Courgette ‘Black Forest’ is a climbing Zucchini; an F1 Hybrid, latin name Cucurbita pepo.
This climbing Courgette is an ideal variety for growing in containers on the patio. As it grows upwards it saves space and is more ‘controlable’.
The long stems are tied onto a trellis or netting to help them grow upwards.
courgette black forest
Courgette Black Forest:
- produces heavy yields
- dark green, smooth, cylindrical 15cm (6”) courgettes
- height: 120cm (48″)
- spread: 60cm (24″)
- sow in April, May or June
- flowers June – August
- likes full sun
Click this link to buy some seed of the climbing Zucchini Courgette Black Forest.
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Aluminium is an ideal material for planters as it does not rust and needs no painting or treatments. Aluminium is a very light metal so is the perfect metal for window boxes which are fixed to the wall.
mounted aluminium planter
The boat shaped planter in the photos is made by Matthew of Aluminium Art.
flowers in aluminium planter
The planters would make an ideal herb trough, similar to the one below which is growing mint, chives, thyme, oregano and borage.
herb-trough
The planters come with ready made drainage holes, so just need filling with compost before planting out.
There is great potential for growing fruit and veg, too. Strawberries grow well in containers, and tumbling tomatoes look spectacular. Click this link for more ideas for which veg to grow in containers.
Matthew builds each aluminium planter himself from scratch so is able to alter the size to suit. Free-standing aluminium planters look stunning and make an excellent present for a gardener. Traditional 10th wedding anniversary gifts have a theme of aluminium, so the planter would be most appropriate.
For more information click Aluminium Art; the aluminium planters make a welcome present which needs no aftercare!
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The recently launched potato variety Accord is a first early.
Accord potatoes are:
- first early
- disease resistant – Double eelworm resistant
- high yielding
- creamy fleshed
- very tasty
- easy to grow
- ideal for containers, patio planters, a sunny balcony or roof terrace
Click this link to order some Accord seed potatoes, which are a first early variety.
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The strawberry variety Flamenco is ideal for gardeners who are short of space, or use containers, as it produces lots of sweet, juicy strawberries over a long period.
Strawberry-present
Strawberry Flamenco
- fruits June to November – but peak harvest is September
- extend growing season with polytunnel
- ideal for containers on patio
Click this link to buy some Strawberry Flamenco plants, which can be planted out in the vegetable garden or grown in pots & containers on the patio.
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Baby or mini vegetables are what the modern household requires – small, but perfectly formed vegetables.
Mini veg are produced in several ways:
CherryTomatoes
- harvesting vegetables when young – such as carrots
first-carrots
- planting seed close together – such as Leek King Richard, which can be direct sown closer together, without the need to transplant for mini leeks
leek-plants-trimmed
- special mini cultivars produce baby fruit from compact plants
examples include:
Gone are the days when a cabbage or cauliflower lasts a family a week – sections of the head being cut off and cooked each day. Now a baby or mini veg will provide a mature cabbage or cauliflower which is small enough to be eaten by one or two people in one sitting. If the household is larger, the baby mini veg provide the opportunity to present a selection of fresh vegetables, by using several different mini veg for one meal.
Gone are the days when a cabbage or cauliflower lasts a week – with sections being cut off and cooked each day. Now these vegetables have varieties which will mature quickly and produce a very small specimen, just large enough for one or two people to eat in one meal. Or, their compact size means that they can be mixed with other mini veg to provide a selection of fresh veg for one meal.
Baby or mini vegetables are becoming very popular and there are good reasons for growing them:
- space saving ideal for window box, containers,patios or raised bed
- easily grown – vigorous & quick growing
- fast to mature – encouraging to harvest within a few weeks!
- great introduction to vegetable growing – easy to see results
- grow closer together – more production & less weeds
- provide regular supply – sow little & often every 3 weeks
- early harvesting – mini veg mature early so extending the season
- provide small portions – ideal for contributing to a selection of veg or for small households
- appeal to children – because small & perfectly formed! Good for kids to grow and eat
- pests & diseases reduced – most mini veg grow quickly and have a short growing season
pulled-carrots
The list of baby mini vegetables is growing every year as new mini cultivars are developed. Some examples are:
Have you tried any varieties of mini veg that we could add to this list?
This book from Amazon discusses growing vegetables in pots:
There are many good reasons to grow a few baby mini veg this year.
A lot of people want to grow potatoes, but think it is impossible because they have not got a big garden, can plant the potatoes in containers.
Thompson & Morgan have an easy solution with their patio planters collection.
patio planters
The green, woven-plastic container will fit on a porch, verandah, or patio. The container is big enough to grow 4 or 5 seed potatoes, and can be used over and over again. So it would be exciting to plant a second crop when the first ones have been harvested, to give some new potatoes at Christmas.
Click on this link to buy patio planters if you would like to grow potatoes in containers.
The oriental salad mix is growing well and providing a continuous crop of winter salad.
oriental-mix-Dec12th
The oriental salad seeds were sown directly into the soil in the greenhouse in September.
The leaves are big enough to be harvested with scissors after about 8-10 weeks. After cutting, more leaves grow, providing a constant supply of winter salad leaves.
oriental-salad-mix
The mix includes leaf Mustards, Golden Streaked and Red, Komatsuna, Mizuna and Sky Rocket. The different shapes, colours and textures of the leaves makes an interesting salad. Some of the leaves have a peppery taste adding a sharp tang.
Click this link to buy a packet of oriental salad mix. It is surprising how much winter salad this oriental mix has produced and it is still growing well in mid December.
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tomato-patio-planter
This tomato patio planter will hold quite a collection of tomatoes, providing delicious salads as well as a charming feature on the patio.
Teamed up with tomato seeds and tomato fertiliser, the tomato patio planter makes a great gift for the gardener or a welcome Christmas present.
Click this link to buy the tomato patio planter, with seeds and fertiliser for £28.99.
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Gloria Bonde grows beautiful scarlet runner beans every year in a window box with a curved trellis rustically made of dogwood twigs that curves over the window box window.
Gloria says “They are so easy to grow. They have a beautiful red bloom.”
runner-beans-in-flower
Beans are so attractive and both flowers & beans come in many shapes & sizes . The new midwinter broad bean has beautiful flowers in shades of pink & red and seeds that are red, or that turn purple at maturity.
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