leeks-in-autumn

Maybe we should make an effort to think out of the box! The gardening we have grown up with, and practised year after year, might benefit from a shake-up. 

Hanging baskets may seem a bit suburban but are a way of contributing to our Grow Your Own supplies and add another dimension to the pleasure of gardening. 

• As well as tumbling tomatoes or strawberries which are often grown in hanging baskets, why not try herbs or peas?
• A basket of herbs looks and smells beautiful. It would be useful hanging just outside the kitchen window. Marjoram will hang down over the edge, and Chives tend to drape a little too. Various Mints would fill in the centre with Borage providing height. 

chive-flower

• A basket of peas, filled with sugar snap or mange tout would make an interesting spectacle. Asparagus peas have a frilly pod which is eaten whole. The pods need to be picked when they are about an inch long before they get stringy, so they are not particularly productive. But they are useful as a garnish. The dark red flowers stand out against the green foliage.

frilled-asparagus-pea-pod

Raised beds may be the talk of the modern gardener, but they could make gardening easier and improve the productivity of traditional vegetable gardens.

• Raised beds have the obvious advantage of being lifted up off the ground so the gardener does not have to bend so far to reach the soil.

broccoli in-raised-beds

• Plant growth is improved because the un-compacted soil allows good drainage and free root development.
• The gardener has control over what soil goes into the raised bed.
• The soil warms up quicker than that in the garden.
• Plants can be grown closer together in a raised bed so the productivity per square foot is increased.
• Pests and diseases are fewer. Carrot fly is not such a problem because it is a low flier and rarely reaches above 1 foot (25cm). Slug control is easier because they have to climb up the walls to get into the raised bed. It is relatively easy to deter them from the climb, by laying gravel around the outside of the bed, and putting discouraging strips on the outside walls of the bed.

raised-bed

So, as the nights draw in, and new catalogues arrive, think about different ways of vegetable gardening, as well as what varieties to grow next year.

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Hi Topveg, What can I plant in a raised bed after potatoes that I can plant in February? Thanks Sara from farmingfriends

TopVeg replied:

Hi Sara, thanks for your question.  There are several aspects to consider:

• anything can be planted after potatoes except tomatoes, eggplants, chillies or peppers
• only a limited selection of seeds can be sown outside in February, although the raised bed will be slightly warmer than the ground
• have you covered your raised bed to keep the rain off?  If not the soil will probably be too wet.  I would cover it now, but take the cover off on dry days to allow it to dry off – but cover it again at night, in case it rains or snows
• the list of seeds for sowing outside in February is:

• Beetroot
• Peas
• Broad Beans
• Cabbage
• Calabrese
• Brussels Sprouts
• Carrots
• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Parsnips

We prefer to grow smaller, fast growing vegetables (like lettuce & beetroot) in our raised beds to get more production per square meter!   Carrot seed also does well in raised beds as they are out of carrot flies range!

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Alison's raised bed

Advantages of Raised Beds:

• drain well
• warm sooner
• earlier crops
• provide ideal soil for vegetables to grow
• easy to maintain
• few pests
• less weeds
• higher yields
• better for bad backs

Click this link to buy  a kit for raised beds

Gill's raised bed

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Mini veg are produced in several ways:

• plants which naturally produce tiny fruit like cherry tomatoes

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:

• baby sweetcorn – minor
• beetroot – pablo
• broad beans – stereo

• broccoli – kabuki
• cabbage – shelta

• carrots – Mokum
• cauliflower – avalanche
• chard – duo

• courgette – black forest
• cucumber – fanfare
• leeks – lancelot

• lettuce – mini green
• pepper – mohawk
• radish – rougette
• runner beans – summer medley Hestia
• salad leaves
• spinach – galaxy
• tomatoes - Vilma
• turnip – primera

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.

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This carrot prefers:

• well-drained
• moist
• rich
• cool conditions.

yellow-carrots

The carrots were:

• sown at 4 weekly intervals
• in May and June
• harvested since July
• also pulled on Christmas Day, as shown in the photo

Carrot variety: Créme de Lite is:

• delicious
• creamy skinned
• with long tapering roots

• juicy & sweet
• good cooked, remaining firm
• full of nutrients and vitamins, including vitamins C, E, K and folate as well as lutein, an antioxidant

carrots-for-Christmas

Click the link to buy some  Carrot Créme de Lite seed.

The Carrot variety: Créme de Lite F1 Hybrid is an exceptional carrot, well worth growing.  What carrot varieties have you grown?

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