David Domoney: Pink borders
66 Garden Organic
68 Under cover
70 Glorious greenhouses
73 Top 8 destinations to see blossom
this year
77 Gooseberries
78 Top 5 unusual fruits
81 Crops to sow and harvest
87 Tried and tested: Propagators
92 The possibility of a garden
94 Allotment inspirations
97 Seasonal recipes
102 Reader offers
106 Growing world-record vegetables 98
4 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 GIANT VEG: EASY WAYS TO GROW
RECORD-BREAKING CROPS AT HOME TOP RHS
ADVICE
Contents
growfruitandveg.co.uk March 2023
• GROW YOUR BEST UBSC
EVER CARROTS
• ADD WATERMELONS •S RI
TO YOUR PLOT
BE
ON THE COVER • START A FOREST

BE
RI
GARDEN
SUBSCRIBE

UBSC

•S
SMALL TODAY AND
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UBSC
PEAS SAVE
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•S
16 Mark Lane
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Spring!

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PER ISSUE
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21 RHS advice GYO BE

PICKS RI
42 Top 5 tomatoes 5 of the best
•S
It’s time to get key crops out of the tomatoes UBSC
starting gates – we show you how
58 Kim Stoddart
R
64 David Domoney REVEALED Save BE S Access our member

CL
ME M
78 Unusual fruits The unusual only content plus
£££s

UB
97 Seed to fork fruits you receive your free*
must try! By taking herb and
flower cuttings essentials kit
Enjoy your bonus seeds Mark Lane
Join me on my new
garden journey of
Kim Stoddart
Design ideas
for a climate
David Domoney
Create beautiful
floral borders with
(digital copies excluded)! discovery proof plot my advice
Seed to fork: Easy recipes to turn your harvests into meals to please a crowd!

94
Worth
giftstoyou.com/GCD1
offer here!
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1000 giftstoyou.com/GCD1
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Average
35
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m/GCD1
you.co
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seed
Find 1000
age
Aver

22 Beetroot
Renova
Monogerm cylindrical
variety
Sow: Apr-Jul • Harvest:
Jul-Oct

Beta vulgaris
Botanical name
Cosmos
Seashells
Easy, elegant border
plant
Sow: Feb-May • Flowers:
Mixed
Great alternative to watercress
Sow: Mar-Sep • Harvest: Apr-Nov
Jun-Oct

Cosmos bipinnatus
Cress
American Land
Sow:
Lavender
French Laven
Unusual scented der
leaves and
Feb-Jun • Flowers:
flowers
Jun-Sep

stoechas
Lavandula
Classic
Sow:
Thym
strong
Feb-May

Sow
year
ly fla
• Har

by
endin
Packe
d in
g
voured
vest:
e

Mar-No
herb
v

us vulga
Thym ical name
Botan
ris

,
arket
Newm
Kentford,

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73 latest GYO news and developments as

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the very latest top-notch advice
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to us that everything you read on these pages can
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growfruitandveg.co.uk 5
 Garden report

This month…
Stay up to date with all the latest growing news
Bee conservation efforts succeed
NEWS
in brief

We’re not quite out of the

One of the UK’s rarest bumblebees, the shrill carder cold yet, with frosts still making
bee (Bombus sylvarum), has seen its population soar themselves welcome on plots
since the introduction of conservation efforts led by across the UK, and while we
the Woodland Trust and the Bumblebee Conservation protect our sowings from
chilly weather, it’s important to
Trust. Victory Wood – a very fitting name considering
bear wildlife in mind, too. The
its success – is a 140-hectare site in Kent which
RSPB has published three top
has been transformed into a mixture of woodland,
tips for helping birds during
scrub and grassland from its humble roots as arable
cold snaps, from bird feed
farmland. The shrill carder bee was first discovered
recommendations to tips for
at the site four years ago, after which volunteers
providing shelter. It’s never
helped the charities to introduce foraging and nesting
too late to lend our feathered
sites. This has proved very successful: the population
friends a helping hand! Visit
has dramatically increased, with as many as 121
rspb.org.uk to learn more
bees recorded on one day. To find out more, head to
woodlandtrust.org.uk The RHS have published
their gardening predictions
for 2023, and they’re looking
fantastic. Houseplants are
WE LOVE set to flourish as we turn the
central heating down during
the increasingly hot summer
Wakehurst’s Nature Heroes season, and growers are
A new family programme is set to launch at predicted to set their green-
Kew’s Sussex garden, Wakehurst, this year, thumbs on regenerative
inspiring budding gardeners and conservationists. gardening – meaning we’ll
Children are invited to get involved in a different see a lot more peat-free and
nature-saving mission every holiday as part organic products taking centre-
of a superhero squad. They can even wear a stage. Dried flowers are also
superhero cape as they build their practical skills, making a comeback, so don’t
earning embroidered badges on each visit to the forget to sow some blooms
gardens. From building wormeries to making seed alongside your fruit and veg.
bombs, there’s plenty of fun to be had. For more Go to rhs.org.uk to read the
information, visit kew.org/wakehurst full list.

Our March highlights...

TOP CROP
THIS MONTH
Carrots
You can start
growing this veg
Seven
patch classic this
month. Make sure
the soil is finely
prepared and
protect early sowings
in ten
with cloches and
That’s how many
you’ll be well on millennials
LAURA EMILY SOPHIE your way to tasty
“Tomatoes are my “If you’re looking to I’d love to see the best home-grown roots consider
favourite crop, and I love experiment with new blossom displays the UK this season. The
the varieties on page RHS are on hand
themselves
fruits on your plot, check has to offer this spring, and
42 – just need to work out our list of unusual I’m feeling really inspired with a beginners’ ‘plant parents’
out if I’ve got space for varieties on page 78 and by the National Trust’s top guide containing SOURCE: ONEPOLL
them all!!” be inspired!” picks on page 73. everything you need
to know on page 22.

growfruitandveg.co.uk 7
Mail

HAVE YOUR
Get in touch with your growing stories & snaps
Say
Seed sorting
“Time to sort and prepare my seeds
for this year. After some thought and
discovering some unused file dividers,
Write to us
Share your garden tales,
I’ve sorted my flower seeds by month pictures, community projects
of planting and the vegetable seeds in and tips with us for a chance
alphabetical order.” to see yourself on the pages
Steve Watkin via Email of GYO by emailing: sophie.
king@dcthomson.co.uk
facebook.com/
growyourownmag

@gyomag

instagram.com/
growyourownmag

OVER
toYOU
We asked our readers
which wildlife visitors
they like to see on the plot.

Wildlife haven Here’s what they said...

“I love any wildlife but my favourite so far “Newts, toads, frogs, bees,
was the hummingbird moth. I’m still waiting butterflies and birds.
for a hedgehog.” Everything really.”
@selkis13 on Twitter @my_dog_our_garden
on Instagram

Show us your garden pics! “I regularly enjoy frogs,

toads, slow-worms and
adders! Along with an
occasional stoat and
plenty of robins. Right
now, there are dozens of
redwings noisily feasting
on fallen apples in the
orchard.”
@pumadoggy on
Twitter

“I have deer that venture

“These beauties were pulled
yesterday. I’ve got so many
left and luckily they’re still
looking good. They were
sown early August – the
“The joy of growing is variety is ‘Autumn King’.
unmatched.” @queenofseed on
@indiangreendreams Instagram
on Instagram queenofseed.co.uk
“My favourite visitor.”
@lovely_plot on Twitter
into my garden. This year
we had a mother and
her two fawns visit – it’s
always lovely watching
them. Luckily, they just
eat the weeds and grass
and haven’t spotted all
my fruit and veg… yet.”
@welliesandwaffles
on Instagram

8 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 Expert advice

March’s
BEST CROPS!
Our experts offer top advice on a range of edibles this month

RHS Katy Prentice

18 Climbing peas
22Cracking carrots
42 Top tomatoes
Anne Swithinbank explains how The RHS gives us the lowdown We weigh in on the best varieties
to grow this delicious vertical on this popular addition to the you should try this season –
veg in pots veg patch it’s hard to decide!

68
Greenhouse cucumbers
Sally Nex provides top tips and
advice for growing cukes under
cover this season
78 Unusual fruits
106 Record veg
Add some quirkiness to your plot Learn how to grow huge vegetables
and impress the neighbours with from world record-holder
these unique varieties Lee Herrington

growfruitandveg.co.uk 9
Jobs
on the Plot
It’s time to spring into action! Lighter
days and warmer temperatures are
on the horizon, and there are plenty
of sowing opportunities to kickstart
your season. Keep an eye on soil
temperatures, and only sow directly
into the veg bed when conditions
have reached at least 7°C.

The Herb Garden

Directly sow seeds of tender
herbs such as dill, chervil
and coriander on the plot
and enjoy delicious pickings
to add to your dishes this
summer. Successional Seasonal tasks
sowings will ensure a The vegetable patch
fresh supply of leaves all To accommodate a wide range of crops,
season – and it’s hard to add well-rotted manure to your plot
and dig in thoroughly. Wait a few weeks
beat the flavour of home- before sowing, as this can scorch crops.
grown ingredients! Carefully remove large stones from
the veg bed and add a dose of sand to
lighten the consistency before directly
sowing carrot seeds into the ground.
Container growing Use cloches to protect radish and
If you’re planning to grow tomatoes in lettuce seedlings from frosts and slugs.
pots, sow the seeds in trays filled with Save space on the plot for veg that
good-quality compost and place in an needs to be planted outside come May/
unheated greenhouse. It’s always a good June, such as tomatoes and peppers.
idea to warm the soil up for a few days
before you start! Plant shallot sets this month, leaving
15cm of space between each bulb and
Replace the top 2.5cm of soil of arranging them in rows 30cm apart to
established crops growing in tubs allow enough room for development.
with fresh compost to give them a Weed and mulch established beds of
nutritional boost. asparagus crops to ensure a successful
If the weather turns dry, water pots season ahead. You can also plant more
regularly to ensure even soil moisture. crowns to enjoy in a few years.
Remember to focus on the roots and Place early chitted potatoes into the
not the foliage to avoid the spread of ground towards the end of the month
fungal diseases. when the weather becomes warmer.

10 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 Expert advice
PROBLEM OF THE MONTH:
Onion white rot
Onion white rot is a serious fungal
disease which affects alliums –
particularly onions, garlic and leeks
– causing wilting and yellowing
foliage. Plants fade away from April
to June, and the bulb turns to white
dust. As the disease progresses, a
white cotton- like fungal growth with
black dots becomes visible. You
should destroy all infected material
and refrain from growing this type
of veg in the infected area for at least
15 years to prevent future crops
becoming infected.

Under cover
If temperatures rise, open greenhouse
vents to allow a good level of ventilation,
but always shut them at night to avoid
the cold weather from creeping in and
affecting your seedlings.
Water crops in containers regularly to
avoid dehydration, yellowing foliage and
stunted growth.
As the weather becomes milder, young
weeds will begin to shoot up. Remove
Fruits of your labour
them immediately from borders as this
well help to control them. You should
be able to do this by hand if you catch
them early.
If you’re suffering from an infestation
of mice, sow pea seeds in modules
under the protection of a glass house
before transplanting.
Allow adequate spacings between
edibles in your greenhouse. This will
help to prevent fungal diseases as the
humidity levels rise.
Fertilisers
Focus March marks the
on this: start of the growing
season, and using
fertilisers can help
ensure the success of your crops.
If you have any patio trees, give
them a feed of sulphate of potash
to encourage flower and fruit
production. It is also a good idea
to add organic fertiliser to fruit
trees and shrubs at this time of
year – remove any mulch, feed
Mulch established fruit trees with around their roots, water well and
well-rotted manure or garden add new mulch. Try to use organic
compost to retain moisture types rather than chemical ones to
and nutrients in the soil while provide a slow release of nutrients.
smothering weeds. Remember to A sudden increase in growth early
avoid the base of the trunk.
in the season can put plants at risk
It’s time to start planting apple, from disease and pests.
cherry, fig and many other fruit
trees in a sunny, sheltered spot on
the plot.
Feed blueberry plants with a dose
of ericaceous fertiliser to boost
the acidity of the soil and to keep
this edible strong and healthy
throughout the season.
Plant summer-fruiting raspberry
canes such as ‘Ruby Beauty’ or ‘Glen
Ample’ in your garden or allotment
and you could soon be enjoying a
plentiful supply of this juicy fruit.
Cover rhubarb crops with
old buckets to encourage the
development of long, pale stalks
with an enhanced sweet flavour.
This technique is known as forcing.

growfruitandveg.co.uk 11

No dig FAQs
Charles gets to the bottom of some common
queries about this handy gardening method
O
ften, the same questions
pop up, and this month I'm
answering three of them.
All of my explanations are based
on long experience, affording
me a clear view of methods that
work, and a few that don’t!
How do I convert from
dug soil to no dig?
This is a simple process, based on
encouraging soil organisms to do the
work. The exact method depends on
how many weeds there are, which
ones, and the condition of the surface.
If the soil surface is uneven, use a
rake to make it level. You may need to
use a spade to level off any peaks of
heavy soil, moving it into any hollows.
Only if there are too many weeds
to remove by hand, lay cardboard
over all surfaces, both beds and paths.
It's important to cover pathways
because otherwise perennial weeds
such as couch grass will simply
spread back into your beds.
Finally, spread
organic matter
as surface
mulch, and
soil organisms
will multiply
underneath and
within it, to the
advantage
00 growfruitandveg.co.uk
12 growfruitandveg.co.uk
Charles
Dowding's
of your plants and the soil structure.
Going forward, the structure of your
soil will continually be improving
without you interfering at all. This
is both easier and more effective in
terms of aeration and drainage.
If you are planning to sow small
seeds, direct, use a reasonably fine
compost. For squash and potatoes,
the organic matter can be lumpier,
such as animal manures with straw.
Does it matter if soil is
hard and clay?
With very few exceptions, the answer
is no. Usually when people ask this,
they are referring to soil that has a
natural firmness, or even may be hard
because it's dry. Truly-compacted soil
is rare, and you will know it by a bad
smell of sulphur and water lying for a
long time after rain. A one-off forking
can help loosen this rare problem. Clay
soils grow fantastic plants with no dig, I
know from long and happy experience.
In contrast, loose soil has more air
and holds less moisture. Soil that is too
loose can result in plants falling over.
Roots like firm soil, and I rarely stake
my Brussels sprouts, for example – they
lean away from the wind but do not fall
over or suffer root damage in wind.
No dig maintains firm soil in an open
state, and this month is a good time to
sow carrots and parsnips – around the
third week is just warm enough. Lay a
cover of fleece on top of newly sown
beds to aid germination. You should
find that tap roots go down evenly and
successfully, from seeds which you
sow in the surface mulch of compost.
Do I need to fork to
loosen the soil?
This question is based on a
misunderstanding that soil needs to be
actually loose for plant roots to grow.
I run a trial at Homeacres with two
strips side-by-side, each one 2m wide
and 9m long. I grow the same vegetables
in each strip and there is just one
difference between them: one of the
strips we loosen soil every year with a
fork, and put the compost on top after
doing that; the other strip has the same
compost on top but is never forked.
Over nine years of harvests, the
forked strip has given 978kg vegetables,
while the no dig strip has given 1051kg.
So that’s seven per cent more harvests
from doing less work, every year.
I suspect that forking the soil
breaks mycelial networks,
which are important in
helping plant roots to find
nutrients and moisture. We
give the same amount of water
to both strips, everything is
the same, except for the soil of
one being forked once a year.
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growfruitandveg.co.uk 13
 Nick Bailey
What Lies
Beneath
PLANTS WITH
HUMAN TRAITS!
This month, Nick uncovers some of
the similarities plants have with us –
yes, really!
I
f you’ve ever watched Little Shop of
Horrors or read The Day of the Triffids,
you’ll have indulged in the fantasy
that plants are sentient. These dramatic
creations play with the idea that plants
have free will, think, move and respond
to the world around them. Well, I’ll let you
into a secret: it's all true! Plants can see,
smell, feel and remember. But just to be
clear, I’m not suggesting we're about to be
invaded or taken over by evil plants hell-
bent on planetary destruction, but plants
really do sense the world and respond to it
in a surprisingly animal-like way.
14 growfruitandveg.co.uk
Have you noticed how plants, particularly
seedlings, will lean towards the light?
This, of course, does not happen by
chance. The plant is doing its utmost
to ensure survival and that it gets the
maximum amount of light possible. But
how does it do this and how does it know
where the light is? Well, this is where a
plant’s senses both inform it and trigger
activity. When a plant pulls towards light
it is effectively ‘seeing’ light thanks to a
phenomenon known as phototropism.
This was proven by Darwin back in
1880. Even more fascinating is its means
of leaning towards the light. Plants do
this by increasing the volume of cells on
the side of the stem which is receiving
least light. This in turn pushes the stem
over and toward the source of light.
Pretty amazing, right? But that’s just one
of the numerous ‘senses’ plants rely on.
Species across the world have evolved a
"When a plant pulls towards light it
is effectively ‘seeing’ light thanks to a
phenomenon known as phototropism"
plethora of scents, many of which humans
and animals are drawn to. Arguably, most
of these scents are created by plants to
ensure pollination or distribution, but
astonishing plants can themselves also
perceive scent. They don’t have the
complex olfactory systems of humans and
many other mammals, but they do have
the capacity to pick up scents carrying
important messages. Perhaps the best
known of these is the distress hormone
grass and other plants release when they
are cut or damaged. This ‘scent’ is ‘smelt’
by other species nearby alerting them to
the danger. So that apparently romantic
‘fresh’ smell of cut grass is effectively
thousands of individual blades screaming
‘Oi, lads, there’s a bison/mower/goose
chomping on me – put up your defences!’
What this practically means for grass and
thousands of other species susceptible
to animal attack is that they release a

series of compounds making
their leaves less palatable to
the diners. Another example of
plants' capacity to smell happens
on vast container ships leaving
the tropics bound for colder
climes. Bananas and other tropical
fruits are often picked when they
are not fully ripe. Shipping companies
then pump ethylene gas into the hold,
thus accelerating ripening ready for
delivery to your local supermarket.
While ethylene is naturally produced by
plants, artificially introducing it into their
environment allows them to ‘smell’ this
compound and respond by speeding up
their ripening.
So, all of this, along with numerous
other examples, shows that plants
can, in their own way, ‘see’ and smell.
But what about other senses such as
hearing? Little credible research exists
in this field, though there is constant
speculation that playing Britney Spears
to your cucumbers increases their yield.
However, about as close as we can get
to such a claim comes in the form of
plant responses to the vibration of bees’
wings. Numerous species ‘feel’ rather than
hear the buzz of a bee’s wings once it’s
FUN FACT
"In order to close at
great speed, the Venus
flytrap needs to have two of
the sensory hairs in its trap
touched. Therefore, it has to
remember the first touch
(albeit for a few seconds) and
await the second touch
before it snaps closed"
Expert advice
landed on a bloom, and for many plants
this triggers pollen release. So, plants are
pretty much deaf, but they can certainly
feel. They respond to touch, hot and cold,
and to the environment around them.
Vines, for example, can feel when
their extending tendrils come into
contact with an object which they
can potentially attach themselves to.
I saw this in action last summer in
my own garden and in plant-terms
it can happen at lightning-fast speed.
I attached a potted perennial sweet
pea to a mesh panel with string and in
under two hours its own tendrils had
reached out, ‘felt’ and begun wrapping
themselves onto the mesh!
But perhaps the most astounding
sentient-like quality many plants have
is memory. An obvious example is the
Venus flytrap. In order to close at great
speed, it needs to have two of the sensory
hairs in its trap touched. Therefore, it has
to remember the first touch (albeit for a
few seconds) and await the second touch
before it snaps closed. More astonishingly,
Arabidopsis (a brassica weed) can
remember the length of the previous night.
It then uses this remembered information
to allocate starch reserves, by the hour, the
following night to ensure it continues its
biological processes.
So, plants really do have some
senses similar to our own, and each
is extraordinary and fascinating. But
fear not: it’s not very likely that the
cactus on your kitchen windowsill
is going to come for you in the
middle of the night!
growfruitandveg.co.uk 15
 MY NEW
GARDEN DIARY
It is an exciting month of crop planning and
measuring up in Mark’s new space
W
ith any garden, it’s
essential to make a plan
of what you want to grow,
where you want to grow
them and whether or not you’ll be
picking them regularly, which means
accessible pathways and access points.
Being a wheelchair user, I always
have to think about the hard-landscaping
so that I can get around easily. I
recommend, where possible, that
pathways are a minimum of 1.0m wide
and that turning circles are at least
2.0m in diameter. Of course, this
isn’t always possible, but never
under-estimate the amount
of space you need to make
gardening easier and fun.
Last month I described the
area around my new greenhouse.
There will be the creation of a 2.5m
‘alley’ where I want to put some cold
frames, a border and a couple of water
butts. If I added a 1.0m-wide pathway
there would be little space for the
aforementioned. So, I’ve measured
my new wheelchairs and the widest
one is c. 70cm wide (max.). Taking this
16 growfruitandveg.co.uk
measurement, I shall put an 80cm-wide
pathway, and if possible, a turning area
at one end. I know 20cm doesn’t sound
a lot, but every centimetre counts when
getting the most from your plot. If I don’t
have the space for the turning
circle, however, I shall leave
it out, but I’ll know that
I can go forward and
backward, up and down
the hard-standing of the
path and not end up in a flower
or veggie bed.
The same type of measurements are
important for pushing wheelbarrows,
so measure their length and width and
work out the minimum amount of space
you’ll need. Fill your wheelbarrow with
a bag of compost, a couple of potted
plants and a few tools (because, let’s face
it, if you’re like me, you’ll cram as much
as you possibly can into the barrow or
trolley to prevent you having to go back
and forth to the potting shed) and then
try manoeuvring it. An empty barrow
will make it easier, but it will not be
realistic. Taking measurements right at
the start, marking it out with string or

“Never
underestimate the
amount of space
environmentally-
friendly spray you need to make
paint and gardening easier
undertaking a few
moves around the
and fun”
plot will pay off later
and for years to come.
I’m also going to try
out different cold frames. DIY
versions made from old bricks just
piled up with some panes of glass laid
on top are relatively cheap to make, and,
of course, polycarbonate can be used
instead of glass. Wooden cold frames,
in kit form, are easy to put together and
will keep out the worst of the spring
weather. And, if budget permits, I’ll add
some brick-built ones, using mortar, and
hinged glass doors, as well as a raised
bed with a purpose-built cold frame top/
lid that can be removed in the summer.
Next, I’ll sit down and make a rough
plan of the garden’s borders and work
out what I’m going to grow in each
space. With the soil warming up in
March, and spring finally here, hardy
annuals can be sown directly outside,
whereas half-hardy annuals should be
started off inside the greenhouse, cold
frame or on the windowsill. For the
hardy annuals I shall opt for Calendula,
Calendula
Cerinthe, Helianthus, Scabiosa,
Scabiosa Matthiola
and Centaurea.. I’ll probably sow these
in rills around the cut-and-come-again
lettuces and strawberries and use them
as companion plants for the veggies and
fruits. Also, edible flowers look lovely
garnishing salads.
In the warmer environment of the
greenhouse, I’ll sow half-hardy annuals
into coir pellets, such as Cosmos, Tagetes,
nasturtiums and Zinnia. These will all
be used for cutting only, so think about
the amount of space each plant takes up
when fully grown and sow the number
you’ll need plus a couple of spares, just in
case. Don’t be tempted to sow the whole
packet of seeds.
Expert advice
With better weather in the spring,
I’m really tempted to start in the back
garden, but I must sit on my hands and
think of myself as one of my garden
design clients and draw up a concept
and planting plan for the entire garden.
I have an image in my head of how I
want the garden to look, but I know as
I get to understand my garden more,
I shall want to tweak a few design
features. One thing I do want to do
is create an evergreen backbone
to the garden, with good structure
and architecture.
growfruitandveg.co.uk 17
 Anne Swithinbank
Grow climbing peas
Anne is adding this delicious crop to her
plot that will let you make the most
of your vertical space
P
eas are an attractive crop and
although traditionally grown in
rows, they also perform well in
large containers fitted with pea sticks.
Using tendrils to cling, plants hoist
themselves up their supports to show off
their flowers and pods. Pea blossom is
white or purple-pink and because the
anthers release their pollen before the
flower bud opens, they are self-
pollinating. As well as ensuring a good
set, this means they usually come true
from home-collected seed. Not
surprisingly, the blooms resemble those of
sweet peas with upper standard petals,
lower keels and wings at the side. Pods
can be green, pink-flushed or purple and
according to variety will yield peas for
podding: crunchy sugar snaps eaten
whole either raw or briefly cooked, and
flat, mangetout types.
Anyone with a sunny outdoor space,
however small, can find room for a pot of
peas, and although you won’t have a
18 growfruitandveg.co.uk
bumper crop, the opportunity to taste them
freshly picked is too good to miss. Sowings
can take place in February or early March
under unheated glass but are generally
best left until the latter half of March or
April outdoors because a combination of
cold and wet is liable to rot the seeds.
Fill a pot at least 30cm wide with good
potting compost. A half and half mix of
John Innes No 2 and a peat-free compost
with 10 per cent grit added usually works
well. Sow seeds 8cm apart across the top,
bury them by their own size with compost
and water in. Cover the surface at least by
night to keep mice off. After germination,
gently push three twiggy sticks in around
the edge and tie the tops together to make
an attractive wigwam shape. Alternatively,
start the pea seeds four to a 9cm pot first
and plant these into the larger container.
Fertiliser in the compost will run out after a
month or so, so liquid feed weekly using a
well-balanced feed initially and then with
high potash as pods form.
3 VARIETIES TO TRY:
‘Alderman Main’
If all you want is to pop a
pod and eat the tender
succulent peas inside,
then this reliable old
variety climbing to 1.8m
will deliver the goods.
White flowers set to long
pods packed with 9-12 peas.
(premierseedsdirect.com)
‘Purple Magnolia’
Said to be the first purple-podded
snap pea, this ticks all the boxes for a
container grown pea. It is tall at 1.8m,
the blooms are pink and maroon and
the green peas lie within crunchy
purple pods best harvested young
and tender. (sowseeds.co.uk)
‘Spring Blush’
Although this sugar snap is
described as being 75cm tall, my
plants raced up to 1.5m. Pink and
purple flowers set to green-rimmed
pods flushed rosy pink. These were
tender to eat even when quite
mature. (thompson-morgan.com)
 Expert advice
If you have…
15 minutes:
Order wasabi
This somewhat
mysterious brassica
is best described as
Japanese horseradish;
its stout rhizome
yields heat and flavour.
Growing this plant is a
challenge, but the motive lies
in harvesting an expensive crop fresh.
The plant enjoys cool, shady conditions
and moist but free-draining soil. Some
growers mulch with a generous shingle
layer to keep the stem clean and hold
moisture. Others will plant their wasabi in
pots, as they dislike cold winters and must
be brought under glass or covered with a
layer of straw and fleece. The rhizome is
ready to harvest in two or three years.

If you have…
30 minutes:
Position a
chilli pepper
Chillies (capsicums)
have been eaten by
humans since around
7500 BC. One well-grown
plant could yield enough
fruits to keep you supplied for a
season. Choose a young plant or two now,
jalapeno or cayenne, and grow it on a
warm, sunny windowsill. Pot the plant on
when required and later, when there is
no more danger of frost, stand it out in a
sheltered spot and feed fortnightly with a
high potash feed once flowers form. Small
chilli plants such as ‘Numex Twilight’
bearing multi-coloured fruits are easily
grown permanently indoors.

If you have…
60 minutes:
Sow silver and
green-seeded
broad beans
To really show off
during broad bean
season (usually June
and July), look forward
to surprising guests with an
attractive mixture of silver and green,
superbly tender beans. For silver, it is
hard to beat good old, hardy ‘Aquadulce
Claudia’, and for green, ‘Masterpiece
Green Longpod’. Sow in February or
March into deep trays or modules under
glass, or direct to light soil. It is said that
aromatic annual summer savory is a
good companion plant for repelling
blackfly on beans.

growfruitandveg.co.uk 19
 Save 15% with Pomona Fruits!
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These space-saving columnar trees are attractive as well as fruitful and are
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Choose any 2 apple varieties to ensure adequate pollination. The James
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Pomona Fruits Ltd, Department GY3CP, The Barn, Brook Farm, Stones Green
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Offer closes on 31/03/2023. Offer is available to UK mainland only (excluding
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20 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 RHS Advice
Garden projects from experts at the Royal Horticultural Society 

Your RHS
professionals Anne Charlotte
Adam Rodick

HOW TO: Sow carrots, grow watermelons and learn about forest gardening

Growing guide
22 Horticultural advisor Anne Adam
reveals the how to produce prize-
worthy carrots this year
25 26
Edible exotics
25 RHS horticulturalist Charlotte
Rodick explains how to produce this
mighty fruit on your plot

RHS forest gardening

26 Find out more about this
fascinating way of producing stunning
plants year-round

Diary dates
28 Find out what’s on at the RHS this
month, from spring flower shows to a
Go Green Weekend

28

22 Turn the page for RHS advice on March jobs

 RHS BEGINNERS’ GUIDE:

CARROTS Get the best from these tasty roots with

RHS secrets to success from horticultural
advisor Anne Adam

22 growfruitandveg.co.uk
T
he flavour of fresh, crunchy
carrots straight from the garden
or allotment is hard to beat. These
roots are very versatile and can be eaten
raw or cooked, or even made into a
delicious cake. By sowing regularly from
early-spring until summer you could be
harvesting your home-grown roots from
early-summer right through until late-
autumn, and even store some for use over
the winter.
Which variety?
Carrots are grouped according to their
maturity, shape, and size, although
there is some overlap between
groups. Early carrots such
as Amsterdam and Nantes
types are good for your
75%
first sowings. of Britons say
Maincrop types such
as ‘Berlicum’ and ‘Autumn they tuck into
King’, while taking longer carrots on a
to mature, produce larger
roots and are better for regular basis
winter storage. Small round- Source: British Carrot
rooted carrots are good for Growers Association
containers and poor soils. As
well as traditional orange types,
look out for white, yellow or purple
roots which are an interesting addition
to recipes.
How to grow
Choose an open, sunny site with fertile,
well-drained soil to grow your carrots.
Round or stump-rooted types are best
for stony, very shallow or heavy clay
soil. If you struggle to grow a good crop
in the ground you could grow some in a
container, which works well.
You can add well-rotted compost or
manure to the ground during the previous
growing season, but don’t add it just
before sowing as it may cause the roots
to fork. This may also happen if the soil
is stony or the bed is poorly prepared as
they try to grow around any obstacles.
Before sowing, dig over the ground,
remove any stones and make sure the
area is weed-free. Prepare a fine seedbed
and rake it level. Take out a shallow drill
with a hoe and water the base. Sow the
seeds 1-2cm deep in rows 15-30cm apart.
Try to sow the seed thinly to avoid the
need for thinning them out later. It’s best
to sow seeds directly into the ground as
carrots don’t transplant very readily.
For an early crop, cover the ground
with fleece or cloches in late winter and
sow seed once the soil is warm in late
February or March. Otherwise, wait
until April to make your first sowing, as
germination will be much quicker once
the soil is warmer.
Watch out for slug
damage at this stage
as they like to feed on
young seedlings.
To grow carrots in a container,
choose one at least 45cm deep and fill
with multipurpose potting compost. Keep
the crop well-watered and thin so the
plants have room to develop good roots.
Growing on
Once the seedlings are large enough to
handle, carefully thin them to 5-7.5cm
apart. The young seedlings are easily
smothered by weeds, so you’ll need to
weed the crop regularly until the leaf
canopy suppresses any competition.
Damage to the roots during thinning
and weeding can release the odour that
attracts carrot fly, so handle the plants
with care.
Carrots are fairly drought-resistant
but will benefit from a thorough soaking,
wetting the ground to a depth of 25cm,
every two weeks in very dry weather.
Beware of overwatering as roots are
sweeter in relatively dry conditions and
too much water may lead to leafy growth
at the expense of roots.
Sometimes, if dry weather is followed
by very wet conditions the roots may
split. This erratic growth is caused by
the irregular water supply, so ensuring
you keep to a watering routine can help
avoid this.
Rich pickings
You can start harvesting carrots from
10-16 weeks after sowing depending on
the cultivar. Initially pull some young roots
from a few places along the row to allow
the remainder to grow larger. With bigger
roots and on heavy soils it’s best ease the
crop from the ground with a fork.
In mild areas with light soil you
can leave carrots in the ground over
winter. Cover the row with dry mulch,
for example straw, up to 30cm thick to
protect from frost. Watch out for damage
from mice, slugs and carrot fly. In colder
areas lift your carrots and store good
quality roots indoors, layered in boxes
filled with sand. Larger roots will last
longer in storage so eat the smaller
roots first.
Pest watch
Carrot fly larvae can be a troublesome
pest tunnelling into the developing roots
to feed and making the crop inedible. The
most effective way to limit damage to your
crop from this pest is to completely cover
it with insect-proof mesh, making sure
you bury the mesh in the ground to stop
the flies sneaking underneath. The first
generation of carrot fly usually emerges
around early-May so you may be able to
avoid some damage by sowing after this
point. Harvesting your crop before late-
August can reduce damage to the roots
from the second generation. You could
also grow a partially resistant cultivar like
‘Flyaway’ to reduce the risk of damage.
Sometimes you may find aphids on
the foliage or around the shoot tips – these
will suck the sap and may encourage the
growth of sooty mould. Potential damage
can be limited by squashing them with
your fingers.
growfruitandveg.co.uk 23
24 growfruitandveg.co.uk

Edible exotics:
WATERMELON
RHS horticulturalist Charlotte Rodick explains
how to produce this mighty fruit on your plot
W
atermelon (Citrullus lanatus)
is a popular and widely
available fruit in the cucumber
(Curcurbitacae) family. Native of tropical
and subtropical Africa, it has been in
cultivation for thousands of years and
is today grown and exported around
the world by countries including China,
Turkey and Iran.
Watermelon cultivation is generally
the same as that for other melons, however
they require warmer temperatures for
optimum growth, of between 25-30°C, and
are therefore best grown in a greenhouse
or polytunnel. Outdoor cultivation is
possible in the UK in very sunny, sheltered
beds in the mildest parts.
START SOWING
Sow seed individually in small pots in
mid-spring, providing plenty of warmth
and moisture for good germination. Once
seedlings have set five leaves, transplant
into large containers or grow bags for
indoor crops or a large, fertile, free-
draining bed for outdoor ones, spacing
plants 60-100cm apart. Protect young
plants if there is still a risk of frost.
CONTINUED CARE
To maximise space, plants grown under
cover can be trained up cane supports and
their vigour controlled by pinching out.
Outdoors it is best to allow stems, which
can grow to 4m, to scramble naturally.
Ensure plants are consistently watered and
apply a high potassium fertiliser weekly
throughout the growing season.
Ventilate well during flowering to
encourage pollination and thin fruits once
2.5cm in diameter to two to four per plant.
Pinch out shoots several leaves beyond a
developing fruit and support individual
fruits with netting or wooden boards.
Cover outdoor crops with a cloche or
fleece to encourage ripening if summer
weather is poor.
Plants may be affected by red spider
mite, aphids and whitefly, especially under
cover, as well as bean seed fly, slugs and
snails. Common diseases include powdery
mildew, foot and root rots and cucumber
mosaic virus, the latter being particularly
troublesome if not caught and controlled in
a prompt manner.
HOW TO HARVEST
Fruits are ready for harvest four to five
months after sowing once they have
developed a strong colour and sound a
dull thud when tapped. Use a sharp knife
to cut away ripe fruits, handling carefully
to avoid damage. Watermelons are usually
eaten fresh for their refreshing juicy pulp,
RHS Jobs to do in March
which is over 90 per cent water and
contains good levels of vitamins C and
A, however they can be stored for two
to three weeks. Watermelon rind can be
made into conserves, reduced to syrup
or crystallised and the oily seeds can
be roasted, ground and baked or used
as a livestock feed, so it really is a very
versatile crop!
RECOMMENDED VARIETIES
Naturally there is great variation within
the species, and this has been exploited
by breeders over the last century to
create a whole host of cultivars showing
differences in vigour, earliness of
harvest, fruit shape, colour and taste.
Two of the notable developments
include the introduction of seedless
watermelon types in the 1980s, now a
commercially significant proportion of
the market, and novelty, space-saving
square fruits which were introduced
from Japan in the last decade. Popular
cultivars include ‘Charleston Grey’, a
slow-growing, sprawling plant bearing
oblong light-green fruits, and ‘Sugar
Baby’ which bears small, round,
sweet fruits on a compact plant. Those
reported to crop well in cooler climates
include the varieties ‘Red Star’ and
‘Blacktail Mountain’.
growfruitandveg.co.uk 25
 Attracting
Pollinators in a
Forest Garden
Create a healthy eco system in your own
garden with Charlie’s expert advice
C
harlie Munro is the Ornamental
and Turf maintenance Professional
Work Placement (PWP) at RHS
Garden Bridgewater, and is involved in
all aspects of ornamental horticulture
and turf/meadow care practised at RHS
Bridgewater. The garden is very rich in
plant diversity, with over 260,000 plants
added prior to opening in the spring of
2021. Charlie shares some tips on helping
pollinators in your patch.
Charlie said: “One of the most
pollinator-friendly ways you can utilise
your own gardening space is by creating
a forest garden.”
What is forest gardening?
Forest gardening was a concept created
by Robert Hart during the 1970s in which
he found that unlike many cultivated
gardens, woodlands had their own
unique way of growing plants, where
various species stacked themselves to
find their own requirements within their
‘level’ – a nature ladder.
Hart replicated this by layering wild
woodland plants on a smaller scale to
show people how they could grow their
own forest garden using fruits, herbs,
vegetables and other plants.
Charlie added: “One of the things I
like most about forest gardening is the
26 growfruitandveg.co.uk
idea that each one of us can replicate our
very own ecosystem in a much smaller
space. Whether you have an apartment
with a balcony, a backyard in a terraced
house or a small garden or allotment plot,
you can create your own forest garden
anywhere you like. They require very
little maintenance and once you’ve set out
your idea you can sit back and let nature
do its magic and your garden will attract
an abundance of pollinators and wildlife.”
Plant choices
“For my ideal forest-like garden, I have
chosen a range of pollinator friendly
plants listed below. I’ve also included the
names of some pollinators each plant
attracts.
“For the canopy, cherries are
popular amongst pollinators. Prunus
‘Amanogawa’ is a great choice of cherry
tree for bees. Apple trees such as
Malus ‘Evereste’ are beneficial to birds,
butterflies, moths and other pollinators.
The beauty about these is that they can
be planted at any time of the year, or
kept in a large pot.
“I recommend plants like Berberis
vulgaris (beneficial to birds. Plant Nov-
March) and Viburnum opulus (attracts a
variety of wildlife and pollinators. Plant
Sep-Oct) for the shrub layer.
“Forest gardens
require very little
maintenance”
“I adore the dainty blue flowers of bee-
friendly Myosotis arvensis (plant May-
June) and Hyacinthus orientalis (very
beneficial to mason bees in particular as
it produces pollen in early spring. Plant
Sep-November) in the herbaceous layer.
“On the soil surface you could use
a raised bed or earth patch. I would
recommend cover crops such as Galium
odoratum (beneficial to many pollinators.
Plant in spring) and Viola sororia (eaten
by the larva of various butterfly species.
Plant any time of year).
“I love the fresh green foliage of the
Hosta ‘minuteman’ which attracts bees for
the rhizosphere layer. For another natural
look, how about planting Allium ursinum
which provides an early source of nectar
for pollinators.
“If you have any other space, for
example walls, fences or railings, add
some climbing plants such as Hedera
helix which provides shelter and berries
for birds, nectar for pollinators and leaves
for caterpillars. Pyracantha ‘Soleil d’Or’ is
another good choice as it flowers in
spring and bears berries in autumn
which provide two seasons of food for
bees and wildlife.”
 RHS Jobs to do in March
Have you tried
forest gardening
before? Which varieties
have you included in
each layer? We’d love to
see your designs – send
and tag us in your
photos!

growfruitandveg.co.uk 27
 RHS
EVENTS
All gardens:
A Celebration of Tulips, March-May
Enjoy the sight of thousands of tulips
across all five RHS Gardens as they
provide a visual feast of spring colour in
a variety of shapes, sizes and tones.
Mother’s Day, 19 March
Take in the beautiful sights at one of
the five RHS Gardens, enjoy a delicious
afternoon tea, and browse the shops for
thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts.
RHS Garden Bridgewater:
Walkies at Bridgewater, Dates TBC
Explore the beautiful outdoor areas of
RHS Garden Bridgewater with your four-
legged friend.
Potting Shed Exhibitions: What’s
Next for RHS Bridgewater?, March
A small exhibit focusing on the next
phase of the RHS Garden Bridgewater
development on the terraces.
RHS Garden Harlow Carr:
Japanese Shop, 7 January – 19 March
The hugely popular Japanese shop
returns with products sourced from
all over Japan including stunning silk
kimonos, traditional kokeshi dolls,
exquisite tableware and beautiful
art prints.
Bathhouse Exhibitions – BAMM
North Exhibition ‘Coast and
Country’, 23 March – 16 April
Discover this unique art form in
an entirely new way as the British
Association for Modern Mosaic
28 growfruitandveg.co.uk
Diary
dates
Looking for some
garden inspiration?
Here’s what’s going on
at the RHS in March
showcase pieces inspired by a
connection to nature, created using an
infinite range of materials.
Cyclamen Show, 25 March
The Cyclamen Society bring prize
specimens and expert knowledge to
RHS Harlow Carr to celebrate these
attractive spring plants. Visitors can
also discover a selection of plants and
seeds for sale.
RHS Garden Hyde Hall:
RHS Daffodil Show, 22-23 March
Come along to RHS Hyde Hall’s Daffodil
Show to see hundreds of daffodils on
display, along with the opportunity for
avid gardeners to learn more about
daffodils and enjoy swathes of yellow
flowers scattered around the gardens.
RHS Garden Rosemoor:
Spring Flower Show,
11-12 March
Come and view exquisite displays
of top-quality blooms. Focusing
on camellias, early magnolias and
rhododendrons, in addition to the RHS
Early Camellia competition, the show
includes classes on ornamental shrubs
and a Rosemoor Daffodil and RHS
Hyacinth competition, too.
Go Green Weekend, 18-19 March
A weekend of education, fun and
learning about the environment,
with opportunities to meet experts,
attend talks, and learn how to upcycle
items that can be saved from going
to landfill. Don’t miss the display of
sculptures using recycled items!
Alpine Garden Society Show,
25 March
Come along and see some of the
best-grown alpines in the country.
There will be a showcase of the
finest varieties of these hardy little
horticultural gems and UK alpine
plant growers on hand to give advice.
RHS Garden Wisley:
Houseplant Takeover: Deep Sea
Dive, 4 February – 12 March
Be transported to a colourful
reef below the surface of the sea.
Discover familiar houseplants
mixed with weird and wonderful
specimens amongst shipwrecks and
treasure chests.
Bonsai Society Show, 11-12 March
Enjoy beautiful spring-themed bonsai
displays as well as advice and
demonstrations on growing, repotting
and training them. There will also
be plants and bonsai equipment for
sale for all sized trees as well as the
wonderful handmade ‘accent’ pots
that are always hugely popular.
Orchid Show, 17-19 March
Marvel at stunning displays from
10 specialist orchid growers, with
opportunities to buy plants, attend
talks and receive expert advice.
 P E C IAL Deliv
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S ERS! yourect to
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Collection of Dwarf Patio Pillar
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Your Plot
ESSENTIALS
This month's jobs on the vegetable
patch and patio
WORDS: Sally Nex

GROWING TECHNIQUE:
DIVISIONS
Making new plants can sound daunting what with all those
different types of cuttings and talk of leaf nodes and heels.
But there’s one propagation method anyone can try.
Division works best for clump-formers like chives, marjoram,
mint and bergamot which spread sideways, putting out more
roots and shoots as they go, until after three or four years they
cover a sizeable patch.
Once you see new growth in spring, dig the whole clump up,
then pull it apart into fist-sized pieces. You may be able to do
this with your hands, but it’s fine to chop it apart with a spade
or even cut it up with an old breadknife. The important thing is
that each section has a good chunk of roots and some buds.
Pot up the sections for planting later or simply replant
straight away, firming them in then watering well. Your new
plants should burst into growth as soon as the weather warms.

DON’T FORGET:
TOP UP
CONTAINERS
Compost in containers
doesn’t hold on to
nutrients forever –
and even if you feed
regularly, by the end
of a long season there’s
little left to nourish your
plants. So, this month,
reboot any crops which
grow permanently
in containers such as
herbs, citrus and fruit.
Scrape out the top 5-8cm
of old compost, then
replace it with fresh,
ideally loam-based John
Innes No. 3 for longer-
lasting nutrients.
30-minute job:
Start a cut flower garden
If you buy flowers from the shops, stop for a moment
to think about where they come from. Cut flowers
can have a sky-high carbon footprint, as they’re
often grown in heated greenhouses or imported. But
you can avoid all that, save money and still fill your
vases all year round if you grow your own.
Think of flowers as another harvest, just like
beans, courgettes or sweetcorn, grown in rows and
sown successionally for a steady supply. Start with
annuals: cosmos, bishop’s weed (Ammi majus),
cornflowers and of course sweet peas are all easy
from seed sown direct or into pots under cover to
plant out later.
Save yourself some trouble by growing
perennials, too, for flowers which come back year
after year: penstemons, aquilegias, oxeye daisies and
astrantia all produce flowers on long, wiry stems
perfect for cutting. Add flowers with good seedheads
like alliums, grasses and honesty, plus evergreen
foliage plants like rosemary and myrtle, and you’ll fill
winter vases, too.
Keep stems straight by supporting annuals with
jute pea netting stretched horizontally over young
plants, held in place with canes. Deadhead regularly,
water in dry weather, and resow spent annuals
straight away for armfuls of blooms right through
the year.

30 growfruitandveg.co.uk

LAY A CARDBOARD WEED BARRIER
Perennial weeds like
bindweed and couch grass
are maddening: the moment
you’ve weeded them out
they spring up again like
the many-headed hydra to
strangle your crops all over
again. It’s all a bit of a waste
of effort – so give yourself
a breather.
A temporary cardboard
weed barrier holds back
the invaders for one season
of blissfully weed-free
growing. Start by hoeing
off any weed growth that’s
already appeared, then
cover the soil in thick
cardboard, making sure
there are no gaps. Wet the
cardboard and tread it down so it’s snug
against the soil, then cover with a 10cm
mulch of garden compost, digestate or
municipal green waste.
Plant and sow straight into the mulch:
your crops will grow down happily
through the clean soil, but the weeds will
DODGY POTTING COMPOST
Every gardener seems to have a tale of woe about potting compost recently. If
you’ve had batches of seedlings failing to thrive, or crops stopping in their tracks
when potted into containers of multipurpose, it’s likely you’ve fallen foul of a bad
batch of compost.
Boost your chances of getting hold of a bag of the good stuff by buying only
respected brands – look out for recommendations by well-known gardeners
and compost trials like those run by Gardening Which? each year. Supply chain
disruptions since the pandemic mean even the best sometimes fall short though
– so where you can, make your own. Potting mixes are easy to blend from garden
compost, soil and leafmould: they’re peat-free, plastic-free, and best of all, you’re in
charge of quality control.
struggle to punch through the thick
cardboard. It takes months for the
cardboard to break down enough to let
some weeds through – but by then your
crops are mature and you’re already
harvesting, so it’s too late for them to do
any harm.
HOW TO AVOID...
Expert advice
VARIETIES TO TRY
NEW VARIETY:
Calabrese
‘Blue Finn’
Calabrese is a
must-have summer
brassica as it’s one of
the few veg kids eat
without complaining
(it’s also a favourite with
grown-ups!). Start from seed
now, pot on while they grow, then
once the plants fill a 10cm pot, plant outdoors
20-30cm apart under a cage of insect-proof
mesh to keep the butterflies off. This sturdy
and reliable variety is bred for compactness – it
grows just 45cm tall – yet doesn’t compromise
on the size of those big, blue-green heads. It’s an
early cropper too, so sow two or three batches
for a steady supply throughout the season.
(thompson-morgan.com)
HERITAGE VARIETY:
Buckler-leaf
sorrel
The sorrel family
is the definition of
easy-going: they’ll
grow anywhere,
even in deep shade,
with little care. But
dock-like garden- and
red-veined sorrels can be
invasive – so if you want the
tangy, lemony flavours but with more finesse,
try diminutive, altogether more modest buckler
leaf sorrel instead. It’s low-growing and pretty,
with delicate shield-shaped pale green leaves
that look and taste fantastic in salads. The
word ‘buckler’ comes from ‘buckler’ shields
used by mediaeval soldiers: buckler sorrel was
originally grown in monastery gardens where
it was prized for its high vitamin C content and
used to cure scurvy.
EXOTIC
VARIETY:
Bitter gourd
The entire cucurbit
family – cucumbers,
melons, courgettes
and the like – is
immensely satisfying
to grow: sow in April
and by July you’re fighting
back a jungle of enthusiastic
foliage. So it is with this enormous cucumber-
like Asian squash. Grow just like a greenhouse
cucumber, cutting the warty fruits at 15-20cm
long while young and still green. Salting
removes the bitterness: peel off the skin, then
slice lengthways and remove the flesh and
seeds, rub generously with salt and soak in
water for 10 minutes before slicing and cooking
like aubergines in stir-fries and curries.
growfruitandveg.co.uk 31
Delightful Double Begonias BUY THE
COLLECTION OF
25 FOR ONLY
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• Providing high-impact
colour that will reward
AND SAVE 50%
you over the warmer
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• One of the absolute

must-haves in any
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long flowering and very
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• Double Begonias provide

twice the flower power
of the single variety and
make the perfect compact
patio display.

• The tubers can be lifted

and stored over winter
offering many years of
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Supplied as exhibition-
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Mature height 30cm.

YELLOW WHITE PINK

ITEM CODE PRICE

25 Double Begonia Collection
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5 Begonia Double Yellow PD232 £8.99 + P&P
5 Begonia Double White PD234 £8.99 + P&P
5 Begonia Double Pink PD235 £8.99 + P&P
5 Begonia Double Red PD231 £8.99 + P&P
5 Begonia Double Orange PD233 £8.99 + P&P RED ORANGE

FREEPHONE: 0800 318 846 quoting appropriate code ONLINE: www.dcthomsonshop.co.uk

Lines open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. Please allow up to 28 days for delivery. Order while
stock lasts. P&P £3.95 per order to one address. Please note that due to current Brexit legislation
we are currently not able to dispatch plants for delivery to Northern Ireland addresses. We
apologise for any inconvenience.
 FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS

SOW YOUR
FREE
SEEDS!
Our guide to sowing and growing
your bonus seeds

Beetroot
S OW
‘Renova’ T•

H A RV ES
This delicious variety

•H
produces cylindrical Sow

A RV ES
roots which are brilliant Apr-Jul
sources of folate
and potassium. As a
Harvest
monogerm type, only
Jul-Oct

•
one or two seedlings • S OW T
emerge per seed ‘cluster’,
meaning far less time
spent thinning!

Finely prepare and water

fertile soil before sowing
thinly, 2.5cm deep,
outdoors. Allow 30cm
spacings between rows.
Once seedlings appear
– usually within one to
three weeks – thin to
10cm apart. Keep the
plants well-watered until
they are established.
Store harvested roots in
dry sand to keep them Average

for winter, and make sure

you twist the leaves off
to stop the colour from
bleeding. Mr Fothergill’s
recommends sowing
every three weeks for
a continuous supply of
young beets. It’s also a
good idea to harvest
every other beet from a
row once they are 5cm Beetroot
in diameter to give the Renova
Monogerm cylindrical variety
remaining roots a chance Sow: Apr-Jul • Harvest: Jul-Oct

to mature.
Beta vulgaris

FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS

growfruitandveg.co.uk 33
 FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS
Enough for

Cosmos
T • S OW ‘Seashells Mixed’

A RV ES

•H
Sow These elegant border blooms are well worth adding
Feb-May to your garden or allotment. They flower for a

A RV ES
long period, are easy to grow and produce unique
Harvest tubular petals alongside attractive fern-like foliage.

•H
Jun-Oct
• S OW T
If you’re going to be starting this variety indoors,
sow 0.5cm deep in trays of compost and
water well.
Cosmos
Seashells Mixed Pop the tray in a warm position and keep it moist
Easy, elegant border plant
Sow: Feb-May • Flowers: Jun-Oct until seedlings appear – usually within two or
Cosmos bipinnatus
three weeks.
Once the seedlings are large enough to handle,
transplant them to other trays, 5cm apart, and
place these in a cooler, but not cold, place. Make
sure you handle the seedlings by the leaves rather
than the stems.
Harden the plants off before you plant them out
30cm apart, avoiding frosts.
If you’d prefer to start your cosmos outdoors,
sow 1.5cm deep into finely prepared soil – though
cosmos will thrive in poor soils, too – which has
already been watered.
Once seedlings emerge, thin to 30cm apart and
keep the remaining young plants well-watered
until they are established.
To keep your cosmos flowering for as long as
possible, deadhead them regularly.

Courgette ‘Alfresco’ Average

These attractive fruits boast great flavour

and store really well. ‘Alfresco’ produces firm
courgettes which are an excellent source of
vitamin C.

Sow indoors, 1.5cm deep into small pots of

compost. Sow the seeds on their edges to
prevent rotting. Water the pots well and pop
them in a warm place.
Kept moist, seedlings will usually emerge within
a week or two. Courgette
Alfresco F1
Harden plants off before planting them out 60cm Attractive fruit with fine, firm texture
Sow: Mar-May • Harvest: Jul-Oct
apart after the last frosts. Cucurbita pepo

If you’d rather start these courgettes outdoors,

sow them directly, 1.5cm deep, into their final
positions. Finely prepare and water the bed
beforehand, and allow 60cm between each
sowing. Sow two seeds per position.
S OW
Protect early sowings with cloches and wait for T•
H A RV ES

seedlings to emerge. Thin to leave the stronger

•H

plant. Keep the plants well-watered until they

Sow
Mar-May
A RV ES

are established.
Once the courgettes have reached 15cm in Harvest
length, you can begin to harvest them. Or, leave Jul-Oct
•

them to mature as marrows. Mr Fothergill’s • S OW T

recommends harvesting regularly to encourage
them to crop through the season. Do not eat
bitter-tasting fruits.

FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS

34 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 FREE DOWNLOADS

EVERYTHING
YOU NEED
FOR GARDENING
SUCCESS
Laura Hillier, Head online to discover interviews, ideas and
Editor
“If you’re looking for more top tips to help you on your gardening journey
tips, insightful interviews and
ideas for the garden, check
out our downloadable guides
at growfruitandveg.co.uk/
download-guides. Here, you’ll
discover comprehensive growing
guides, expert interviews and a
range of projects to help you get
the most from your time in
the garden.”

Top Handy growing guides

projects Follow our easy step-by-steps for veg growing success.
to try Our How to Grow guides take you through the
Get more
essentials, from soil conditions and position to when to
from your
sow and how to feed each variety for bumper yields.
garden with
some easy
project ideas.
Discover
Jane Moore’s Interviews with
advice the experts
on using walls as growing space, Bex We’ve chatted with expert
Partridge’s tips on pressing blooms, and gardeners to discover the
Annabelle Padwick’s advice on getting secrets of their success. Read
kids involved on the plot. about how allotmenteer Kirsty
Ward set up her plot to help
her mental health recovery
process, and gardening hero
Michelle Jones tells all about
Essential her mission to bring gardening
know-how to the next generation of
There are plenty of city growers.
practical guides to
help you every step
of the way, from
planning your plot
and simple steps for
healthier soil, to how
to reap the benefits
of encouraging
wildlife into Visit growfruitandveg.
your garden.
co.uk/download-guides
 FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS
Cress
‘American Land’
Quick and easy to grow, this cress
variety offers a delicious peppery kick
and plenty of vitamin C to boot. The
bigger the leaf, the hotter the flavour!

Choose a cropping location with fertile,

moisture-retentive soil and water well.
Partial shade is ideal.
Cress Sow seeds thinly, 1.5cm deep, leaving
American Land
Great alternative to watercress
Sow: Mar-Sep • Harvest: Apr-Nov
15cm between rows for cut-and-come-
Beta vulgaris again baby leaves. Cress grown for this
purpose can also be sown thinly into
25cm pots. For mature leaves, allow
25cm between rows.
Thinning isn’t necessary after
seedlings emerge, which usually takes
between seven and 14 days, but the
young plants should be kept moist.
S OW
T•
If you’re aiming for mature plants,
however, thin to 25cm apart to give
A RV ES

•H
Sow them room to grow on.
Mar-Sep
A RV ES
Once the plants are 10cm tall, pick
Harvest a few baby leaves from each to
•H

Apr-Nov encourage them to grow back for up to

T four cuts.
• S OW Mature plants can be harvested whole
from May onwards. Sow successionally
for continuous harvests.

Lavender Average

‘French Lavender’ S OW
T•
H A RV ES

•H

Bees will love you for sowing this shrub

in your outdoor space. French lavender
Sow
Feb-Jun
A RV ES

provides unique, aromatic flowers and

leaves and is perfect for cottage gardens, Harvest
borders and containers. Jun-Sep
•

• S OW T
Sow 0.5cm deep in a tray of compost and
place either in a cold frame or unheated
greenhouse or a warm kitchen windowsill. Lavender
Keep the soil moist and wait for seedlings French Lavender
Unusual scented leaves and flowers
to appear. This usually takes three to Sow: Feb-Jun • Flowers: Jun-Sep

six weeks. Lavandula stoechas

Once seedlings are large enough to handle,

transplant them to 8cm pots. Make sure
you hold them by the leaves instead of
the stem.
Harden plants off before planting them out,
leaving 40cm spacings between each plant.
French lavender does best in well-drained
soil and a sheltered spot.
If you’re transplanting during the autumn,
protect them with cloches over winter. Or,
wait to plant them out the following spring.
It’s always a good idea to protect plants
with a mulch like straw over the winter.
Expect flowers the year after sowing.

FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS

36 growfruitandveg.co.uk
FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS

S OW
Lettuce ‘Salad Bowl’
T• Grow this non-hearting variety for summer salads or a fresh

H A RV ES

•H
Sow accompaniment to main meals. The leaves are easy to grow and a
Mar-Aug good source of vitamins.

A RV ES
Harvest Sow seeds outside at a depth of 1.5cm, into a pre-prepared patch
Apr-Oct of soil. Space rows at a distance of 25cm apart.

•
• S OW T
You will start to see seedlings develop within one to two weeks
from sowing. It’s a good idea to protect early sowings with cloches.
Baby leaves can be harvested when ready, but if growing for
Lettuce larger plants, thin so the remaining plants are 20cm apart. Keep
Salad Bowl
Easy, just pick leaves as required these well-watered until they are established.
Sow: Mar-Aug • Harvest: Apr-Oct

Lactuca sativa
For a continuous supply of salad leaves, sow seeds every two or
three weeks.
Pick the leaves when they are the size you desire. This variety can
be grown as cut-and-come-again baby leaves, so you can harvest
them around four times.

You might have

Melon ‘Melba’ received melon ‘Em
ir F1’
Gone are the days of only being able to grow tropical with your issue in
stead of
fruits inside the greenhouse – this tasty variety can melon ‘Melba’ – th
is
be grown outdoors in a warm, sheltered position. growing variety is fast-
another
great choice for gr
owing
Sow 0.5cm deep into a pot of compost, water melons outdoors
in a
well and place somewhere warm like a sunny spot!
kitchen windowsill.
Keep the soil moist and wait for seedlings to appear.
This usually takes a week or two.
Once seedlings are 10-15cm tall, transplant them to
Melon
individual pots and keep them in cooler conditions – Melba
Fragrant, sweet tasty orange flesh
just nowhere too chilly! Sow: Feb-Apr • Harvest: Aug-Oct

Then, plant out to large pots, growing bags or a Cucumis melo

greenhouse border. Give these plants plenty of

support and keep watering consistent. S OW
Pinch out the growing tip once five or six leaves have T•
A RV ES

•H
formed. After fruits have formed, liquid feed weekly. Sow
If you’re growing these plants on outside, make sure Feb-Apr

A RV ES
they are in a sunny position and expect crops to be
smaller and later to mature. Harvest
•H
Aug-Oct
• S OW T
Average

Pepper ‘(Hot) De Cayenne’

This heavy cropper produces lots of long, slim red fruits which look as good
as they taste. Harvests make an ideal addition to salads and stews.

Indoors, sow seeds thinly, 0.5cm deep, in a tray filled with compost. Water well
and keep the tray in a warm spot, ideally 15-20°C.
Kept moist, seedlings will normally appear within 7-21 days. Once they are
large enough to handle, transplant them into individual pots and keep these in
cooler conditions.
This variety can be planted out between May and June. There are plenty
Pepper of options for where to plant these – growing bags, large containers or a
(Hot) De Cayenne
Long slim chillies with a bit of a bite
greenhouse border are all good candidates.
Sow: Feb-Apr • Harvest: Jul-Oct
If you want to grow these spicy fruits outside, hold off indoor sowing until
T • S OW D: GB UK PLANT PASSPORT A: Capsicum annuum B: 21546 C:

March or April.
Slowly harden off plants, making sure to avoid frosts. Plant out in a warm,
A RV ES

•H

Sow bright, sheltered spot, 40cm apart, once the risk of frost has passed completely.
Feb-Apr
A RV ES

To encourage fruit to set, spray flowers gently with tepid water and feed the
Harvest plant often after flowers appear.
•H

Jul-Oct Harvest fruits between July and October. Bear in mind that outdoor plants
• S OW T will produce smaller fruits that crop later as opposed to those grown in
a greenhouse.

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growfruitandveg.co.uk 37
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FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS
Average

S OW
Radish
T• ‘Scarlet Globe’

A RV ES

•H
Sow This vigorous old favourite
Feb-Sep

A RV ES
offers crisp, round radishes
which make the perfect gap
Harvest crop for quick harvests.

•H
Apr-Oct They’re a great choice for
• S OW T
raised beds, too.

Radish Finely prepare and water

Scarlet Globe
Easily grown, with good ‘bite’ cropping location before
Sow: Feb-Sep • Harvest: Apr-Oct

Raphanus sativus
sowing thinly, 1.5cm deep, into
well-drained soil. Allow 23cm
between rows and protect
early sowings with cloches.
Seedlings usually emerge
within a week to 10 days,
after which you should keep
the plants well-watered until
they are established. Watering
encourages the roots to grow
quickly and prevents them
from going woody.
Thinning is only necessary if
the plants are overcrowded.
Sow every two to three weeks
for continuous harvests – “little
and often,” as Mr Fothergill’s
recommends.

Thyme Average

With its wonderful flavour and compatibility

with many different ingredients, thyme is a
must for any keen gardener. Discover how
easy it is to grow.

Sow the seeds 0.5cm deep in small individual

pots filled with multipurpose compost. Water
well and place on a warm, sunny windowsill.
Keep the soil consistently moist. Seedlings
should appear within 28 days. Thyme
Once the young plants have outgrown their
Classic strongly flavoured herb
pots, transplant them into 8cm containers. Sow: Feb-May • Harvest: Mar-Nov

Remember to water them well to help them Thymus vulgaris

settle into their new home.

Once the frosts have passed (May or June) it
is time to gradually accustom your plants to
outdoor conditions. Do this by extending the
time they are placed outside each day over a
S OW
T•
two-week period.
When they are ready, plant out your thyme
A RV ES

•H

plants on the plot, leaving 25cm between Sow

each one. Be sure to choose a site with well- Feb-May
A RV ES

drained soil.
You can pick the leaves well into winter Harvest
•H

provided you give the plants adequate frost Mar-Nov

• S OW T
protection, such as a cloche. Cut off any
flowering shoots to ensure that your leaves
have the best possible flavour.

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growfruitandveg.co.uk 39
 FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS
Tomato ‘Tigerella’
‘Tigerella’ has a very distinctive
striped skin, with tasty, eye-catching
fruits on bountiful trusses – a great
talking point on the plot!

Sow indoors, 0.5cm deep, in pots

of compost and place somewhere
warm like a kitchen windowsill.
Keep the pots moist and wait for
seedlings to appear for a week
or two.
Once the young plants are 10-15cm
tall, transplant them to individual
pots and grow them on in
cooler conditions.
Plant out to large pots, growing bags
or a greenhouse border between
April and May. Make sure you
support the plants and keep on top of
S OW
T•
removing the side-shoots. After five
or six trusses have set, pinch out the
H A RV ES

•H
Sow growing tip.
Jan-Apr

A RV ES
If you’re planning on keeping
outdoor crops, wait until March or
Harvest April before sowing indoors.
Jun-Oct Harden the plants off before planting
•

Tomato • S OW T
Tigerella
Eye-catching with great flavour
them out in warm, well-drained
Sow: Jan-Apr • Harvest: Jun-Oct soil, 45cm apart, after the last frosts.
Harvest from August.
D: GB UK PLANT PASSPORT A: Solanum lycopersicum B: 21546 C:

Viola
‘Johnny Jump Up’
Also known as heartsease, ‘Johnny Jump Up’
produces delicate tricolour faces for a wonderful
addition to pots, beds and edging. It makes a hardy
perennial, but grow as a biennial or annual for the
best blooms.

If you’d like your plants to flower the same year

you sow them, sow indoors, 0.5cm deep, in a tray
of compost. Water well and place somewhere Viola
Johnny Jump Up
warm like a kitchen windowsill. Heartsease, the original gift of love
Sow: Feb-Jul • Flowers: May-Oct
Keep the tray moist and wait two to four weeks for Viola tricolor

seedlings to appear.
Once they are large enough to handle (by the
leaf), transplant to other trays, 5cm apart.
Harden plants off before planting them out after
the last frosts, keeping 15cm spacings between
each plant. S OW
If you’d rather sow outside, finely prepare and T•
A RV ES

•H

water a seedbed and sow thinly, 0.5cm deep. Sow

Once seedlings emerge, thin to 5cm apart. Then, Feb-Jul
A RV ES

from late summer, plant the violas out into their

flowering position, allowing 15cm between Flowers
•H

each plant. May-Oct

T
Deadhead the violas to keep them flowering for as • S OW
long as possible, and feed during the late summer
to encourage them to bloom into the autumn.

FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS • FREE SEEDS

40 growfruitandveg.co.uk
growfruitandveg.co.uk 41
TOP 5
‘Sungold’ ‘Gardener’s Delight’
Hailed the tastiest tomato variety by more We couldn’t forget this classic. Loved
growers than we can count, ‘Sungold’ is a by growers everywhere, ‘Gardener’s

Tomatoes
firm favourite. It holds an RHS AGM, and it’s
not difficult to see why. ‘Sungold’ produces
super-sweet, golden, thin-skinned cherry
tomatoes which are surprisingly hardy
– with care and a cool greenhouse, you
could be picking into the winter months.
Remember to pinch out the side-shoots – as
Need some variety ‘Sungold’ is a cordon variety, you’ll need
to stay on top of this to encourage strong
inspiration this trusses bursting with delicious fruits.
season? Take a look at
Delight’ is the quintessential red cherry
tomato. These bite-sized treats make the
perfect snack or a tasty addition to the
salad bowl. It’s a reliable variety, and
one that’s easy to grow and maintain.
Just remember to support the plants
(the trusses will be heavily laden with
tomatoes!) and don’t let them dry out.
Kept away from frosts, these plants can
keep producing fruits until November.

1
our top tomato picks

I
to help you decide
what to sow in 2023
t’s easy to see why tomatoes are
such a popular crop amongst
gardeners: there are so many
2
interesting varieties available,
and each offers a unique flavour
alongside varying colours, shapes
and sizes. It’s also difficult to beat the
feeling you get from picking fresh,
sun-warmed toms from your plants!
With the right care and attention,
you could be harvesting heavy
yields. Here, we’re highlighting some
varieties which deserve the spotlight
this year.

Tag us...
What are your favourite tomato
varieties? We’d love to see what Supplier: Supplier:
you’re growing, so do tag us in your Nicky’s Nursery Kings Seeds
social media posts! nickys-nursery.co.uk kingsseeds.com

42 growfruitandveg.co.uk

‘Golden Sunrise’
Add some extra sunshine to your growing
space with this cheerful variety. The
medium-sized tomatoes are bright yellow
with an outstanding sweet flavour, making
them a striking addition to salads. This
variety matures early and produces lots
and lots of delicious fruits. Sow between
January and April and harvest all the way
into October, making sure to pinch out
side-shoots along the way. Also, remember
to water and feed the plants regularly
after the first truss has set.
3 4
Supplier:
Pennard Plants
pennardplants.com
Growing recommendations
‘Black Russian’
This one is a real favourite amongst
our readers. ‘Black Russian’ produces
medium-sized tomatoes which are
described as tasting both sweet and
acidic, with a complex smoky flavour.
The fruits are dark mahogany-brown and
ripen quickly. They’re also easy to grow,
making them a great choice for beginners
looking to grow their first toms. Give this
cordon variety lots of sun and remember
to pinch out the side-shoots for strong,
fruitful plants.
Supplier:
Marshalls
Marshallsgarden.com
‘Cuore di Bue’
If you’re searching for a meaty beefsteak
tomato that’s packed with flavour, look
no further than this fantastic variety. It’s
an indeterminate cordon type which is
perfect for indoor or outdoor growing.
The attractive orange-red fruits are heart-
shaped, ribbed and bursting with flavour –
they’re a dream for Mediterranean cuisine
enthusiasts. Keep the compost moist but
don’t water too much and you’ll have
some tasty oxhearts to experiment with in
the kitchen.
5
Supplier:
Sow Seeds
sowseeds.co.uk
growfruitandveg.co.uk 43
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 PICK OF THE CROP

Cloches
and cold
frames
Protect young plants
Sleeper Cold Frame and warm the soil Victorian Bell Cloche
(£229.99) (£11.99)
Protect your plants against frost over with
with these handy plot Perfect for protecting seedlings and tender
and semi-hardy plants. Designed to capture
the spacious sleeper cold frame. The perfect
environment seedlings. Zest
accessories the most sunlight at any angle. Agriframes

Standard Easy Rowlinson Timber Cloche Tunnel Kits

Polytunnels (£24.60) Cold Frame (£124.99) (from £24.66)
Made from tough UV stabilised 150-micron This robust timber cold frame is made from These flexible garden cloche tunnel kits
polythene. Forms a complete barrier, FSC timber that is pressure treated for long come complete with everything you need
retaining warmth and moisture. Ken Muir life, with two opening lids. William James including a cover. Gardening Naturally

46 growfruitandveg.co.uk
GROW MORE AND EXTEND YOUR SEASON WITH THIS WALK-IN NETTED BRASSICA/VEGETABLE TUNNEL

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Made in Britain, the frame is constructed from
a light weight, durable, heavy duty PVC tube
and is covered in a fine, heavy duty netting,
which means it is able to withstand very strong
winds and harsh conditions.
An affordable alternative to polytunels, yet more effective than cloches
• PREVENTS SLUGS AND SNAILS FROM ENTERING
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PROTECTS FROM STRONG WINDS
• EASY WEEDING • EASY WATERING
Standard Width 3.5m - height 1.9m approx 6’3”, 3m - £185,
4m - £210, 5m - £240, 6m - £270, 7m - £295, 8m - £325, 9m - £355
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47
Advertorial feature

The top spring

ESSENTIALS
Have a productive start to the season
by investing in some handy garden kit

M
arch is a peak month
for sowing, growing
and planting, so it’s
crucial that all growers have the
equipment needed to produce
quality fruit and vegetables.
Pots, dibbers, trowels, bags of
compost and cloches are just a
handful of examples of kit that
can help you sow like a pro,
giving tender plants the best
possible start and increasing
your chances of harvesting
delicious crops later in the year.
It’s a good idea to take a
stock check of any regularly
used items, such as containers,
propagators and horticultural
fleece. With wear and tear they
can quickly become unfit for
purpose, so make a list of any
bits that could do with being
replaced or even upgraded.
Read on for some suggestions
of top spring essentials for the
year ahead and beyond!

48 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 Advertorial feature
Dalefoot Wool Compost
for Potting 
“Peat-free potting compost”. A wonderful
potting compost made from sheep’s wool,
comfrey and bracken with natural water
retention and slow-release nutrients.
Perfect for growing flowers in containers,
raised beds and hanging baskets where
water retention is key. Now endorsed
by the Eden Project, we want to inspire
Britain’s gardeners to embrace sustainable
gardening and switch to using “climate
positive” peat-free compost. Order now at
dalefootcomposts.co.uk 

Carbon Gold Protect your plot

Biochar Seed Compost is a coir-based with Strulch
compost which includes biochar Mulching is good growing practice.
enriched with natural biology to Strulch stops germination of weeds
give the best growing conditions for by blocking light. Not only does it
your seeds. It does not contain any offer frost protection, the embedded
synthetic chemicals, peat, or green minerals and texture of Strulch deters
waste and has been certified by the slugs and snails. Strulch has a neutral
Soil Association for organic growing, pH so it can be used anywhere on the
which means it will provide your plot. Buy direct in bulk or in smaller
plants with the best possible start! Visit amounts from our stockists.
carbongold.com strulch.co.uk or call 01943 863610

Soft Butterfly
Netting from
Gardening Naturally
Protect your precious crops from butterfly
attacks with Soft Butterfly Netting. This
soft mesh netting will stop cabbage white
butterflies and birds ruining your vegetables,
especially brassica plants, like cabbage and
kale. Enjoy the fruits of your labour with
Gardening Naturally’s Soft Butterfly Netting,
available in green or black.   Order yours via
gardening-naturally.com
New Line CSM
Red & Black Gloves
Super grippy gloves with a lightweight
breathable bright red back. Washable at
40 degrees with neutral detergents, ideal
for most gardening jobs and extremely
comfortable for long-term wear.
Visit to order yours now.
centresalesgloves.co.uk
Cloche Hoops from
Plant Supports
Home-grown happiness. You can protect
your crops easily from wind, pets and
pests with our cloche hoops, all pre-formed
in strong 6mm galvanised or Natural
unpainted steel. The hoops can be used
to create your own garden cloche of any
length. Pack of 4. Handmade in Tenbury
Wells, Worcestershire. To order yours
visit plantsupports.co.uk

growfruitandveg.co.uk 49
Mulching is good gardening practice because the organic matter enriches
the soil and improves structure and drainage over time. Mulching also stops
weeds germinating and helps overwintering your plot. Your plants are given
the best conditions to thrive.

Dual Action Strulch does all this and acts as a deterrent to slugs and snails -
the most annoying pests in the garden!

The physical properties of Strulch together with the embedded minerals are
unpleasant to them but harmless to other wildlife. Strulch has a neutral pH so
can be used anywhere in the garden.

Buy in bulk or in smaller quantities

through our stockists. Available in 9kg
bags from our stockists. For best value
buy direct in bulk on pallets of 12, 25, 40 or 48
13.5kg bags. Also used by the RHS.

50 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 Expert advice

Emily’s top 5 for

MARCH
GYO’s senior content creator
Emily shares some tips and resources
to help you on the plot
Read this
One of your main aims for the new season might
be to increase the wildlife visiting your plot.
Gardening for Wildlife is the crucial companion
to novices and expert gardeners alike. Adrian
Thomas dispels myths and offers new insights,
helping everyone understand what to do so
gardens, large or small, can become ideal homes
for wildlife. Bloomsbury Publishing, RRP £25.

Use this
If you’ve been keeping a gardening journal, place
close attention to where you grew your favourite
vegetables last year. Sweetcorn, cucumbers,
squashes, courgettes and more will benefit from
a crop rotation system, so it’s good to record their
growing spots on the plot to shake things up.

Sow this
Aubergines are one of my favourite vegetables,
and March is the perfect month to sow the seeds.
Start them outside or under cover, although
the plants do well in humid conditions, so a
greenhouse is ideal. There are so many varieties
you can experiment with, with all kinds of colour
and pattern variations!

Watch this
Keeping a consistent eye on your carrot crops is
crucial this month, as carrot fly will be waiting to
attack these precious roots. Try to keep netting as
tight as possible so that these critters don’t have a
chance to get to the soil surrounding your carrots.

Harvest this
Purple sprouting broccoli is in season this month.
Simply cut the stems using a sharp garden knife
and delicately steam them or add them to stir
fries. They have a wonderful flavour and their
colour adds a certain touch of magic.

growfruitandveg.co.uk 51
 SMART
NEWS
The only pages modern
gardeners need for brilliant
growing ideas
GYO Spotlight:
Unusual veg to grow in 2023
The Independent has compiled a helpful list of some
weird and wonderful varieties of vegetables that
could make for an interesting addition to your plot
this year. Including callaloo, white aubergines and
multicoloured sweetcorn, there is something to suit
every growing space, no matter how large or small.
Experimenting with new varieties is an excellent way
to expand your growing repertoire and also add a
dash of new colours to your plot. Online suppliers
are adding more and more new varieties of classic
vegetables to their stock each year – let us know if
you choose to try anything new via our social media
channels. We’d love to see what you produce!

LET US INTRODUCE YOU TO... Starting up...

A WINDOWSILL
Broccoli SOWING STATION
‘Nine Star’
A rare heritage variety If you haven’t got the luxury of an under
that’s very hardy, cover space such as a greenhouse, then
producing a large, central, you’ll need to be a bit more creative when
cauliflower-like white head it comes to nurturing your new sowings. A
each spring, surrounded sunny windowsill indoors makes an ideal
by up to 15 smaller white nursery, as long as you follow these tips.
multi-heads. Grows First of all, you’ll need a good collection
approximately 1m high of seed trays – these can be purchased
and will last for up to three online or at any garden centre, or you
years before plants lose make use of any suitable cartons. Fill
vigour. Purchase seeds with compost, level them out and press
from kingsseeds.com down lightly. It’s a good idea to leave
Lettuce ‘Miniko’ the filled trays indoors for a few days to
A mini iceberg allow the compost to warm up first.
variety that produces Keep an eye on the temperature –
tasty heads weighing windowsills will provide warmth during
280-350g which are sunny days, but spring evenings are
full of crunch. Ideal often pretty chilly. To avoid inconsistent
for growers who temperatures, make sure you bring your
are short of space, trays further indoors at night.
allowing the harvest
of one lettuce per Keep a water spray bottle next to your
meal. Perfect for trays to give your seeds/seedlings a
spring, summer or light watering. This will prevent soil
autumn maturity. saturation. Cover seed trays with
Buy seeds from clingfilm while you’re waiting for
kingsseeds.com germination to help warm the soil.

52 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 Smart gardening

Buy the book!
Make getting out into the
garden a family affair with
the help of The Pocket Book of
Garden Experiments by Helen
Pilcher. With 80 experiments
for the whole family to
discover and enjoy, this title
will stretch your imagination
and bring out your inner
scientist. Take on projects like
making an ecosystem in a jar,
turning potatoes into slime
and making a sound map of
your garden. It’s a great book
to get children interested in
the great outdoors. Published
by Bloomsbury Publishing,
RRP £14.99.
GYO advertorial
Hetty’s
Herbs
Our collection
includes some
of the herbs
commonly found
in Mediterranean
recipes. The varieties chosen by us
for your collection will be the best-
looking plants on the day. As with all
our collections, the herbs included can
Top ways to become be used in a wide range of recipes and
more sustainable culinary styles. To order yours, visit
hettysherbs.co.uk
inews.co.uk has provided a list of 23 easy
ways to life a more sustainable lifestyle, and
Labels N
as you can imagine, gardening and growing Things
your own plants plays a huge part. From These natural
simply consuming more vegetables to letting slate T Labels
your garden grow wild, there are lots of are perfect for
helpful pointers that will help you make a herbs, flowers
huge difference. Growing any of your own or vegetables.
food will reduce your annual air miles and A hard-wearing
will benefit your health, too! So, why not permanent label that is ideal to help
see how many of these tips you’re already you identify all of beautiful fruits
doing? You could pick up some great and vegetables. To order yours, visit
pointers for improvement, too. Head over to labelsnthings.co.uk
the website to read the full list.
Plant Feed
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New allotment advice
If you’ve taken on the venture of
a brand-new allotment this year,
it’s not uncommon to feel a little
overwhelmed. If your new site has
been left to overgrow and you’re
having to tackle plenty of tidying
jobs before you can even begin
your own growing season, then
take a look at The Herald’s article
that breaks down the process into
manageable steps. With time and
a bit of patience, you’ll soon have a
wonderfully organised space that
will be ready to produce bundles
of delicious harvests. If you are
new to allotment gardening, be
sure to connect with us! We’d love
to see any photos of your allotment
transformation process.
to-use liquid will deliver the perfect 2ml
dose which can be added directly to the
base of the plant and watered in for a
quick, mess-free application. Order yours
from rootgrow.co.uk
Grazers
Grazers strengthens
and stimulates growth
uniquely without
harming the pests
themselves and, in the
case of G2 Slug & Snail,
leaving the mollusc
as a safe food source,
attracting beneficial
wildlife into your garden. Available
online and in garden centres. To find
out more, call 01768 800 555 or visit
grazers.co.uk

growfruitandveg.co.uk 53
 Smart design:
RAIN GARDENS
Kim Stoddart and Sally Morgan introduce
a style of growing that will make your
garden more resilient than ever

A
rain garden is just like a sunken sheer volume of rainwater
bed, positioned carefully to demands, into a further
collect runoff from surfaces overspill area). This
in your outside space. In addition to should always be
temporarily holding stormwater and situated well away
slowing down runoff from hard surfaces, from septic tanks
it has the bonus function of acting as and wells.
a natural filter for the water running Also, do bear
through it. It’s stocked with plants that in mind that
are able to cope with being flooded because you’ll be
on a temporary basis, thereby also relying on your
making an attractive natural feature out rain garden to
of your useful ally in the battle against allow water to soak
flood prevention. away into the ground, Kim Stoddart

it’s prudent to check

Choosing a location that you’ve chosen the
The best place to build your rain right place (and soil)
garden is several metres away from for such a job.
the house on a flat area or gentle slope A simple
(less than 10 degrees). This way, swales percolation test

Portrait photography by John Williams Photography and Jayne Lloyd

and drainpipes can direct the water is recommended valuable gardens
into this area, where it will collect and before you start can be any shape,
slowly drain into the ground (or if construction. You but they do benefit
need soil that from being as large
allows water as possible so they
to drain can effectively deal
away at a with an excess of rain
rate of at in a heavy storm. With
least 5cm Sally Morgan this in mind, aim for 3m
per hour. wide or more. As a general
If percolation rule of thumb, the surface area of
rates are slow, you your rain garden should be at least 10-20
either need to find per cent of the total area of impermeable
a different spot or surfaces that drain into it, including the
improve the soil roof. If it’s too small, it will simply get
with gravel or grit. waterlogged too quickly and overflow.
A rain garden
may not suit Building your rain garden
gardens with To construct your rain garden, mark out
heavy clay or the boundaries and dig out the soil to a
a naturally high depth of roughly 45cm, creating a shallow
water table, as saucer-shaped depression. Make sure
the water will be the edges are level and create an earth
too slow in draining mound (berm) on the downhill side to
away. In these hold the water with an overflow zone
cases, a bog garden (which can simply be a notch in the berm
may be better suited that allows excess water to seep away
to take advantage of the toward a channel or drain). Mix organic
waterlogged conditions. These matter and grit into the soil and refill the

54 growfruitandveg.co.uk

rain garden to the original level. When
it comes to planting, a good root system
will hold the soil and take up water,
and the more plants, the merrier.
Also, in terms of construction, rain
gardens tend to have three growing
zones to bear in mind when choosing
your plants:
The bottom of the rain garden will
hold the most water and for the longest
period of time.
The sloping sides of the garden will
be wet but for shorter periods of time.
Ideally these plants need a good root
system to stabilize the slopes.
The upper area will be the least
wet. It’s also good to use a dense and
diverse mix of plants so that if some
fail, others may thrive. Given the
damp nature of the bed, avoid any
of Mediterranean origin and go for
species suited to wet or waterlogged
conditions because they have to be
able to cope with waterlogging around
their roots on a temporary basis.
Managing the garden
In the first year you may have to water
in dry periods and while the plants are
Smart gardening
getting established. During this
initial period, the plants will be
less able to cope with loads of
water, so don’t allow too much
rain to collect there by deepening
the overspill area to let more water
out. It may also help to place rocks
near the entrance to the rain garden
to slow down the flow of water and
prevent the plants and soil from being
washed out.
Another option is a rain garden
planter — this is a large container that conditions, rather than trying to fight
receives water from a downspout and against them, through the creation of a
has an overflow pipe leading to the bog garden filled with species that love
drain. The planter intercepts the rain the water. There is always the future
and holds it back before discharging risk that a bog garden will dry out in a
to the drain, rather like a rain barrel, drought, so make sure you incorporate
but far more attractive. The planter plenty of compost or organic matter
has a deep gravel layer at the base around the planting to enable it to
and is then filled with compost mixed retain moisture.
with grit and planted with water-loving
plants such as iris, sedges, and rush.
BOG GARDENS The Climate Change
If you have a low-lying area of the Garden by Sally
garden that is always wet and collects Morgan & Kim
rainwater, then maybe it’s best to just Stoddart, £18.99
work with these somewhat soggy Cool Springs Press.
growfruitandveg.co.uk 55
 Smart guide:
GROWING
WITHOUT A
GARDEN
You don’t have to have an expansive
outdoor space – or in fact, any outdoor
space at all – to grow your own this year
T
he luxury of a vast growing
space isn’t a possibility for
everyone – and in fact, sometimes
a garden of any type isn’t an option. This
means that unconventional thinking
when it comes to gardening can be a
necessity. In fact, demand for small-
space growing solutions seem to be
on the up, so we are here to prove you
really can grow without a garden!
Indoor ideas
Venturing indoors might not seem the
most natural thing for a gardener to do.
But, there’s plenty that can be produced
from the comfort of your own home,
which is particularly handy in the
cooler months of the year (even if you
do have a big plot to grow in the rest
of the time!), and means your crops are
always right at hand.
Mushrooms may not always be top
of everyone’s lists, but when you’re
looking for something to try inside, their
penchant for warm conditions means
your home is an ideal location. For ease,
choose one of the growing kits on offer,
as these simply require some regular
moisture to begin growing. You can
even tuck them out of the way for most
of the time they take to grow, making
them a versatile and fun indoor option.
As well as being hugely productive,
chillies can double up as an attractive
houseplant that will really ‘wow’ guests,
too. Think about the variety you’d most
like to eat (considering the heat ratings
that you will be able to handle) and
start at the end of winter in a heated
propagator or toasty airing cupboard to
help prompt germination. Later, move
to a sunny windowsill, and don’t forget
to open windows when flowering to
encourage insects to pollinate.
56 growfruitandveg.co.uk
Wonderful windowsills
Don’t allow windowsill space to go
to waste – maximise these warm,
bright sun-traps that offer fantastic
growing conditions for many plants. As
mentioned, chillies can blossom if placed
on a warm windowsill, but there are
also plenty of other edibles that
will thrive here.
Why not have all
your culinary herbs
at your fingertips
by starting off a
windowsill herb
garden? They’ll
look great adding
some greenery
to your kitchen.
Try growing on
the windowsill in
a trough, individual
pots, or upcycle some
old tin cans. This means
you have fragrant leaves
to hand, right where you need
them! Just remember that most herbs
like free-draining soil, so watch out for
them becoming too waterlogged. Start
with staples like basil, mint, parsley,
chives and coriander, and get more
experimental as you get more confident.
We all know the drill when it comes
to growing cress on a windowsill. You
moisten some tissue paper, cover with
seeds, and if growing in a small container,
cover the top with clingfilm to help
lock in the moisture. This is obviously
a neat little experiment to spark the
grandchildren’s interest in gardening,
due to the sheer speed of germination.
However, if you want to level up your
cress-growing skills, try seeds on the
surface of compost in a small pot, and
allow to flourish for around a month. At
this time, plants
should have
reached up to six
inches and even
started to flower
(which, by chance, are
also edible). Cut leaves
for a tasty salad addition as
and when you require them.
Bountiful balconies
Depending on where you live, balconies
might be your small gateway to nature,
somewhere to sit and watch the busy
city life go by below, or simply the area
you dry your laundry. When it’s the only
outdoor space you may have, it can seem
like filling it with plants might be a bit
intrusive, but when you’re picking some
tomatoes from your grow-bag in summer,
taking a bite out of the first strawberry
from your hanging basket, or lifting spuds
from a tub, the transformation will have
been well worth your time and efforts.
To get the most out of your narrow and
restrictive balcony space, put any existing
structures to good use by incorporating
them into your growing plans.
 Smart gardening

Keep
experimenting
More than anything
else, if you’re limited
on space, it’s worth
remembering that
you’re never going
to be harvesting
the quantity of crops
that somebody with an
allotment is enjoying. Once
you stop comparing what you’re
doing to your friend that has a much
larger plot to grow in, you can start
enjoying what you are able to achieve.
Have fun, always think innovatively
and creatively, and never be afraid to
experiment – there’s always next year
if things don’t quite go to plan. There’s
truly something incredibly rewarding
about producing tasty crops, especially
when, on paper, the odds should be
stacked against you. Don’t forget to
keep us up to date with your small-
space growing tips, tricks and success
stories by tagging us in your photos on
social media.

growfruitandveg.co.uk 57
 Climate Change Savvy
by design
This month, Kim Stoddart outlines simple How to create more
predator habitats
ways to shore up defences and build resilience Some form of water source is useful to
help draw in beneficial creatures like
no matter the size of your veg growing space amphibians, be it a more elaborate wildlife
pond or a simple sink basin buried into

A
ll too often in gardening, things
are over-complicated. You just
have to look at the exacting
planting instructions on many a seed
packet for a perfect case in point. Yet
natural resilience often means less is
actually more. Less keeping nature
meticulously in check, more stepping
back and allowing natural systems to
flourish. Less watering and feeding of
plants, more building soil health and
biodiversity. Less following particular
rules and instructions, more thinking on
your feet and following your instinct.
No matter the size of your edible growing
space, there are lots of ways to weave in
this nature-minded approach which in
“You can make a design feature out
of habitat spaces for predators”
turn will help you shore up the defences
against our whatever-the-weather future.
Boost biodiversity and
natural pest control
With milder, wetter winters, more
droughts and topsy-turvy growing
seasons overall, there are more
opportunities for pests to proliferate
through overwintering and more
breeding potential, and also through the
risk of invasive species moving in as our
climate warms. So the more predators you
have at your disposal, the better able you
will be to keep potential plant destroyers
in check. Also, you want to make it harder
for pests to find what they are looking for.
the ground or placed on your patio. Do
place some bricks inside to ensure
creatures can get out as well as in.
Leafmould, twig or log piles can
provide a beneficial habitat for a range
of wildlife as ground cover is most
beneficial for the likes of ground
beetles, earwigs and newts (to name
but a few). A few upturned pots can
also provide a welcome sanctuary. You
can make a design feature out of
these spaces.
A further wildlife area can be created
easily by just allowing grass to grow
long and weeds to grow normally. I
even grow a little patch of stinging
nettles in the polytunnels to help draw
in ladybirds and lacewings (great for
aphid control). Just don’t allow weeds
to self-seed and take over.
Do feed the birds – they are truly
amazing predators.

58 growfruitandveg.co.uk

Get mixed
planting
GYO
Also known as
polyculture, this
nature-friendly way
of planting is
says
absolutely amazing Attract plenty
as it makes it trickier of predators to
for pests to cause target the critters
damage to planting. who have eyes on
If you imagine the your produce!
principles of
companion planting,
like marigolds and
onions around carrots to deter the carrot
fly, just on a much bigger, more free-
spirited way, this gives you a little taste of
how this works. There are no exacting
formulas here though – you just need to
allow roughly six feet between plants of
the same family and mix other plants
in-between. This way, with lots of layers,
different smells, textures and foliage, your
cabbage white butterfly and dastardly
pals can’t get a foothold so easily. I don’t
net any of my brassicas in my gardens
because I simply don’t need to. You might
get the odd caterpillar nibble, sure, but
it’s not so easy for them to spread.
The same goes for disease (also a
Top Plant herbs like mint between
tip! crops to confuse and deter
pests – their strong aromas
can mask the enticing smell of your
crops, and even repel critters entirely!
climate change threat) – it’s much
harder for the likes of any airborne
disease such as blight to move from
plant to plant when you have distancing
in-between. Mixed planting works well
in any sized planting space, and light-
on-the-soil crops like salad leaves and
nasturtium can be used as fillers to
maximise available space.
Think layered protection
My gardens lie in an exposed
spot over 700 feet above sea
level. To afford protection
from strong winds,
flooding and my
private water supply
running almost
completely dry,
here’s what I have
done to help.
Flooding
protection
I have a swale at the back
of the garden which features
long grass, lots of trees and
shrubs to help soak up water and also a
channel which diverts water away. The
raised beds and permeable gravel
pathways I use along with raised beds
enable the water to soak away. The
permaculture principle of slow it,
spread it, sink it, readily applies here.
Hard surfaces are the enemy as water
levels can build quickly.
Expert advice
Drought resilience
Bare soil will dry out quickly from the
glare of the sun, so get used to
maximising available growing space with
ground cover around plants.
Use quick growing crops and herbs
and salad leaves as fillers.
Mixed planting also helps here.
Mulching plants (in pots or the
ground) with local materials you can
readily source also really helps afford
protection. Choose from
comfrey, compost, leaf
mould (or just leaves),
cardboard, grass
clippings, wood chip
and sheep wool, all
just a thin layer to
help keep the ground
moist underneath.
Consider creating
gravel gardens
around perennials and
herbs. The Beth Chatto
Gravel Gardens are a
perfect example of this
resilient method. No watering
is required.
Kim Stoddart runs online and
in-person courses from her
climate change training gardens
in West Wales. Find out more at
greenrocketcourses.com
growfruitandveg.co.uk 59
 Two size ranges: a 4 metre wide range (above) and a
3 metre wide range (right). A variety of lengths available.

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60 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 Ask the experts

MEET OUR PANEL

Emily
Peagram
is senior
content creator at
Grow Your Own
magazine

Dominica
McKevitt
is Head Gardener
at Ardgillan Castle

Mike
Thurlow
is a retired
head gardener
and gardening
author

Ask the
Laura
Hillier
is editor at
Grow Your Own

experts
magazine

Got a niggling problem that you want one

of our esteemed gardening experts to aid
you with? Email your question to:
emily.peagram@dcthomson.co.uk for the
chance to see it featured on these pages.
Get the best from your plot with
advice from our garden pros

Seedling care masterclass

Q My chilli seedlings haven’t germinated! Where have
I gone wrong? Janie Newell, via email
Emily says: “Chillies can be stubborn when it comes to those
early stages of life. They require plenty of warmth. I often start
my seeds in my airing cupboard as this provides the intense
temperatures they prefer. Be aware of inconsistent temperatures
if you’re growing them on a kitchen windowsill, and remember
to move them further indoors at night to keep the chill away
from your seeds. Keep the soil moist and be patient, as
germination could take up to three weeks. As long as the seeds
are in date and you give them the appropriate care, they will
soon appear.”
Q My tomato seedlings have started to rot at the base
of the stem – some have even collapsed! What’s
going on? David Joy, via email
Emily says: “With the excitement of a new season ahead of
us, it’s common for growers to give new seedlings a little too
much TLC. Water seedlings every two or three days, checking
moisture levels with your finger first. Watering too much will
cause the compost to become saturated, which leaves stems
sitting in water for long periods of time. This can cause the rot
you’re seeing now, and may have devastating circumstances.
Showing a little bit of restraint will actually be better for your
young plants!”

growfruitandveg.co.uk 61
 Perfect parsnips
Q I’ve heard parsnips can be tricky to germinate. Is there
anything I can do to increase my chances of success?
Jeremy Knight, via email

Mike says: “I can’t imagine many of us would appreciate being dragged

out of a warm room and plunged into a freezing bath. But that’s exactly
what we do to parsnip seeds every February. Parsnips require warmth to
grow successfully. They are Mediterranean plants introduced to Britain
by the Romans. Don’t sow too early – forget February. Mid-March to mid-
May is okay. Wait until soil temperature has reached a minimum of 9°C,
preferably an optimum temperature 10°C/12°C. Ideally, select F1 strains
for reliable germination, disease resistance and uniformity. Before sowing
Beans in containers you could soak the seeds overnight or, better still, chit them. Spread the
seeds out on damp kitchen paper, waiting until white roots emerge before
Q How can I get the best out of dwarf French
beans in pots? Diana Suckling, via email sowing. Don’t pull, but cut away the unwanted seedlings to avoid root
disturbance. Water beforehand and afterwards to soften the soil and to
Dominica says: “Dwarf French beans are very well suited deter carrot root fly.”
to growing in pots due to their short growth habit. It is best
to sow them under protection if possible but this is not
essential. They can be sown in their final pots or in smaller
containers if space is limited. French beans should only be
hardened off and moved, or sown outdoors, when the risk
of frost is gone. If sowing directly outdoors, protect the seed
from mice, and also protect young plants from slugs and
snails as they emerge above the compost. When growing in
pots, always fill them with compost, whether homemade or
bought compost. Never use soil as it becomes compacted
in the pots due to the continuous watering. When the
beans are ready to harvest, remove the pods regularly to
encourage continuity.”

Plot organisation
Q What groups do I need to split my veg into in order to get the most from
crop rotation? Gary Heard, via email

Laura says: “Depending on how many different plants you grow, there are typically
five groups that separate your edibles and these should be followed in order to reap the
rewards of crop rotation. Split your crops into brassicas (Brussels sprouts, cabbages,
broccoli etc.), legumes (peas and beans), onions, potatoes and roots (beetroot, carrots,
parsnips etc.). By using a three- or four-year routine, this technique simply involves moving
each group around in a circle in the order that has been listed above on an annual basis.
Give crop rotation a try to enjoy fantastic results for the season ahead.”

62 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 Ask the experts

PEST FOCUS:
Slugs
These slimy critters are a common
sight in most gardens – find out how
you can keep them at bay

If you have ever noticed slime-covered

holes on the leaves of your edibles, slugs
are most likely to be the cause of the
damage. They target a wide range of
crops, such as peas, beans, potato tubers
and lettuce, so it’s important to keep
them away from your harvests.
Slugs are often visible after a period
of rainfall. Their long, slimy bodies
can be seen crawling over all sorts of
vegetation. There are several colour
variations, ranging from brown to grey
to black. They are also active after dusk –
why not try going out to your plot with a
flashlight and collecting these gastropods
in a container? They can be left out for
birds to feed on them, but make sure this
is far away from your edibles.
Beer traps are another option –
recycle a yoghurt pot by cleaning it out
thoroughly, filling it to around 1cm before
the top with beer and partially burying
it in the ground. Egg shells are also said
to deter these slimy gastropods from
reaching your prized plants. Simply
crush the shells and scatter the pieces
all around your most vulnerable edibles.
Copper rings can be purchased for the
protection of individual crops.
If the problem becomes severe there
are organic slug pellets available, but be
careful when using them around pets
and children. Another solution would
be to use nematodes to combat the
issue. There are products available that
contain these microscopic creatures –
mix them with water to activate their
pest-control qualities and irrigate the
soil with the solution. Once under the
earth, nematodes will enter the body
of every slug they find and feed on
them. Remember to read the packet
instructions and apply this at a suitable
time of the year in order to achieve the
most successful results.

growfruitandveg.co.uk 63
 David Domoney:
How to create
a pink border
Enjoy a pretty pink plot this season with the help
of David’s expert design choices
T
he idea of pink borders may
conjure up light pastel cottage
borders full of soft and sweeping
foliage. Rather than a one-dimensional
colour border, add depth to the scheme
by building up different shades of pink
and layering different heights.
Many people associate pink with
femininity, although there are many other
links to the colour such as love, kindness,
calmness, and relaxation. Even within the
scale of pinks, there are some that are
more relaxing, and more vibrant tones
that are more stimulating.
With plenty of flower and foliage
choices for colour through the year, you
can have a pink border that’s full
of depth.
Pretty in pink
Give the best backdrop with Berberis
thunbergii f. atropurpurea (Japanese
barberry) ‘Rose Glow’ that grows up to
1.5m tall and 1.5m wide. This shrub has
dense growth of leaves that are pink,
64 growfruitandveg.co.uk
purple and white whilst young. The leaves
have a marbled effect which makes them
look almost hand-painted, before being
purple all over as they mature. The
striking leaves are joined by small yellow
flowers that are popular with pollinators,
then red berries.
If you have one of these already or
want to propagate one from the garden of
a friend, you can do so by semi-hardwood
cuttings. The best time of year to do this is
during late summer or early autumn. To
take the best cuttings, choose a section of
this year’s growth where the base of the
cut is hard, but the tip is soft. The cutting
should be between 10-15cm in length.
Remove leaves from the bottom so there
are around four leaves on the cutting.
Then, before planting, dip the cutting in
rooting powder to encourage growth. The
cuttings can then be planted into a
container using peat-free well-drained
compost and covered with a plastic bag,
positioned on a brightly lit windowsill
or greenhouse.
Middleweight champions
A firm favourite in so many garden
styles is the Allium hollandicum (Dutch
garlic) with the purple globe-like flowers
that are a magnet for bees like
honeybees. The upright growth of these
perennials makes them fantastic located
in the middle of a border where the
flowers almost look like floating orbs. To
grow these bold, architectural plants, the
bulbs should be planted during autumn
in a sheltered spot with plenty of sun.
Plant the bulbs between 10-20cm apart,
at a depth four times the size of the bulb.
The bulbs won’t appreciate much
disturbance, so planting them in a
border full of evergreens and perennials
is great for reducing the likelihood of
disturbing them.
Complement the height of the alliums
with Salvia (sage) ‘Wendy’s Wish’ which
has red stems and foliage that has a
citrusy fragrance for a really fresh scent
when you walk past. The dark pink
flowers bloom from summer and into
 Expert advice

autumn, looking wonderful against the shaded spot in well-drained soil, 30cm tall, with flattened clusters of pink
red stems. Growing up to 1m tall, they are preferably loam or sandy soil. blooms. The sweetly scented flowers are
a perfect partner for the Allium Similarly, the silvery evergreen foliage another selling point for this perennial at
hollandicum because their foliage will of Lychnis coronaria (rose campion) is the front of the border. It is an annual, so
hide the strap-like leaves of the Allium well-suited to the front of the border it can be enjoyed during spring and
which fade by the time the flowers bloom. because it allows the plants in the middle summer, and the front of the border
to be fully appreciated. On top of erect can be given a new lease of life the
Edible ornamentals stems, the tiny pink flowers put on a show following year.
Incorporating edible plants into with their vibrant pink colour in summer. There are so many choices of pretty
ornamental borders is such a great way Through the season, deadheading flowers and vibrant pink plants with flowers
of appreciating the whole of your garden. as they die will help to prolong flowering. and foliage that will add something
It also allows you to interact with borders Like the alum root, the rose campion will special to your borders. With layers upon
and planting schemes that tend to just be appreciate well-drained loam or sandy layers of texture, there will be just the
maintained and appreciated for their soil to thrive. right mix of flowers and foliage at the
beauty or fragrance. For your pink For fluffy pink texture, Iberis right heights to fully appreciate the
border, Beta vulgaris (chard) is a fantastic umbellata (garden candytuft) grows up to structure of the plants.
crop to choose. A variety like ‘Peppermint’
with pink and white two-tone stems is a
great twist on the vegetable.
Sow the seeds or plant seedlings
outdoors between April and July and
have harvests from July through until
November. Within this time, the stems will
be sure to catch your eye within the pink
border. The young stems and leaves can
be harvested for use in salads,
sandwiches and stir fries.

Small but mighty

A fantastic addition to the front of your
shades of pink border is Heuchera (alum
root) ‘Paris’ which has rich, veiny foliage
and delicate-looking flower spires. For
added depth to the border, these spires
create a screen whilst still revealing the
plants behind through the gaps thanks to
the thin, upright stems. Reaching a height
of 35cm tall, this evergreen perennial is
great for giving that bit of interest year-
round. Grow it in a sunny or partially

growfruitandveg.co.uk 65
 March in your
ORGANIC GARDEN
Things really step up a gear on the plot this
month, and Emma is on hand to share her
essential tasks to keep things ticking over

T
he madness of March is upon us, it’s
manic mayhem and I love it! This
is an exciting time in the gardening
calendar when seed sowing fills up every
available space. We tend to start most
of our seeds of indoors and they quickly
take over the glasshouse, cold frame,
polytunnel and windowsills.
So, let’s start with seed sowing and what
I’m hoping to be successful with this
year. Considering last year’s exceptional
heatwave, I have extended our perennial
vegetable area and am going to grow
amaranth and red orach as well as maize
and chickpeas to see if these are more
tolerant of our ever-changing weather
conditions. However, the old stalwarts
such as beetroot, carrot and kale will still
have a place.
As the days lengthen and the weather
starts to warm up, it’s probably the right
time to start sowing directly into the
ground. Exact timing will depend on
where you live, but a good indicator of
whether the soil is at the right temperature
is to see if the annual weed seedlings have
started to germinate. If they have, it’s time
to start thinking about sowing.
I tend to sow carrots, spinach, peas,
spring onions and radish directly, while
under cover we are sowing tomatoes,
beetroots, kohl rabi, lettuces, beans and
cucumber, to name a few.
We will also be sowing our hardy
annuals. We sow most directly, but also
get a few going indoors to have ready to
fill any gaps as they appear throughout
the year. I try to go for flowers that will
give me a long flowering period, attract
beneficial creatures, deter pests and
generally germinate easily. My favourites
are cosmos, French marigolds, calendula,
borage and snapdragons.
Whenever you’re sowing outside,
remember to clear the weeds and rake
the soil to a fine tilth.
Of course, seed sowing is not the only
job this time of year; mulching is also high
on my ‘to-do’ list. There are many benefits
to mulching and spring is an ideal time
to do it. The main reason I like to mulch
is to protect the soil, but it also helps to

66 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 Expert advice
save water, suppress weeds, improve
the soil structure, encourage beneficial
soil organisms and, if you’re using a
biodegradable mulch, release nutrients.
Applying your mulch now is also much
easier as herbaceous plants are dormant
and the annual weeds haven’t yet
germinated. A word of warning, though: if
you have Mediterranean plants, they don’t
want too much moisture in the soil, so
go steady!
A mulch 7.5cm deep is ideal, but
as long as it’s at least 5cm you will see
some benefit. Avoid applying it when the
ground is frozen and don’t put it too close
to any tree or shrub stems - this can cause
softening which may lead to rotting or
opportunities for diseases to get in.
When it comes to what to use
as a mulch, there are a few options.
Homemade compost is always my first
choice, but rotted organic manures and/
or leafmould also make excellent mulches.
These are all biodegradable, so they break
down slowly and will add some nutrient and more reliable, and March is the
value into your soil. perfect time to take them.
Alternatively, non-biodegradable By now they should have started to
mulches such as sheet mulching, gravel produce some new shoots or be showing
and slate will also help keep in moisture an eye (a little knobbly bit!) on the tuber.
and suppress weeds. The final reason I Once the shoots are approximately 8cm
like to mulch is that it makes the garden long, cut the stem with a sharp knife just
look tidy – those who have read my under where the shoot emerges from the
column before will know I’m definitely a tuber (if you can get a bit of tuber, even
neat gardener! better). Then remove the lower leaves and
Last month I shared why I love dahlias insert the stem into a small pot filled with
so much – in my opinion, every garden organic peat-free potting compost. You
should have at least one. But one of the can use a rooting hormone if you prefer,
best things about dahlias is that they are but it’s not essential. Ideally, put three
easy to propagate, and in these trying cuttings into a pot and water well.
times, who wouldn’t want plants for free? Put the pot in a propagator if you have
Dahlias can be propagated by division or one – if not, cover it with a clear plastic
by taking cuttings. I find cuttings easier bag secured with an elastic band to help

conserve moisture. Then place in a warm,

light spot. Don’t be alarmed if they wilt
initially – they usually pick up.
After about a month, your cutting
should have rooted. Try to avoid tugging
on them (I must admit I always do!) but
wait for them to produce new leaves.
You can also divide dahlia tubers by
ensuring each piece has a little bit of root
and a new shoot or eye, but I find cuttings
simpler and more reliable.
As always, take time to enjoy
the garden – even gardeners need a
break sometimes.

growfruitandveg.co.uk 67
 MARCH

UNDER
COVER Make the most of your
greenhouse and polytunnel
with these top tips and
growing advice
WORDS: Sally Nex

Dos & Don’ts

How to avoid: Thinning seedlings
Of all the spring chores, thinning
seedlings must be the most frustrating.
You spend ages on your hands and
knees winkling out the tiniest shoots to
leave the strongest behind, and all to
throw perfectly good seedlings on the
compost heap.
It doesn’t have to be like this.
Station sow, making little dents at
the final spacings you want then
sowing two or three seeds in each;
or, multisow fast-growing veg like
beetroot, leeks, spring onions and
DO pull out trays of yacon tubers,
dormant since you lifted them last
autumn, and pot them up ready for a
new season. Squeeze them first to make
sure they’ve stayed firm, then plant in a
two-litre pot of multipurpose compost so
the tip of the crown is just at soil level.
turnips. Sow a pinch Water them in and keep frost-free, and
of 5-7 seeds in you’ll have new shoots within a couple
5cm newspaper of weeks.
pots, then DON’T wait for strawberries any longer
plant the than you absolutely have to. Pop glass
seedlings out cloches over rows of early-fruiting
as a cluster, varieties like ‘Honeoye’ to intensify the
10-15cm early spring sunshine and bring them
between each into flower weeks earlier than usual.
clump. The plants Once you have flowers, open up the
push each other apart as they grow: ends to let the bees in (hand-pollinating
helps too) and you’ll have sweet red
carefully harvest the largest and
berries up to a month earlier than usual.
leave the rest to grow on.

Sowing now: 3 VARIETIES TO TRY:

Greenhouse cucumbers ‘Femspot’ is a rock-solid reliable
Greenhouse cucumbers are quite different from all-female variety producing
outdoor varieties. For one thing, they’re more elegant: classic long (25-30cm) dark green
the long, smooth-skinned cucumbers you buy in the cukes by the dozen, and earlier
shops are all greenhouse varieties. Outdoor or ‘ridge’ than most other varieties, too
cucumbers are said to have a better flavour, but tend (simplyseed.co.uk)
to have stumpier fruits with thick, slightly warty skin
which must be peeled off before eating. ‘La Diva’ avoids having to deal
The other major difference is in pollination with that annoying half-cucumber
requirements. Outdoor cucumbers need male and kicking about in the bottom of
female flowers to cross-pollinate and set fruit. Indoor greenhouse cucumbers produce fruit the fridge: the fruit is snack-
whether or not the flowers are pollinated. What’s more, if it’s a variety which produces both male sized and perfect for lunchboxes
and female flowers and you let them cross-pollinate, the resulting fruit tastes unappetisingly bitter (sarahraven.com)
– so pollination is positively to be discouraged. ‘Crystal Lemon’ is a fine old
If you want to try one of the fine old varieties like ‘Telegraph’ which does produce male heritage variety with bright yellow,
flowers, make it a twice-weekly task to pick off all male flowers, with straight stalks, to leave only tennis-ball sized fruits: it grows
female flowers (with a mini-fruit behind). Easier, though, is simply to grow a modern all-female indoors or outdoors but you’ll get
variety, bred to produce only female flowers so you’re never troubled by bitter fruits. The seed is earlier and more fruits under glass
more expensive, but you get back all the hours you’d otherwise be spending peering at cucumber (nickys-nursery.co.uk)
flowers – so it’s worth it in the long run.

68 growfruitandveg.co.uk

Step-by-step: Plant up a potato sack
Even if you’ve got plenty of room in the garden, it’s still worth planting some spuds
in sacks to grow under glass for super-early new potatoes, weeks sooner than those
grown outside.
1 2
Fast-growing early ‘new’ potato varieties
do best in sacks, especially if you’re
growing for a quick crop. They also make
smaller plants, so they’re happier with the
restrictions of container life. You’ll need
three or four seed potatoes per sack: chit
them first, setting them in eggboxes for a
fortnight to sprout, for a head start.
3 4
Tip about 15cm of compost into the bottom of
the sack with a handful of seaweed meal mixed
in for extra nutrition, then place your seed
potatoes on top with the end with most shoots
uppermost. Cover them with another 15cm of
seaweed-improved compost and water them in
well. Keep them in the greenhouse for now.
Weekend Project: Make your own seed trays
Right about now the greenhouse is
filling fast with seed trays packed with
burgeoning seedlings, keeping your pots
in order and occasionally acting as a
stand-in shoebox for plant labels, seed
packets and all the other detritus of a
busy seed-growing season. We couldn’t
do without them.
But plastic seed trays are expensive
to buy – and though you can reuse them
for years, they eventually crack (often
shedding plastic microfragments into the
soil as they do so) and invariably wind up
in landfill one day. Wooden seed trays,
though, are climate-friendly, zero-pollution
and best of all, easy to make for free.
You can buy purpose-made potato sacks
made of jute with openable flaps in the
bottom for harvesting (crocus.co.uk), or
simply repurpose a spent compost sack.
Turn it inside out (if the black side is
outwards, it absorbs more warmth, helping
your plants to grow) and punch a few holes
in the bottom with a fork for drainage.
As the shoots grow, keep burying the stem
with more compost so just the topmost leaves
are showing until the whole sack is full. Keep
your spuds well-watered and feed weekly
with liquid seaweed or compost tea. Your
spuds should be ready once the plants are
flowering: simply tip out the lot and enjoy.
Collect together some thin pieces of
scrap wood – pallet slats or shiplap
from old fencing panels work well –
and cut them into lengths. You’ll need
four 35cm lengths – two wide (10cm)
and two narrow (5cm) – plus two
shorter narrow pieces about 22cm long.
Take the two long and two short
narrow pieces, stand them on their
edges and nail them together to make
a rectangular box. Lay this flat and
simply nail the wider pieces on top
to make the base of the seed tray,
leaving a 1cm gap between the slats for
drainage. Turn it the right way up, fill it
with compost and sow!
Expert advice
METHOD
Root an avocado stone
Global warming is bringing many
tropical fruits within our reach –
and the latest is the avocado, now
able to fruit in the UK in super-mild
climates like London. Avocado trees
are hardier than you think and even
survive a degree or so of frost: if you
can track down the variety ‘Brogden’
it’s said to tolerate -6°C.
Even in microclimates the
trees take years to fruit, though, so
start your quest for home-grown
avocadoes now! You can root
avocado stones by using toothpicks
to suspend them over a glass of
water with the rounded bottom just
submerged – but it’s a hit-and-miss
method and you’re often better off
simply planting it. Bury the stone in a
pot of compost so the tip is just poking
out, and water well. Keep really
warm – at least 18°C – and damp, and
prepare to be patient: it can be six
weeks or more before the tip finally
splits and a fat shoot emerges.
growfruitandveg.co.uk 69
Advertorial feature

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ith the help of a greenhouse, no matter how big or
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A greenhouse can be an invaluable tool as we move closer
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and heavy rainfall, which could be the difference between a
champion season or a complete disaster.
This contained space is also capable of retaining a humid
atmosphere in the warmer months, which crops like chillies
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also encourage the spread of fungal disease, so make good use of
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No matter your budget or space available, you’ll be able to
find a greenhouse solution that is best suited to you.

70 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 Advertorial feature
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growfruitandveg.co.uk 71
 lT’S ALL IN THE
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72 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 #BlossomWatch

Trees in blossom in
May in the Orchard
at Nunnington Hall,
North Yorkshire.
National Trust Images
Robert Morris.

8 destinations for
blossom magic
The National Trust showcase which of its gardens will be offering the
most breathtaking blossom displays this spring

A
fter a long, cold winter, what could
be more cheering than the sight of
clouds of pastel blossom covering
branches and fluttering to the ground?
The National Trust planted 15,000 more
blossom trees across its gardens and parks
in 2022 to give nature and people a brighter
future, meaning there’s never been a better
time to enjoy this beautiful spring spectacle.
This year, the charity’s #BlossomWatch
campaign returns, encouraging everyone
to take a moment to enjoy the fleeting
beauty of blossom and to share
their blossom images on social
media. #BlossomWatch kicks
off around the spring equinox,
with a week-long celebration
following at the end of April.
"Bring on the blossom," says the striking snow-white magnolias as well
– perfect for lounging under on a sunny
the National Trust – here are spring day.
eight places you can immerse
yourself in extraordinary Greys Court, Oxfordshire
blossom landscapes this year After a redesign and new planting last
year, the Cherry Garden at Greys Court in
Oxfordshire will be fully open this spring.
Dunham Massey, Cheshire The borders have been stripped back in
Dunham Massey in Cheshire has one line with the original vision for the garden,
of the best spring blossom displays in creating striking contrasts between the
northern England. The garden brims with extravagant cherry blossom, clipped grass
blooms, especially cherry and crab apple and historic flint walls. There are small
which make a beautiful combination. flowering fruit trees dotted all around the
Interactive blossom-themed events walled gardens, and the crab apple arches
are planned for spring to help visitors put on a real show in May. The trees have
get involved and make the most of the been trained over hoops and entwined with
season. Later in the season, look out for clematis to create a scented flowery tunnel.

growfruitandveg.co.uk 73

Brockhampton Estate,
Herefordshire
No guide to blossom destinations can
leave out Herefordshire! The romantic
timber-framed manor house at
Brockhampton Estate is surrounded by
orchards which change with the seasons
and enhance the beauty of the house itself.
Brockhampton’s lost orchards have been
reinstated and re-imagined, most recently
with the creation of a new orchard
shaped like an apple which celebrates
the fascinating history of how apples first
arrived in England, and the many benefits
fruiting trees can provide for wildlife.
Cotehele, Cornwall
Get the blossom season off to an early start
with a visit to Cotehele in Cornwall, whose
The Cherry Garden in April
at Greys Court, Oxfordshire.
National Trust Images
Hugh Mothersole
74 growfruitandveg.co.uk
Apple blossom at Gibside,
Tyne & Wear © National
Trust Images
Tom Carr
orchards are often among the first in the
country to bloom. In the 19th-century the
Tamar Valley was once a famous area for
market gardening, with hundreds of acres
of blooming orchards in spring. Today this
tradition is preserved at Cotehele, where
you’ll find orchards full of the famous
Tamar Valley cherries and more than 125
traditional apple varieties, alongside pear
and walnut trees.
Emmetts Garden, Kent
For the perfect spring photo, head to
Emmetts Garden in Kent, where 48 Prunus
serrulata ‘Fugenzo’ cherry trees are
shaped into an unusual ‘lollipop’ style,
which was how they were originally
grown by the Lubbock family over a
century ago. Their beautiful pink blossoms
come into flower in the first or second
week of May, and are underplanted with
a carpet of pink, red, white and black
tulips. The cherry and tulip avenue leads
the eye across far-reaching views of the
Kentish Weald beyond.
Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire
Elizabethan Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire
is famous for having ‘more glass than
wall’, but in spring the gardens become
the star. The orchards are full of fruit
from pear to greengage and damson,
including ornamental crab apples which
produce large, white scented blooms
in the annual spring blossom display.
These are complemented by local apple
varieties including ‘Newton Wonder’,
developed in Melbourne, Derbyshire,
and ‘Bramley Seedling’, hailing from
Southwell, Nottinghamshire.
Nunnington Hall, North
Yorkshire
As spring arrives, the orchards at
Nunnington Hall in North Yorkshire
burst into life with clouds of pear, apple
and cherry blossom. The gardens here
are managed organically, with sheep
fleece packed around young fruit
trees to act as a mulch. Each year the
gardeners install local beehives – as
well as pollinating the blossom, these
produce delicious honey with a delicate
taste that varies depending on what is in
flower at the time.
Wimpole, Cambridgeshire
More orchards await at Wimpole in
Cambridgeshire, a working estate still
guided by the seasons. You can see
a huge variety of over 300 fruit trees
which give a procession of blossom
throughout spring. Beginning with
apricot, plum and greengage, the
blossom then appears on the apple and
pear trees and is finally rounded off by
medlar and quince in late spring. Come
harvest time, the fruit is used to produce
Wimpole apple juice. Within the Walled
Gardens, you can also find espaliered
fruit trees, and ornamental cherry trees
with delicate pink flowers can be found
across the Pleasure Grounds.
More top places
for BLOSSOM:
Barrington Court, Somerset
Chartwell, Kent
Killerton, Devon
Quarry Bank, Cheshire
Trelissick, Cornwall
Hinton Ampner, Hampshire
Wightwick Manor, West Midlands

Create your own
BLOSSOM DISPLAYS
with these expert tips:
“In general, the normal pruning regimes
for shrubs and fruit trees are the ones that
encourage blossom. Don’t forget the ‘right
plant, right place’ rule – if too large a plant
needs keeping smaller by regular pruning,
you may actually reduce the amount of
blossom it has.”
Glyn Smith, Head Gardener,
Erddig, Wrexham
“My absolute favourite tree for a smaller
garden is Amelanchier lamarkii. It's an all-
season giver, with glowing copper foliage
emerging among its loose white blossom
in spring, maturing to an attractive glossy
canopy for summer, and giving gorgeous
red-gold autumn leaf colour and dark
berries in the autumn and winter. I like
them best grown as a multi-stem where
they give good impact and don't grow too
big. Amelanchier canadensis is a smaller,
more shrub-like species.”
Dea Fischer, Senior Gardener, Oxburgh
Hall, Norfolk
“Hedgerows can be full of
blossom if they are cut at
the right time of year. Avoid
cutting in winter as this can
easily remove the flower
buds. Cutting after flowering (late May/
early June) would be ideal but hedgerows
are full of bird nests then, so we delay
hedge-cutting until August, and check for
hedgerow residents before cutting.”
Heather Birkett, Senior Gardener, Acorn
Bank, Cumbria
All citrus trees have fantastic smelling
blossom, so you should grow the trees
that will produce the fruit you want to eat.
Grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi) and lemon
(Citrus x limon) tend to be the hardiest
and most vigorous, but there are plenty of
orange varieties that are easy to grow and
provide delicious fruit as well. My absolute
favourite is blood orange (Citrus sinensis
'Sanguinello Blood').
Martin Stott, Head Gardener,
Saltram, Devon
“When pruning our cordon apple trees,
I wait until winter dormancy and leaf
drop has occurred rather than pruning in
August as is usually the rule. Otherwise, it
is too warm for our trees and they respond
by blooming in autumn and we lose the
following year’s cropping.”
Andy Eddy, Head Gardener, Osterley
Park and House, London
Expert advice
Trees in blossom at the edge
of Windermere, Low Wray
Campsite, Cumbria © National
Trust Images, Paul Harris
“For something a little different, consider
growing the Japanese apricot (Prunus
mume). They flower on bare green
stems early in the year before the leaves
come out, giving a striking abundance
of flamboyant flowers. The one I love is
'Beni-chidori', which has dark pink flowers
in February and March (depending
on temperatures).
“A fun way to grow this plant is to stool
(cut back hard) annually, to keep a set of
vigorous twigs regenerating each year.
Plant several close together and then stool
them to produce a burst of colour each
spring, a bit like a firework display.”
John Lanyon, Garden Manager,
Trelissick, Glendurgan, Trerice
and Bosloe
Blossom and Daffodils on
the Park View Walk at
Wimpole Estate, National
Trust Images, Mike Selby
growfruitandveg.co.uk 75
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Your Plot Seed

ing
Sow
30 minute job:
Make new yacon
plants for free
VARIETIES TO TRY
NEW VARIETY:
Cucumber
‘Chompers’

ESSENTIALS
This month’s jobs on the
A new spring is nudging its way through
the frozen earth at last and all sorts of things
are starting to sprout in anticipation of the
growing season to come. Yacon tubers,
Outdoor, or ridge
cucumbers, are a
great alternative
if you don’t have
a greenhouse, but
kept carefully squirrelled away in boxes
vegetable patch and patio of just-damp compost in a frost-free shed
the fruits themselves
take some getting used
WORDS: Sally Nex over winter, respond quickly to the rising
to with their thick, warty skins and short,
temperatures so check them weekly for
stubby shape. This new outdoor cuke is
signs of life.
GROWING TECHNIQUE: a step closer to the elegance of a long,

Join our thriving online community which has

Once you see live buds swelling on the
REPOT MINT crowns, pot them up and bring them back
smooth-skinned greenhouse fruit, though.
It’s enormous, for a start, up to 25cm long,
Mint is one of those collector’s plants. Once you’ve into active growth. This is also your chance with a thin, gently striped skin you don’t
discovered the delights of growing refreshing peppermint to bulk up your supplies by propagating have to remove before you slice. Give it your
for tea, or spicy spearmint for mint sauce, you just want
more: perhaps downy-leaved apple mint, or fragrant eau
new plants from the caudices – the cluster of
smaller roots at the base of the stem.
sunniest spot and some sturdy supports to
scramble up to enjoy long, sweet cucumbers
Garden report
de cologne mint to pop into sachets tied under the hot tap Take a knife and cut the crown up into by summer, no greenhouse required.

This month…
of your bath for a reviving soak. several smaller pieces, following the ‘seam’ (dobies.co.uk)
Whichever mint you grow, though, you must keep
GYO between each lumpy section and making
NEWS
them to a container or they’ll spread rapidly and take
over your garden – you can always bury the pot in the
ground to include mint among other herbs. But mint is
such a fast-growing plant it quickly exhausts the compost
says sure each chunk has at least one sprouting
bud. You should be able to create between
five and 10 new plants from the original
crown, depending on how big it was.
HERITAGE
VARIETY:
Lettuce
‘Little Gem’ in brief
in a pot, so to keep it growing strongly, repot it each Seaweed can be When you’re
Pot up each of these sections individually,
spring. Tip the plant out of its container and divide into used to make growing in
with the buds sitting at or just below
two or three healthy chunks. Repot one chunk into fresh
compost in the original container and pot up the rest
garden nutrient
tea and added to
compost level. Water in and keep in a containers you’re
always on the lookout
Keep up to date with the latest news from the growing world B&Q owner Kingfisher
has taken wildlife-
greenhouse while they grow into healthy
separately to boost your collection or pass on to friends. compost for good quality dwarf
young plants. In early summer, harden them
off carefully and plant outside in a sunny, varieties of your favourite Make waves for wildlife harming slug pellets off
its shelves ahead of a

25%
free-draining spot. veg – and this little cos lettuce is one of the

over 60,000 members and features growing

In 2018, 18-34 year olds accounted
for 25% of lawn and garden spending
Source: National Garden Association
DON’T FORGET:
CLOCHE STRAWBERRIES
Pop individual cloches or glass barn-style
row covers over strawberry plants now
and you’ll intensify the feeblest early
spring sunshine, raising temperatures
best. Bred in France, it’s still popular in
The Wildlife Trusts and the RHS have joined forces to call on government ban on their
gardens on both sides of the Channel almost growers to install a garden pond. 2019’s Wild About Gardens outdoor use from spring
a century later, admired for its neat, upright challenge has been set up to save Britain’s wildlife, as now 2020. The pesticide,
heads, superb flavour and densely-packed,
HOW TO AVOID... crunchy hearts. More recently, it’s found
13 per cent of our freshwater and wetland species are under used to kill off slugs
threat from extinction. This is due to the UK’s rapid loss of contains the chemical
ONION SETS POPPING a new role as a star plant for relatively
restricted 21st century veg patches; grow ponds, rivers and streams, and is reflected in last year’s metadehyde, that has
OUT OF THE GROUND plenty, as you’ll need a couple of heads
per salad, and re-sow monthly through the
RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch that revealed that frog and toad
sightings are down by 17 and 30 per cent since 2014. Pond
been outed by DEFRA
as posing a significant
season for a continuous supply.
flowers, plants and running water are all a space for frogs, threat to birds, other
EXOTIC toads, newts and hedgehogs to drink, feed, breed and shelter. mammals and our water
VARIETY: If you want to help out, but lack room, don’t fear, as even the quality. The pellets will be
USE SEAWEED FOR MULCHING Amaranth smallest of spaces can accommodate a pocket pond (a mini replaced by alternatives.
If we lived in a
After a long, stormy winter, seaweed lies thick on the beaches, washed warmer corner
version of a regular garden pond) – simply fill an old sink or Urban growing is
up on the incoming tide. Seize your chance to collect it and you’ll have of the world, bowl with water, plant it up outside and wait for creatures to continuing to rise in
the veg equivalent of a superfood on your hands. Seaweed is packed amaranth would arrive. The added bonus for veg growers? Visiting frogs will popularity, as a recent
with trace minerals, plus growth-stimulating plant hormones; it breaks be as familiar to us happily gobble up slugs, helping you to keep on top of pests. study has shown. The
down easily and even repels slugs, which avoid crawling across its salty as lettuce or spinach.

guides, competitions, blogs and more! Find us at...

surface. Plus, it’s completely free! Also known as callaloo, European Federation of
underneath to the positively summery You should ask the local council, harbourmaster or owner if it’s each stage of growth provides a different Green Roofs and Walls
and kidding your plants into thinking a private beach for permission before collecting large quantities of crop. Its seedlings are delicious snipped has revealed that the
it’s time to wake up and start flowering. seaweed, but you’ll rarely be refused. Collect unattached seaweed from
Birds are often blamed for the curious surface. Or the soil may be too firm for at 5-8cm tall as microgreens; or let it grow of Gary’s late grandmother
area of green roofs in the
Open the ends regularly for ventilation
halfway up the beach, and don’t strip the beach as seaweed provides an
important habitat for wildlife.
phenomenon of just-planted onion sets
popping out of the soil overnight. But there
roots to punch through, so they raise the
set upwards instead. Push the set directly
WE LOVE
to about 30cm tall and harvest its young,
tender leaves and stems. Wait till it flowers
who was supported by
Macmillan during her
Greater London area is
and to let pollinating insects in and Spread your seaweed straight away, while it’s still fresh, in a thick
is little documented evidence of clandestine into the ground when planting and you risk – spectacularly – and sets seed and you equal to a whopping 1.5
layer directly on the soil. Pull the mulch away from the stems of any cancer diagnosis and will
remember to water regularly, especially set-pulling raids; and onion sets still jump compacting the soil beneath. Instead, make get a protein-packed and gluten-free grain, million m2. This goes to
plants. You don’t have to rinse it first, as most of the salt dissolves with
loose even when netted against birds. a hole first with a trowel about 5cm deep, similar to quinoa. Rinse thoroughly to tell the tale of a fictional
in particularly sunny weather, to enjoy the first rainfalls, but if the weather is dry spread out the seaweed and Marbles, buttons, and 100 show even if you only
It’s more likely the problem lies in then drop the set in so the tip is just at the wash away the bitter saponins, then boil couple – a photographer
your first sweet fruits by late May – a hose it down with plenty of fresh water before mulching. for 20 minutes and enjoy inother curiosities will line
tasty tabbouleh have a small balcony
the soil. Ground can ‘heave’ after heavy soil’s surface. Firm in and with luck, and an artist – and the
good month earlier than usual! rain, pushing unrooted sets above the it should stay put. or pilafs. the walls and populate or windowsill there
legacy they left behind
the flower borders of are plenty of ways to
through objects they loved.
Gary Bristow’s get growing, such as
38 growfruitandveg.co.uk growfruitandveg.co.uk 39 Macmillan Features of the garden
Legacy Garden for this windowboxes, pots and
include a planting scheme
year’s RHS Malvern Spring trellis. There are also
of perennials, bulbs, self-
Garden report Festival. The garden has many dwarf varieties
seeding plants, and various-
of fruit and veg bred

This month…
Keep up to date with the latest news from the growing world
NEWS
in brief
B&Q owner Kingfisher
has taken wildlife-
been created in memory sized totem pole structures.
The RHS xxxxxx specifically for growing
in urban plots.

Make waves for wildlife

The Wildlife Trusts and the RHS have joined forces to call on
growers to install a garden pond. 2019’s Wild About Gardens
challenge has been set up to save Britain’s wildlife, as now
harming slug pellets off
its shelves ahead of a
government ban on their
outdoor use from spring
2020. The pesticide,
June is great for…
TOP EVENT
70%
13 per cent of our freshwater and wetland species are under used to kill off slugs
threat from extinction. This is due to the UK’s rapid loss of contains the chemical
ponds, rivers and streams, and is reflected in last year’s metadehyde, that has
RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch that revealed that frog and toad been outed by DEFRA
sightings are down by 17 and 30 per cent since 2014. Pond
flowers, plants and running water are all a space for frogs,
toads, newts and hedgehogs to drink, feed, breed and shelter.
If you want to help out, but lack room, don’t fear, as even the
as posing a significant
threat to birds, other
mammals and our water
THIS MONTH
quality. The pellets will be
smallest of spaces can accommodate a pocket pond (a mini replaced by alternatives.

growfruitandveg.co.uk
WE LOVE
Marbles, buttons, and 100
other curiosities will line
the walls and populate
the flower borders of
Gary Bristow’s Macmillan
Legacy Garden for this
year’s RHS Malvern Spring
Festival. The garden has
been created in memory
June is great for…
HOEING
Use a hoe to remove
any unwanted
greenery and stones
from between rows
of crops
version of a regular garden pond) – simply fill an old sink or
bowl with water, plant it up outside and wait for creatures to
arrive. The added bonus for veg growers? Visiting frogs will
happily gobble up slugs, helping you to keep on top of pests.
of Gary’s late grandmother
who was supported by
Macmillan during her
cancer diagnosis and will
tell the tale of a fictional
couple – a photographer
and an artist – and the
legacy they left behind
through objects they loved.
Features of the garden
include a planting scheme
of perennials, bulbs, self-
seeding plants, and various-
sized totem pole structures.
PINCHING OUT
Pinch out the top
growing tips on
your broad bean
plants as these
attract aphids
Urban growing is
continuing to rise in
Head over to Woburn
popularity, as a recent
Abbey Garden Show
study has shown. The
European Federation of
Green Roofs and Walls
has revealed that the
2019 from the 22-23 of British
June to see helpful
area of green roofs in the
Greater London area is
equal to a whopping 1.5
demonstrations and
gardeners buy
million m2. This goes to
show even if you only
have a small balcony
or windowsill there
to hear talks and food for wildlife
are plenty of ways to Q&As hosted by RHS
get growing, such as
windowboxes, pots and
trellis. There are also
ambassador Pippa or provide
many dwarf varieties
The RHS xxxxxx
of fruit and veg bred
specifically for growing
in urban plots.
Greenwood and BBC
Gardeners’ World
a home for
HOEING PINCHING OUT THINNING
Use a hoe to remove Pinch out the top Thin pears, plums,
presenter Adam wildlife in their
TOP EVENT Frost plus rare access
THIS MONTH
Head over to Woburn
Abbey Garden Show
70% of British
any unwanted
greenery and stones
growing tips on
your broad bean
peaches and
nectarines trees and to the gardens. To
find out more and
garden
2019 from the 22-23 from between rows plants as these other fruit bushes to Source: Wyevale Garden Centres
June to see helpful
gardeners buy to book tickets visit
demonstrations and
to hear talks and food for wildlife of crops attract aphids maximise fruit yields
Q&As hosted by RHS
or provide woburnabbey.co.uk
ambassador Pippa
Greenwood and BBC
Gardeners’ World
a home for
THINNING
Thin pears, plums, presenter Adam wildlife in their
Frost plus rare access
peaches and
to the gardens. To garden
nectarines trees and
other fruit bushes to
maximise fruit yields
find out more and
to book tickets visit
Source: Wyevale Garden Centres growfruitandveg.co.uk 7
woburnabbey.co.uk

growfruitandveg.co.uk 7

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GUARANTEE GLORIOUS
GOOSEBERRIES
Enjoy a generous supply of these fruits this
summer by following our simple advice
G
ooseberries may have developed
a reputation as a hardy plant
which is easy to grow anywhere,
but if you want to get the best from this
crop you’ll need to look after it properly.
Luckily for those of us growing in the UK,
the gooseberry plant is well-suited to our
cold, wet weather conditions, so you could
see big, juicy berries in no time.
If you’re looking to plant bare-root
gooseberries, you should do so now,
during early spring. Before planting out,
re-invigorate your bare-root plants by
leaving them to soak in a bucket of water
for 20 minutes. This will help them to
establish once placed in the ground.
Location, location, location
Choose a spot that gets ample sunshine
in order to boost your plant’s chances
of producing sumptuous berries. You’ll
also want it to be easily accessible for
picking fruit in the summer. Prepare the
soil by digging a large hole and forking
well-rotted manure into the base. When
you position the plant, use the ‘tide mark’
(where the lighter part of the stem meets
the darker part) to inform the height that it
needs to be below the ground, as it’s best
to maintain it at the same level as it was
GYO
says
For the best
results, plant
gooseberries
in rich, moist
and slightly
acidic soil
grown before. Once in place, back-fill and
firm the soil to hold it securely in position.
Retain moisture
Gooseberries thrive in rich, moist and
slightly acidic soil, so the damp ground
conditions in the UK are ideal. Help them
along by maintaining moisture through
mulching and gentle watering in early
summer. Avoid a sudden burst of heavy
watering after a dry spell, as this will
cause the fruits to swell too quickly and
split, increasing their chances of disease.
Pruning and thinning
If you’re yet to prune an established
bush, do so now before it bursts into leaf.
Thinning around half the bush in May
or early June will give the remaining
fruits the chance to explode into juicy,
ripe berries. Prune again around June
to reduce all new sideshoots to just five
leaves to increase light flow and make it
easier to pick fruits.
Avoid pests and diseases
There are three main problems that may
prevent your plant from fruiting. Birds
can be a nuisance as they will peck away
at fruits in the summer and buds in the
Fruit gardener
Where to buy…
DT Brown, 03330 030 869,
dtbrownseeds.co.uk
Pennard Plants, pennardplants.com
Ken Muir 01255 830 181,
kenmuir.co.uk
winter (stunting the plant’s growth).
Therefore, a fruit cage is recommended,
but if you don’t have one, try other
preventative measures such taut netting
or placing a scaring device nearby.
You’ll also need to watch out for two
common diseases: gooseberry mildew
and the larvae of the gooseberry sawfly.
The fungal disease gooseberry mildew
is encouraged by a lack of air circulation
and can be avoided by giving your bush
sufficient spacing, pruning effectively, and
opting for a resistant type (such as ‘Invicta’
or ‘Capitivator’ varieties). Keep an eye
out for the tell-tale symptoms of a greyish-
white powdery layer on leaves and stems,
or as a felt-like coating on fruits. If blight
does strike, remove affected leaves and
stems and dispose of them, and prune the
bush to create better air circulation.
Beware of gooseberry sawfly, too.
Inspect the underside of leaves regularly
from mid-late spring onwards for these
caterpillar-like larvae that can cause
severe problems to your plant in a short
space of time. If you find any, remove by
hand immediately and beware that there
can be several generations each year, so
you’ll need to remain vigilant.
Reaping the rewards
Once the hot sun hits towards the end
of May, your gooseberry bush should be
offering plenty of juicy pickings. There are
some delicious recipes waiting to be made
from these under-ripe gooseberries – try
crumbles, jam and pies. Pick every other
berry and leave the remainder to ripen up
for later in the summer. Ripe gooseberries
will be more fragile and prone to bursting,
so take care when picking the softer
ones. The good news is they will also be
sweeter and full of flavour, so you can
snack on them straight from the bush!
growfruitandveg.co.uk 77
 Tayberry Boysenberry

5 TOP This fruit is a cross between a raspberry
and a blackberry. It is red in colour but
longer in size that both parent yields – some
fruits grow to 5cm in length! The harvests
work well in jams due to their sweet taste,
This crop is a mixture of loganberry,
dewberry, blackberry and raspberry
which is thornless and very
productive. The fruits are black,
juicy and sweet with hints of a wild

Unusual fruits
but they can also be enjoyed straight from blackberry flavour. The plants are
the plant. It can take up to five years for drought-resistant and requires well-
the plant to reach its ultimate height of drained soil. They respond well to
around 2.5m. Most varieties produce heavy fan training, ideal for decorating or
yields and cope well with cold weather, so covering walls or fences, and require
Add these stunning they’re a hardy choice, too. Ideally, provide plenty of mulch to keep them at
tayberries with support. their best.
and productive crops
to your growing space
this year and enjoy
pickings that you
can’t buy from the
supermarket
1 2
I
f you’re looking for a productive
yet unusual edible to grow over the
coming seasons then hybrid berries
and other forms of unusual fruits are
an excellent option. There are many
types to choose from and your decision
will depend on personal
preference. Another
consideration will need to Which of these
be the amount of space at varieties have
your disposal. Always do you heard of
your research and check before? Have we
what size your chosen missed any of your
crops will grow to at full favourites?
maturity. Some cultivars
may require another
variety to be paired with
to achieve wind pollination, while others
may do better growing pots – there’s a
lot to think about, but once you’ve put
in that initial groundwork, you’ll soon
be rewarded with a treasure trove of
delightful fruits. Follow this guide to
select the best crops for you.

Tag us...
Show us your fruit trees and share
your best pointers for productive Supplier: Supplier:
results by tagging us on Instragram Blackmoor Nurseries Pomona Fruits
@growyourownmag blackmoor.co.uk pomonafruits.co.uk

78 growfruitandveg.co.uk

Japanese wineberry
With this edible you may receive smaller
harvests than other types of hybrid berry,
but the compensation is a wonderful crop
of small, sweet fruits that change from
yellow to red. The Japanese wineberry
belongs to the rose family, and the stems
are covered in red bristles which give
this plant a very unique appearance. The
plants are self-fertile and have a good,
upright growing habit. Once harvested,
the berries are delicious in pies and a
number of other desserts.
3 4
Supplier:
RHS
rhsplants.co.uk
Kiwiberries
Free yourself of the chore of removing
the furry skin associated with regular
kiwi fruit with these tropical-flavoured
treats. Kiwiberries are grape-sized and
skin-free, making them perfect for packed
lunches and fruit salads. Grow in a sunny
greenhouse or outdoors in full sun after
you have acclimatised the plants to UK
outdoor conditions. When the plants
are young, harden them off by placing
them outdoors only on sunny days and
bringing them indoors in the evening.
Supplier:
Gardening Express
gardeningexpress.co.uk
Growing advice
Pink blueberry
In spring, this crop produces small bell-
shaped flowers with a pink hue which
change from white to a deep glossy
pink. The plants require an acidic soil
with a high organic matter. If kept in the
container, an ericaceous potting compost
should be used. The plants should ideally
be fed with a high nitrogen liquid fertiliser
at 10-day intervals until they start to
flower. Pick the berries when they have
started to soften – they can be frozen or
stored fridge for about two weeks.
5
Supplier:
Marshalls
marshallsgarden.com
growfruitandveg.co.uk 79
 Made in the UK
Protect your produce
from birds & pests
with a fruit cage from

The Garden Netting Experts

Manufactured by us in the UK our cages are suitable for protecting

fruit bushes, trees and a huge range of plants and vegetables. All are
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80 growfruitandveg.co.uk
“Plant asparagus
crowns in well-
drained soil” SOW &
HARVEST
SOW
Artichokes: Sow 13mm deep in a seedbed, with around three seeds
per drill. Leave 25-30cm between drills and rows. You can sow in
pots instead – just be sure to use good compost.

Asparagus: It’s a good time to plant crowns in well-drained soil.

Plants like an open, sunny area but can still develop well in partial
shade. Dig a trench 30cm wide and around 20cm deep before
adding manure or similar matter. Cover with a layer of soil before
creating a ridge and adding the crowns.

Aubergines: Sow in modules and leave to germinate in a spot

between 18 and 21°C. Aubergines need a warm, sunny place to
develop fully.

Beetroot: Using a cane, create a 2cm dip in the soil, planting seeds
10cm apart. Cover with soil and water thoroughly.

Broad beans: An ideal job for the season, sow your broad beans
now for deep roots and a healthy plant. Use root trainers if you can,
planting seeds around 2cm deep before covering with compost.

Cabbage: Certain varieties can be sown out in the open in March.

Sow seeds 1.5cm deep, in rows 15cm apart. Put them into a seedbed
before transplanting into their final position. Be sure to protect them
from pests, as cabbages are particularly susceptible.

Carrot: You can sow carrots now, but be wary in regions where
there is still a chance of frost.

Chillies: Sow 0.5cm deep and 45cm apart, with 60cm between rows.
Chillies need a warm sunny spot and are best-suited to greenhouses
and full sun. Water little and often.

growfruitandveg.co.uk 81

Kale: Sow 1cm deep in seedbeds. Try and plant in their final position
as many varieties of kale prefer not to be transplanted.
Leeks: Plant seeds 1cm deep in rows spaced 15cm apart.
Lettuce: Sow seeds thinly, 13mm deep and in rows with 30cm
between them. Lettuce can be grown throughout the year.
Onions and shallots: Plant onion sets 10cm apart and shallots 25cm.
These are ideal projects for first-time growers. Plant single onion sets
into modules and leave in a bright, cool spot until roots appear at the
bottom of the tray. Plant out in one month.
Parsnips: For best results, sow seeds 1.3cm deep at 15cm intervals, in
rows 30cm apart.
Pea: Create a flat-bottomed trench 5cm deep and sow seedlings 6cm
apart. Warm the soil beforehand and cover seedlings with fleece.
Swiss chard: Sow seeds 1cm deep and 2.5cm apart in a compost-
filled container. Place in a sheltered, sunny spot and water.
Tomatoes: Sow seeds 0.5cm deep in compost-filled pots of modules.
Keep the compost moist and wait seven to 14 days to see seedlings
appear from the soil.
Turnips: Prepare seed drills 1.5cm deep where the turnips will crop.
Sow seeds and wait 14-21 days before your seedlings appear.
PLANT
Apples: Young apple trees should be planted in a sheltered, sunny
spot, avoiding shallow or poorly drained soil. It’s a good time of year
to establish fruit trees and bushes – make sure they’re in a sheltered
spot with plenty of sun. Pears are an exception, best planted in
January and February.
82 growfruitandveg.co.uk
Blackcurrants: These hardy bushes can grow in most conditions
but prefer well-drained soil. A single bush can yield 4-5kg of fruit.
Blueberries: These bushes thrive in soil with a pH of 5.5 or lower.
Use ericaceous compost and grow in containers.
Potatoes: Start to chit your seed potatoes in February. First earlies
should be sown by March, with second earlies and main crop
potatoes by May.
Redcurrants and whitecurrants: Bare-root currant bushes
should be planted in neutral to acidic soil between November and
March. Leave 1.5m spacings between each bush.
Rhubarb: If necessary, cover plants with rhubarb forcing pots
surrounded by a layer of straw.
HARVEST
Cabbage: The perfect accompaniment to a wide variety of meals,
cabbage is a wonderfully versatile leaf. Harvest now.
Kale: Cut side shoots from the main stem using a sharp knife.
These shoots should be ready to pick now as small, tender leaves.
Leeks: It’s time to get the last of your leek crop out of the ground.
Carefully lever them out using a fork. Leeks are perfect for soups
and stews.
Rhubarb: If you’ve forced your rhubarb, it could be ready to
harvest. Perfect for a nice crumble.
Spinach: Spinach is another fantastically versatile leaf, and it’s
time to harvest it now. These dark leaves will be perfect for pasta
dishes, salads and a myriad of kitchen uses.
Spring onions: Look for plants roughly 15cm in height. Spring
onions are best harvested when they are small and tender. These
will add bags of flavour to salads, stir fries and more.
Sprouting broccoli: Use a sharp knife to cut the stems. Do so
when the broccoli heads are formed, but before the plant flowers.
Swiss chard and leaf beet: You might only just be planting your
Swiss chard, but for those ahead of the game it’s time to harvest.
The leaves and shoots are delicious and nutritious.
growfruitandveg.co.uk 83

WELCOME TO
#growwithgyo
wing s are now bu rstin g out of the starting gates, and we
Spring so
e here to celebrate th is m on th of action on the plot!
ar
S
pring is in the air, and we can
finally get started with some of
those key garden sowings we
have been itching to get underway.
Although we will need to proceed
with caution with outdoor sowings,
and perhaps hold off on some things if
you are in a particularly chilly area, it
is truly wonderful to be able to feel the
hope of those first seedlings of spring
and the growing season ahead of us!
84 growfruitandveg.co.uk
#g
You can also get bare root fruit
trees in the ground this month,
but don’t delay, as things will be
bursting into life any moment now,
so this is the final opportunity
before the trees come out of their
dormant period. These new fruit
trees can also have their formative
prune, to help you create a good
open shape and encourage healthy
and productive growth.
wwithg
ro
yo
We haven’t quite reached the
hungry gap, and harvests are still
coming in from winter salads,
cabbage, sprouts, broccoli, and
more, so there are still plenty of
rewards to be had after a busy day
on the plot and in the greenhouse!
We can’t wait to see what you’ve
been doing on the plot this month,
so do get in touch on our social
media platforms and you might see
your pictures on these very pages!
Contact us here!
@GYOmag
@growyourownmag
@growyourmag
 Grow along
What we’d like to see your pics of in these very spots in the
coming months – make sure to get in touch on social media,
using the #growwithgyo hashtag!

harvests gators
Winter salad Planted strawberry runn
ers Windowsill propa

Hand pollinating under

cover strawberries
Pea supports Organic slug controls

Weed management
Forced rhubarb harvests
Seed stores

growfruitandveg.co.uk 85
 Grow your own the
sustainable way ...

◆ No need to feed
◆ 100% Peat-free
◆ British & Organic
◆ Up to 50% less watering
Delivered
01931 713281 to your
garden!
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86 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 Product review

TRIED&
TESTED:
Propagators Value
Durability
This month, Simon Practicality
Akeroyd is testing
Heated self-watering propagator
propagators to get his (Early Grow) £39.95
This 3-bay windowsill propagator is ideal at this time of year as it
sowing season out of enables me to get all my seedlings underway in my small growing
the starting gates space. Not only does it fit perfectly on my windowsill, but it is also
self-watering. The lids are robust as they are made of shatterproof
plastic, meaning I do not need to worry about occasionally knocking
them over when busily tending my seedlings. There is a large

T
his is an important time of year for many of us as we make
a start on getting our seedlings underway. Most of us use 1.4-litre reservoir and capillary matting contained within the tray,
propagators during these winter months to provide extra meaning I don’t need to panic if I’ve forgotten to water the plants.
warmth and protection, and there’s a huge range of different types There is also a built-in heater, keeping the temperature between
available to suit most budgets and horticultural requirements. 16 and 21 degrees. The lids have an adjustable ventilation control,
These include basic, small heat mats to large propagators which allows me to control the air flow and humidity, meaning I can
with fancy lights. At the top of the range, propagators include create the best environment possible for my plants to grow in.
thermostats which enable the temperature to be controlled to
within 1 degree, whereas at the other end of the spectrum there
are compact, heated propagators that simply plug in and will fit on
most people’s windowsill or kitchen table.

Value
Durability
Practicality

Fab Four electric propagator

(Kings Seeds) £24
This is a basic electric propagator, ideal for gardeners just starting
out. It is also suitable for those on a budget, and due to its compact
size (40cm x 24cm), it is useful for those with limited space who are
looking to get their plants started. This propagator doesn’t have a
thermostat but instead raises the ambient temperature for the plants
by about eight degrees. The inbuilt heating element uses a power
consumption of only 10 watts, making it very energy efficient. There
are four individual quarter seed trays, hence the name Fab Four,
which is great for growing a wide variety of different crops. Each
WHERE TO BUY... unit has a lid with adjustable ventilation on the top, preventing the
Early Grow, earlygrow.co.uk plants from over-heating, drying out or developing fungus problems.
Kings Seeds, kingsseeds.com All in all, it is an ideal, compact propagator for gardeners who are
on a budget and short on space.

growfruitandveg.co.uk 87
 Expert9 advice
SERIES 9 OUT NOW! SERIES OUT NOW!

NEVER MISS
AN EPISODE
OF GROW
YOUR OWN’S
PODCAST!
SUBSCRIBE TODAY FOR
FREE – DON’T MISS IT!
Series 9 of The Dirt podcast is out now! With a host
of brand-new guests to chat to, the team celebrate
the highs and lows of growing your own, with some
hilarious stories in-between. There’s also plenty
of discussion about horticultural news stories and
the top tasks for the week on the plot. If you haven’t
caught up with the previous seasons yet, make sure
you have a listen as there are plenty of great guests
and fantastic tips you won’t want to miss!
We embrace every aspect of cultivating fruit and

#1
veg, so whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned
gardener, we’d like to hear from you. Share your
successes and fails, and hacks you’ve learned along
the way, and you could feature on the next series!
debut on the
Search 'The Dirt from Grow Your Own' and Appl e Podcasts
subscribe for free wherever you get your char t on day one
podcasts – remember to rate and review!

SERIES 9 OUT NOW! SERIES 9 OUT NOW! SERIES 9 OUT NOW! SERIES 9 O

88 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 With over 25 years of experience, Filcris is the largest stockist and
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growfruitandveg.co.uk 89
 GARDENING for WELLBEING:
HOW TO GROW
Samphire
Add this deliciously savoury crop to
your list of harvests this year, and try
Ellen’s irresistible recipe!
V
arious colours return to the garden
as the spring bulbs grow taller by
the day and morning birdsong starts
to fill the air with joy – March is just the tonic
we all need after a long winter. Keen to get
outside and enjoy the first of the blue skies
and longer days towards to the end of the
month, seed packets get ripped open, seed
trays begin taking over the windowsills and
the gardening year kicks off again. Springtime
means so much to so many people, showing
how waiting in hope is totally worth it and
that after the harder days, better ones are to
come. The seasons and garden can teach us
so much! Enjoy the fragrances beginning to
waft by from spring flowering plants, plus the
first of the bees sleepily searching for early
90 growfruitandveg.co.uk
nectar. Enjoy every minute you can outside
in the kitchen garden.
About samphire
You may know samphire as a succulent,
branched herb, woody at the base and
found growing on rocks around the
sea in the salt spray. It looks a bit like a
thick, succulent grass growing around
coastal areas. However, you don’t need
a beachside home to grow samphire as
Only use sea salt to mix in
Top the water trays because any
tip! other salt will likely kill the
plant. Try to recreate their natural
environment.
it grows perfectly well in most gardens,
especially in containers. It’s always a
superb talking point for garden visitors
and when served up for dinner with
family and friends. Even Shakespeare
referred to it growing on the white cliffs
of Dover in King Leah. It is named after
Saint Pierre, the patron saint of fishermen,
thought to be because of the original
plants that grow in northern Europe and
coastal marshes. Samphire is pretty easy
to grow with a very distinct salty flavour.
It is nutritionally packed with goodness
from magnesium to calcium, vitamins A, B
and C, plus antioxidants.
How to grow samphire
Growing samphire is very easy, but the
salty flavour comes from the salt spray
and water they naturally grow in, so you
will need to recreate that environment for
the taste. Either purchase a small plant
and place it where you want it to grow
or sow seeds undercover from March
 Expert advice

Lemon and
samphire pasta
Serves: 2
GARDENING
FOR
Samphire is low in calories and
wellbeing can be eaten raw or cooked
by steaming, boiling or frying.
It makes a lovely side
dish or can be added
to salads, noodles and
many different pasta
dishes as well. The stems don’t
need to be cut into chunks and
neither do you need to add salt to the
recipe. Generally, samphire needs
about 5 minutes of cooking time, but Method
this may be longer if the stems are 1 Cook the linguine in a saucepan of
older. This pasta recipe is about as boiling water (al dente preferable).
easy as it comes and the combination 2 While the pasta is cooking, use a
of samphire with lemon has a light, pan to soften the 2 cloves of garlic in
refreshing flavour. olive oil.
3 Add the samphire to the garlic and
Ingredients: fry for another 5 minutes.
125g linguine (or pasta of choice)
4 Strain the pasta and add to the garlic
Dash of olive oil
and samphire.
2 x garlic cloves
GYO Handful of samphire 5 Mix together well and squeeze in

says Half a lemon

Chopped parsley to taste
1 x tbsp hemp seeds (per person)
the lemon.
6 Serve with a topping of chopped
parsley and hemp seeds.

This unique
crop is great to May, covering with a light sprinkle of
for any spot – compost, and keep moist until seedlings
even container are ready to be potted up. I grow mine in
growing! a container with well-drained, sandy soil
(good quality peat-free compost mixed
with some sharp sand or horticultural
grit) and it stands in a tray of pebbles
filled with water and sea salt added (one
teaspoon per pint of water). Grow on a
patio, balcony or windowsill. If you want
to grow it outside in the ground, again
make sure the soil is sandy and the area
is protected over winter. Samphire can be
grown as a perennial, bringing it inside
undercover over winter, or allow it to
flower and self-seed as an annual (the
seeds are practically invisible) outside. If
you do grow it as an annual, don’t harvest
later in the season, allowing the stems to
turn a reddish/brown before they flower
and set seed.

Harvesting
Harvest as and when needed, but if you
need to harvest a lot, limit it to only once
a month. Just snip the green fleshy stems
as you need them. From one small plant, a
handful each month is usually doable, but
larger plants in containers, or if you have
a plant growing in the ground, means
you’ll be snipping a lot more.

growfruitandveg.co.uk 91
 THE
Possibility
OF A GARDEN
Allotment holder James Martin shares his story of
his family plot, and what it does for them

92 growfruitandveg.co.uk

T
his is our family allotment that we
have had for nearly two years now.
Let me introduce myself: my name
is James Martin and my wife is Philippa.
We have four children who love to come
down to our allotment and get stuck in
getting their hands dirty.
I have been an avid gardener for a
little over 10 years now and one of my
greatest passions in life is trying to pass
down my knowledge to my children,
helping them learn how and why we grow
our own fruit and vegetables and trying
to be a little more self-sufficient. Now we
certainly don't grow enough to live off our
own produce, but what we do grow tastes
absolutely amazing and certainly won't
be beaten by any shop-bought vegetables
from the supermarket. We found that we
were buying things and they sometimes
lacked flavour and didn't last that long, so
we wanted to try and find a better option.
My next step was to email our local
council who then put us on a long waiting
list. I would advise that if you're interested
in having one, get your name down
sooner rather than later as we had to wait
nearly four years before we got the call to
say a plot had become available.
No sooner had I finished signing for it,
we were down there, clearing the plot and
making a fence around it and pulling up
huge perennial weeds. The first three
months were quite a slog – endless
hours of hard graft with not much in
return in the way of food. In my head I
had a plan, but things often changed as
the weeks went by. My main aim was
to have our patch of land ready to go
by the spring, and as we took it over in
October, this didn't give us much time
given our busy lives.
Our plot of land was a new
allotment, but this didn't mean the
ground was any good. It was full
of weeds and the old remnants of
allotments gone by. Bits of metal and
plastic were all that was left so we
had a big clearing job on our hands.
We started by fencing two sides of our
double plot as the other two had trees and
hedges. Once it was secure it meant our
border terriers (Ronnie and Radley) could
come down and help as they both love to
dig and get filthy.
The next big job was to sort out a shed
and a water source. We searched high
and low for an off-the-shelf shed, but didn't
find anything substantial enough, so I
opted for one made out of pallets. This is a
brilliant way of recycling and saving a bit
of money. Once completed, I worked out
it cost just under £350, but this certainly
isn't one of those flimsy things – hopefully
it will last a lifetime. The mainframe was
built from euro pallets and then cladded
with tongue and groove boards. This
obviously added to the cost, as did the
roofing and the ironmongery.
After this it was on to the water
problem. I went and bought a 1,000l IBC
tank, foolishly thinking this would be
enough. Looking back over the last crazy
summer, where my polytunnel reached
temperatures of over 50°C, it was obvious
that we’d need more. I have now added to
this and we are up to about 9,000l.
Once the backbone of the allotment
was sorted, it was time to plan out all the
raised beds and source a polytunnel. By
Allotment growing
getting creative you can make planters
out of anything. We did ours from old
pallets and pallet collars which work a
treat and are kind on the bank balance.
We found a polytunnel that was
perfect – it was 6m x 3m which gave us
room to grow our temperate plants in.
Back in June 2022, our youngest
son Oscar was diagnosed with Acute
Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. This certainly
put the brakes on any more plans that we
had. I think the first six months we spent
more time in the hospital than at home
so it was difficult to get up there and sow
seeds and keep on top of the maintenance,
but we did, bit by bit.
I will never forget the first time I took
Oscar back to the allotment – watching
him pick tomatoes and peppers, seeing
his smile was priceless. As time has gone
on, we have been able to do bits, little
and often we have found the easiest,
and slowly but surely, it's now a fully
working plot giving back some tasty and
beautiful produce.
Gardening has been our little escape
from all the trips to and from hospital
and dealing with a new way of life. It has
helped us physically but most importantly
mentally, and for that I will be eternally
grateful that we found it. There are so
many benefits to it, so if you are thinking
of taking the next step with an allotment, I
would highly recommend you do
– we’ve never looked back. If you
would like to follow our journey, we
are over on Instagram @a_life_in_the_
garden and would love to hear from
you if you have ever gone through
a similar experience. Some of our
best advice we could give would
be to talk, don't bottle things up, get
outside and connect with nature.
I think gardening has to be one of
the most powerful things to combat
stress, anxiety and depression and if I
can help at least one person, I will be
extremely happy.
growfruitandveg.co.uk 93
 March’s
ALLOTMENT
INSPIRATIONS
Tips, advice and more from the March plot
Spring jobs
Lauren Lawless is Marketing and PR Co-ordinator for the
National Allotment Society
The plot is starting to wake up as
days slowly lengthen again and the
clocks go forward at the end of the
month. Now is the time to crack on
with getting your allotment ready for
new plantings and to tentatively sow
the first produce of the year.
In warmer districts, many sowings
can be made this month. It may still
be better to delay a month to six
weeks in colder areas. Early direct
sowings of suitable varieties of peas
and broad beans can be made under
cloches in sunny sheltered positions.
Seedbeds should be made ready and
covered with cold frames early in the
month for direct sowings. Where
greenhouses are in use, careful
94 growfruitandveg.co.uk
ventilation must be made on warm
days, just enough to allow excess
moisture and condensation to escape,
as this can easily lead to fungal
problems. Try and keep watering in a
greenhouse to a bare minimum and
not splash over the staging and
flooring, especially in unheated
houses. Keep all young seedlings as
close to the glass as possible to
prevent legginess. Where a heated
greenhouse is available, sow tomatoes,
cucumbers, peppers, melons, and
aubergines.
Additionally, lots of vegetables can
be planted under cloches at this time
of year, such as carrots, spinach and
the earliest potatoes.
Q&As
We’d love to know...
Q Which is your
favourite season in
the garden?
“It has to be late spring – still full of
expectations for the upcoming season.
The autumn-sown and planted stuff is
usually coming along nicely and sowings
are going in.”
@alan_dutton5 on Instagram
“Autumn: the garden aromas, the colours
and that great produce for enjoying, then
as well as to preserve. Love it.”
@philipfriend01 on Twitter
“My favourite season to indoor garden
is between spring and fall. I live in NYC
and yearly I try to grow herbs, tomatoes
and peppers. The heating units by the
window in my apartment suck the life out
of any garden, making it challenging to
grow in the winter season.”
@FoodExplora on Twitter
Did you know?
A serving of kale
contains more
absorbable calcium than
a small carton of milk.
SOURCE: MR FOTHERGILL’S BLOG
 Allotments

Restoration and Cultivation

Nature’s Tools

My grumpy digging companion

The phacelia carpet and digging Purple kale under a frosted net

There are times when subtle forms
of help come indirectly, from the
unlikeliest of allies, even allies that
last summer appeared more as a foe
than a friend. We rarely define
luxuriant foliage or the vagaries of
weather as help.
While the winter darkness gathered
and November temperatures declined,
some progress had been made in
tackling last spring and summer’s
explosive growth of native species:
colourful, architecturally attractive, but
mainly the type we all like to control.
It’s fair to say that the short daylight
hours caught us out for cutting down
weed-clogged areas, or digging the
ground over in preparation for
February and March planting. At least
we had been able to restore one
southerly plot extension, allowing the
broad beans to be removed from their
pots to enjoy a winter space and forge
strong roots as spring warmth settles
on the earth.
However, scything through the
phacelia ready for digging in provided
two unforeseen and subtle forms of
help. The green crop had blanketed out
any weed growth since the first shoots
of August-sown seed had emerged from
the parched summer soil – a big bonus.
And once cut down, the crop formed a
wonderful underfoot carpet, alleviating
masses of boot-clogging mud as the
foliage were dug into the soil.
The arrival of cold weather, hard
overnight frosts and daytime
temperatures barely above freezing
point immediately struck the rampant
remnants of strangling summer growth,
rigidly freezing it in nature’s icy grip.
Visually beautiful, winter became an
unexpected ally as the old foliage
collapsed down to a manageable
ground-level thatch.
The harvest from our original
plot had provided us with a good
supply of leeks, carrots, kale and
Brussels sprouts. Now, as March folds
back the cold cloak of winter, we are
able to balance our own restoration
and cultivation activities with those
subtle touches which nature sometimes
provides, unexpectedly and
unconditionally.
Nigel’s
Photography Tip
SHUTTER SPEED
Like many aspects of photography,
photographic terms need to be
considered carefully. Shutter speed is
actually a constant, but the constant is
the speed of the shutter curtains which
allow light, momentarily, to hit the film or
sensor. Wherever the shutter speed dial
is set, the shutter curtains travel to open
and close at exactly the same speed,
whether at 1/30 of a second or 1/2000.
The term ‘shutter speed’ actually means
the predetermined time to which the
film or camera sensor is exposed to
light. And as will be outlined in the next
photo tip, the sensitivity of a film or
sensor, the shutter speed and aperture –
f/stop – are the interrelated trinity that
define major aspects that provide well
evenly-exposed photographic images.

Nigel Housden is a professional photographer and

photojournalist, with a deep interest in conservation, natural
history, travel by bicycle and sustainable living. He is
extensively published with an extensive client portfolio which,
over the last twenty-five years, has included the BBC, Sky
News, UK news media and major publishing houses globally.

growfruitandveg.co.uk 95
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Mouth-watering
RECIPES FOR
MARCH Make the most of seasonal produce with the help
of these irresistible dishes that are sure to
please your friends and family
Alice Liveing’s Potato,
Spring Onion and
Feta Frittata
A superbly simple one-pan recipe,
Alice Liveing’s delightful frittata
offers a healthy yet hearty meal that
the whole family can enjoy!
Serves 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
250g cooked new potatoes, sliced
4 Clarence Court Burford Brown eggs
1 handful of dill
4 spring onions, finely sliced
100g feta, crumbled
Olive oil
Method:
1 In a small non-stick frying pan, heat oil
over a medium heat. Add potatoes, then
fry until beginning to crisp; this should take
around 8 mins. In a bowl, whisk together
Seasonal recipes
the eggs, spring onions, dill and some
seasoning. At this point, turn on your grill.
2 Tip the eggs into a frying pan, mix
quickly, lower the heat, then sprinkle
over the crumbled feta.
3 After about 8 mins, once the top side
has almost set, pop under the grill for
2-3 mins or until firm and golden. Slide out
of the pan and serve!
Recipe and image provided by
Clarence Court. For more recipes go to
clarencecourt.co.uk
growfruitandveg.co.uk 97
Roasted Cauliflower Curry
This is the easiest vegan curry ever,
which makes it perfect for a comforting
weeknight supper. Packed with veg and
gently spiced, it’s sure to become a new
family favourite.
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 large cauliflower
3 tbsps olive oil
2 tsps cumin
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 heaped tbsps curry powder (any heat
you like)
98 growfruitandveg.co.uk
2 tbsps tomato puree
125ml vegetable stock
400ml can coconut milk
1 tbsp sugar
2 large handfuls spinach
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve: rice, sliced red onion, toasted
cashew nuts and fresh coriander
Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas
mark 6. Cut the cauliflower into florets and
its leaves into thirds. Place onto a baking tray
and drizzle with 2 tbsps of the oil, cumin and
a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Give
everything a mix then roast in the oven for 25
minutes, until soft and starting to char.
2 Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the
remaining oil over a medium heat in a
large pan. Once hot, add the onion and fry
for 8-10 minutes, or until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and curry powder, stir well
and fry for a further minute or so, until the
spices release their fragrance.
3 Add the tomato puree, vegetable
stock, coconut milk and sugar into
the pan. Season generously with salt and
black pepper, then bring the sauce to a
simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring
occasionally, until slightly reduced.
4 Add the roasted cauliflower and spinach
into the pan. Stir well and continue to
simmer for a further 2-3 minutes, until the
spinach has wilted. Taste and adjust the
seasoning if required.
5 Serve the curry with rice and topped
with thinly sliced red onion, fresh
coriander and toasted cashew nuts.
 Seasonal recipes
Rhubarb crumble muffins
A classic pudding in muffin form, this is a great crowd
pleaser that’s absolutely packed with flavour. Give
them a try – you won’t regret it!

Serves 12
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 1 tsp lemon juice

250g plain flour plus extra
for dusting
150g caster sugar
2 tsps baking powder
Pinch of salt
250ml milk
75g yoghurt
60ml flavourless oil plus
extra for greasing
2 tsps vanilla extract
200g fresh rhubarb
chopped into 1cm pieces
For the crumble topping:
45g plain flour
1.5 tbsp vegan butter
40g brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas mark 6 and

grease and flour the 12 holes of a muffin tin.

2 Start by making the crumble topping. Combine the

plain flour, vegan butter, brown sugar and ground
ginger in a bowl. Use your fingers to rub the mixture
together, until you have what resembles rough breadcrumbs.
Set aside for later use.

3 Combine the plain flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in

a mixing bowl. In another bowl or jug, whisk together the
milk, yoghurt, oil, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Pour the wet
ingredients into the dry and fold gently until just combined,
being careful not to over-mix. Stir through the rhubarb.

4 Divide the mixture between the 12 muffin holes. Top each

one with a generous sprinkle of the crumble topping, then
bake for 18-22 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out
clean. Allow to cool fully before tucking in.

Visit the website

Recipes and images
provided by
Georgie Eats. Go to
georgieeats.co.uk

growfruitandveg.co.uk 99
 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE

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100 growfruitandveg.co.uk
 COMING NEXT

Month Mark Lane’s garden design

Mark is cracking on with his brand-new garden – take a look to see
what plants and crops he’ll be adding to his space next month!
April issue on sale
February 23rd

Top jobs from Garden Organic

Complete some of your seasonal plot tasks using some fantastic
organic methods, with the help of Garden Organic experts

How to grow Romanesco Kim Stoddart’s peat-free guide

Anne explains how to get the very best from this stunning veg, Make the change and go peat-free with Kim’s top tips and
as well as other cauliflower varieties product recommendations

PLUS
WIN! Plenty of chances to win amazing prizes
NEWS! Big stories from the world of gardening
DISCUSSION! Top experts answer your questions

growfruitandveg.co.uk 101
VE £££s SAVE £££s SAVE £££s SAVE £££s SAVE £££s SAVE £££s SAVE £££s SAVE SAVE £££s S

FEBRUARY’S
MARCH’S Turn to page
105 or visit

Reader Offers
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102 growfruitandveg.co.uk

CULTIVATION
STREET
If you’re a school or community garden with
an inspiring story, take a look at how to get involved
with Cultivation Street this year
A
fter a huge 10th year of Cultivation
Street in 2022, the largest national
community garden campaign is
back for the 11th year. For the third year,
the campaign is sponsored by Miracle
Gro®, helping to encourage schools and
communities across the UK to share their
stories and get gardening. Over the years,
more than £180,000 worth of prizes have
been awarded to deserving community and
school gardens, and this year there are cash
prizes and Miracle Gro® hampers up for
grabs once again.
The competition launches on 1st March
2023, with a range of categories to get
involved in, including a sponsored category
where Miracle Gro® are giving away bags
of peat-free all-purpose compost and asking
schools and communities to GRO YOUR BEST.
The only requirement to enter is that you
are a community or school garden. If this is
you, here’s what you can be in with a chance
of winning if you let us know about your
gardening journey.
School Gardens
This category rewards school gardens that
enrich the educational environment for
children. 1st prize – £1000; 2nd prize – £500;
3rd prize – £250; two highly commended
prizes of a Miracle Gro® hamper each.
growfruitandveg.co.uk
Pest solutions
Community Gardens
This category rewards gardening
projects bursting with community spirit.
1st prize – £1000; 2nd prize – £500; 3rd
prize – £250; two highly commended
prizes of a Miracle Gro® hamper each.
Gardens for Better Health
This category rewards gardens that
have a positive impact on the mental or
physical health of the local community.
1st prize – £1000; 2nd prize – £500; 3rd
prize – £250; Two highly commended
prizes of a Miracle Gro® hamper each.
Gro’ Your Best
This category rewards the most
creative display created using Miracle-
Gro’s free bag of peat-free compost.
The winner of the Judges’ Choice will
receive a Miracle Gro® hamper, and
the winner of the Public Vote will
win £200.
Garden Centre of the Year
This category shines a light on the
garden centres who encourage better
gardening for all in their community.
We also have £1000 worth of prizes for
garden centres who excel in supporting
their local community and schools.
growfruitandveg.co.uk 103
85
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Gardener’s Market Classifieds

We offer an extensive Looking for quality and service

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• MARFORD HEXAGONAL PLANTER SET

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Elizabeth Fordham, be disqualified. Prizes must be taken as stated and cannot be deferred. The decision of the judge is final
Grow Your Own, 21-23 and no correspondence will be entered into. CLOSING DATE: Thursday 9th March 2023. Winners will be
notified by post, a list of winners will be available in writing on request from Liz Fordham, 21/23 Phoenix
Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road,
Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8JY.
Colchester, CO2 8JY
GROWING WORLD-RECORD
VEGETABLES
with Lee Herrington
Bronte Heritage Collection Ambassador
Lee Herrington reveals his secrets to
giant vegetable success
How long have you been growing
giant vegetables for?
I’ve been growing giant vegetables
competitively since 2015. This year I
achieved two world records: one for
the longest runner bean and one for the
heaviest runner bean. It’s taken me seven
years to achieve this.
How did you get into producing
giant veg?
Back in 2014 I attended the Malvern
Autumn show for the first time. Although
I had an allotment, I had never grown
vegetables competitively to show. I
remember going into these big marquees
where quality veg was being displayed
and being in absolute awe at what
growers there had produced – it was
absolute perfection. I had never seen
anything like it.
As I moved around the showground I
came across the Giant Veg Marquee. As
I entered it and gazed upon what was on
display, I knew I’d somehow have to get
involved. It was like I’d stepped into my
own version of a fairy-tale! Everything in
there was super-sized! Onions the size of
footballs, marrows the size of crocodiles
– that was it! I was sold. I had to somehow
get seeds to grow these giants.
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106 growfruitandveg.co.uk
Do you garden differently when
growing for show compared to
growing for eating?
Absolutely. A lot of the giant varieties
require a long growing season. It’s not
true in all cases but many are started
off under lights as early as December,
then transferred to my greenhouse or
polytunnel to be planted out around
May-time when the risk of hard frosts has
gone. By the time some plants are ready
to be set down into their final planting
holes they can be in pots ranging
from three to 10 litres in size, bursting
with roots.
For me, re-selection is a key factor
at this stage. As an example, I could
have started off the season by sowing 24
giant cabbage seeds, however it would
always have been with a mind set to only
take through the six strongest and most
vigorous plants to the final stage.
As the season progresses, I concentrate
on disease prevention, pruning, pest
control, weeding and feeding.
What gardening practices or
products helped you grow the record-
holding bean?
Along with the genetics, setting the seed
late, I believe, was key to my success.
We had a ridiculously hot summer this
year which was causing problems for
many growers when trying to set their
runner beans for shows. Once the beans
had set, I fed them with a combination of
Brontë Seaweed Plant Food and Brontë
Organic Multi-Purpose Plant Food.
What top tips would you pass
onto readers who are looking to
grow huge, record-holding veg
themselves?
Attend the shows! You’ll get to meet
some of the top growers in the country.
These lovely people quite often produce
their own seed which they’ll happily
either sell to you at a reasonable price
or even give you for free. I can’t stress
enough the importance of good genetics.
Without them, you’re never going to be
able to produce the big stuff.
Don’t expect huge results straight
away. Growing giant veg is a learning
curve. My ultimate aim every year is to
beat my personal best.
Finally, don’t get frustrated with it all.
It should be fun! I still have a lot more
heartache and failure than success. One
of the most over used phrases on our
plot is “There’s always next year…”
But it’s true, isn’t it?
 Give your seeds and cuttings a head start

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