The hedge sparrow that built a nest in the sprouting broccoli has hatched some chicks. In spite of picking the sprouting broccoli every day, the hedge sparrow sat tight and in a couple of weeks five chicks hatched out.

The parents are getting busier and busier feeding the chicks as they grow, and their appetites increase.

The broccoli was ready to harvest in February. It was a welcome change from brussel sprouts which had been providing greens throughout the winter.

The nest is now a problem as it is delaying the soil preparation for the courgettes!

Bird Table News has information on nesting birds.
The GreatBigVegetableChallenge has 4 great broccoli recipes.

The TopVeg hedge sparrow, which hatched chicks in broccoli, is quite special.

It is important to protect vegetables from the cold which is predicted for the next few nights. Frost is forecast, and it looks as though we will have some seriously cold temperatures over the next few nights.
Young seedlings are tender, and vulnerable to the frost. At worst, they will be killed. Otherwise the frost will damage their cells, slow down their growth, and reduce their potential. Frosted vegetable plants will not yield so much. Read More »

Controlling weeds in the vegetable garden is important at this time of the year when all plants are growing quickly.

Click the links below for more TopVeg weed help:

• how to tell weeds from seeds

• the need to attack weeds when they are very small

Five minutes with a hoe as you inspect the vegetables each evening has a significant effect.

Click the image below to discover more about this RHS book ‘Vegetables in Small Gardens’.

A little and often approach is the easiest way to control weeds in the vegetable garden at this time of the year when all plants are growing quickly.

weeds

A list of essential garden tools will vary according to the garden site, soil type and preferred activities of the gardener!

The basic list of tools for the vegetable gardener should include:

• fork - with four sharp tines, for digging

• spade
• rake

• hoe

• trowel
• wheel barrow
• cart - to help carry large amounts of trash to the compost heap, & to carry tools (an old pram is ideal!)
• watering can

• protective clothing & sunscreen - hat and gloves

These nine essential garden tools will keep the vegetable gardener in good stead.

tools

Who is responsible for pollinating courgette and marrow flowers?

Old wives discuss transferring pollen with feathers or cotton buds to carry out pollination. But this is not necessary - the bees and other insects will pollinate courgette flowers much more efficiently than humans.

Click this link for information on how to grow courgettes.

To allow the bees and insects do their job of pollinating the female flowers, the gardener should lure the insects into the garden by making it attractive for them. Growing colourful flowers in the vegetable garden will draw bees in and encourage pollination. It is useful to keep several pots of annual flower plants in the veg garden and the green house as the insects will be attracted to them and more insects means more pollination.

Then it will be the bees and other insects who pollinate the courgette flowers!

courgette

The website www.peas.org has delicious recipes and supper ideas with peas.

Click this link to order the Yes Peas! FREE Recipe Booklet. Six new recipes were developed last year.

Here are 15 tips for grow your own (GYO) vegetables in an hour a week.

An hour a week is not much to pay for a garden full of vegetables ready to be picked as required!

To make the most of an hour of gardening, & to give maximum return on effort, the hour has to be spent efficiently, which means:

• planning &
• the right style of gardening Read More »
  vegetable garden

Why are potatoes ridged up with earth?

• Earthing up potatoes stops the light getting to the growing tubers. If potatoes catch light, they turn green and they should not be eaten.

• Earthing up potatoes into a ridge improves the yield of potatoes. Read More »
  new potatoes plant potatoes

How long should earthing up potatoes continue?

If the potato row is 30 inches wide, the ridge is usually about 6 inches above soil level. Any higher and the soil runs down as there is a natural angle of repose.

Read More »

plant potatoes

Many gardeners germinate vegetable seeds indoors so that when it is time to plant vegetables outdoors they already have a head start on their garden. There is nothing complicated about planting seeds indoors. These nine tips show how simple it is. Read More »

plant seed vegetable garden