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Most of us can risk some sowings this month – if not outside then in a propagator indoors. But perhaps even more exciting are the slowly improving conditions – an end to the short, gloomy days of winter and more chances to get your hands into the soil. In this issue we have three pages of practical top tips from Joyce Russell to help you get the best from your early sowings, while Ben Vanheems looks at ways to make your gardening pound go further during your next trip to the garden centre. There is advice on growing outdoor tomatoes and the best varieties to beat the blight from Simon Crawford, a pioneering tomato breeder, while for carrot lovers, KG regular Rob Smith looks at ways to beat the dreaded carrot fly. Contestant in the BBC’s Big Allotment Challenge, Rekha Mistry, starts a new feature in which she brings us her gardening diary, and for the fruit growers among you we have advice on coaxing bumper crops from your trees this year. Steve Ott, editor Contact me at: sott@mortons.co.uk | 01507 529396 Find us at www.kitchengarden.co.uk Contact subscriptions: 01507 529529
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6 ON THE VEG PATCH
KitchenGardenUK KitchenGardenMag
Joyce Russell’s top March jobs include planting onion sets and potatoes, sowing and buying in pollinating plants and strawberries
10 IN THE GREENHOUSE
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Yorkshire-based gardener Martin Fish pots citrus, harvests curly kale, pricks out tender crops and sows seeds in the border
12 WHAT’S NEW?
14 YOUR LETTERS AND TIPS
13 DIARY DATES FOR MARCH
18 DISCOVER YOUR NEW KG SUBSCRIBERS’ CLUB
The latest news, comment and advice from the world of kitchen gardening
45 NEVER MISS AN ISSUE...
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Learn what other KG readers have been up to and pick up some great first-hand advice
Discover the great features, money-saving offers and competitions we have lined up for KG subscribers in March
20 KG PROBLEM SOLVER
This month our experts solve readers’ garden problems and there’s advice on gooseberries and currants from RHS expert Guy Barter
64 NEXT MONTH
ON PAGE 24 HAVING TROUBLE FINDING A COPY OF THIS MAGAZINE? Just Ask your local newsagent to reserve you a copy each month
4 | MARCH 2019
Some of the highlights to be found in your April 2019 issue plus news of great free gifts
110 LAST WORD ✪
Cooking legend and author Prue Leith explains why growing her own fresh produce has always been an important part of her life www.kitchengarden.co.uk
MARCH 2019
82 GET GROWING 16 ON THE PLOT WITH THE THREE MUDKETEERS
This month the KG team are sowing leeks, mulching fruit trees and discovering some great bird feeding products
22 GROWING ONLINE
Our pick of gardening social media and websites
26 NEVER MIND THE HEAT, SAVOUR THE FLAVOUR ✪
106
Some more great home-grown meals from our resident chef Anna Cairns Pettigrew, this month featuring cabbage, cauliflower and perpetual spinach
66 GROWING ON THE WEB
This month we travel to Northern Ireland to meet a blogger who says he is addicted to growing his own
32 TINY PLOT WITH BIG IDEAS
74 FRUIT TREE PROPAGATION PART 2
Organic gardening expert and cook Stephanie Hafferty reveals her recipes for herb sugars and salts
40 CURSE OF THE CARROT FLY ✪ Allotment gardener Rob Smith looks at the many simple ways of protecting your crop from carrot fly
45 DUCKS ON THE PLOT ✪
Poultry keeper Katy Runacres offers insight into the pros and cons of keeping ducks
51 SAVE WHILE YOU GROW ✪
KG regular Ben Vanheems hates to waste money and has some great cash-saving tips to share
56 FUTURE-PROOF YOUR FRUIT TREES ✪
Gardening expert Sally Cunningham explains how to help fruit trees cope with warmer winters www.kitchengarden.co.uk
Pg 106
KG staff writer Tony Flanagan brings you his growing guide to greenhouse cucumbers
70 LET THE SOWING BEGIN ✪
36 STORE CUPBOARD INSPIRATION ✪
74
60 VEG OF THE MONTH ✪
Our roving reporter Martin Fish travels to Nottinghamshire to meet a father and son team who are just crazy about chillies
The runner-up in our Passionate Plotter competition 2018, Dennis Kennedy, takes us on a tour of his Devonshire plot
Scan this, and we’ll tell you!
Gardening writer Joyce Russell offers her top tips on getting the best from your sowings
Professional fruit grower David Patch encourages you to try your hand at the art of grafting
78 THE CULTIVATED PLOT
March madness ensues as gardening writer and photographer Graham Strong finishes soil preparation and begins sowing
82 REKHA’S GARDEN AND KITCHEN DIARY (NEW SERIES)
In her first KG article Rekha, former contestant on BBC’s The Big Allotment Challenge, takes us through her gardening month
84 PARSLEY PLUS ✪
Gardening writer Gaby Bartai just loves Hamburg parsley and encourages us all to give this much-neglected crop a try
88 THE GREAT OUTDOORS ✪
Leading tomato breeder Simon Crawford of Burpee seeds brings us his growing guide to blight-free outdoor tomatoes
92 HERB OF THE MONTH
This month, a KG pocket guide to growing coriander
WHAT TO BUY 94 POTATO PLANTERS TRIED AND TESTED
The team put a range of planters through their paces
98 GREAT READER OFFERS – SAVE OVER £18 ✪ Claim your free* chilli plant collection worth £11.95, plus great savings on rhubarb and blackberries (*Just pay p&p)
102 GREAT GIVEAWAYS WORTH OVER £2165 ✪
This month you could win topsoil, planters, crop protection products and show tickets
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News of some great new products and services and a chance for KG subscribers to save pounds MARCH 2019 | 5
GET GROWING
TASKS FOR YOUR VEGETABLE PATCH IN MARCH BY JOYCE RUSSELL Photos by Ben Russell
KEEP PLANTS FROST-FREE
Cover new planted onion and potato beds. The former are more likely to bolt if they are frosted when small and potato leaves can be killed by frost if they emerge in cold weather. Weight down edges of the covering material so it doesn’t blow away.
EDGE BEDS
Trim grass edges so growth doesn’t reach into the soil of the bed. This tidies up the look of the garden and helps to define the beds. Tackle one bed at a time and spread the task over a few days if you have a large vegetable plot.
MANAGE POTTING BENCHES
Keep benches clear and remove debris after each potting and sowing session. You can collect any spilled compost in a bucket and use this when potting plants into larger containers.
GET ORGANISED
Sort seed packets in their order of sowing for the month. You won’t forget anything this way and everything can be started off at the best moment. Do the same for April too – it helps to be organised for these busy sowing months.
6 | OCTOBER 2018
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JOBS FOR THE MONTH XXX
PLANT ONION SETS STEP 1: Small sets are the easiest way to grow onions. These part-formed bulbs should be disease-free and all ready to grow when planted. White varieties often grow larger bulbs than red ones. Choose sets that are firm and haven’t started to sprout – plants from large sets are more likely to bolt and tiny ones take too long to get growing. Discard any that show signs of mould.
STEP 2: Dig compost or well-rotted manure into the bed and firm the soil before planting. You can tread on the bed provided soil isn’t wet and sticky. Rake some wood ash or powdered seaweed into the surface, to provide potash. Add a scatter of lime to acid soils and then either plant direct or through holes cut in a mulch of weighted down black plastic. Soil must be kept moist underneath.
STEP 3: Cover the bed with netting to stop birds from pulling the sets out of the ground. Perhaps they think the shrivelled brown tops are worms, but whatever the reason, they stop pulling sets out once green shoots have grown. Remove the netting before shoots grow through the mesh and take care not to damage plants in the process.
SOWING & GROWING
SOW NOW
A lot of seeds can be sown in March, but keep a good eye on the weather. We were buried in snow and blasted by cold winds last year and it’s usually worth waiting for better conditions. Seedlings do best if they make strong steady growth and don’t have to battle against extremes of temperature. If it’s too cold outside, then wait before sowing into outdoor beds or start seeds in pots. These can go into a cold frame or even under large plastic tubs on a sheltered outdoor table. Choose seeds that don’t need added heat and be prepared to look after small plants until weather allows you to plant them out.
Beetroot, leeks, celeriac, Brussels sprouts, peas and mange-tout, broad beans, lettuce, parsnips, salad leaves, spinach, courgette, cucumber, summer cabbage, cauliflower, turnip and swede – in pots or under cloches if the month is cold.
PLANT NOW
THINK FLOWERS! Most vegetable plots give best results if they are near a flower garden. This is because the blooms attract insects, which help to make sure that your fruit and vegetables are pollinated successfully. Early broad bean flowers can be slow to set pods unless there are a few bees buzzing around and if you
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want to save seed from flowering brassicas, then it helps to have insects to carry pollen between flowers of the same variety. Buy in a few trays of annuals at this time of year and these can grow in containers if you don’t have a flower garden. Position the containers near to rows of crops as needed.
Onion sets, shallots, garlic cloves, early potatoes, peas and beans raised in pots earlier in the year.
HARVEST
Kale, sprouting broccoli, winter and spring cabbage, celeriac, cauliflower, Swiss chard, winter lettuce, salad leaves, swede, turnip MARCH 2019 | 7
GET GROWING
BOLTING GREENS ■ Sow a row of peas and a row of broad beans directly into the ground. Sow a few extra seeds in pots – these can be used to fill any gaps in rows when the seedlings pop up. ■ Start to mulch between rows of established plants. The first mow of the year should produce plenty of clippings for mulch material. Don’t mulch frozen ground or with grass that contains viable seeds.
Plants that have stood through the winter will try to flower and set seed before too long. They often produce a flush of fresh leaves or shoots first, so keep picking these for as long as you can. Once flowering starts you have lost the harvesting battle. Leaves may taste stronger and stems are tough at this point. It’s best to clear the bed and get some new sowings into the ground.
PEA SUPPORTS Young plants need strong supports that are tall enough to support climbing plants. Check the seed packet for how tall plants may grow and add on another 30cm (12in) to be sure – plants can grow taller in moist fertile soil. Peas have tendrils that twist around narrow wires, twigs, strings or netting and they hold themselves upright in this way. Make sure the support is anchored firmly and won’t fall in a wind.
■ Protect early apple blossom from bird attack. Bullfinches can strip blossom in seconds and any eaten flower is one less possible fruit. Use glitter strips, DVDs or make a scarecrow.
NEW STRAWBERRY PLANTS You will often see trays and pots of strawberry plants for sale in March. These may already have open flowers or they may have small buds, or just show promise of later flowers with some healthy foliage. Be picky and look for the strongest plants that you can. Plants may be root-bound at this stage so either plant them out into a prepared garden bed or put them each into a 20cm (8in) diameter pot, as soon as you can. Strawberries do well with some good garden compost dug into the bed. Scatter a little fish blood and bone and perhaps a little powdered seaweed as well. These plants don’t need much nitrogen (you may get lots of leaf and fewer fruits if you add lots of manure to the bed) but they do need potash and a damp root run. Cover the bed with mulch to keep weeds down.
■ Prick out and pot on seedlings before they outgrow their pots. Root restriction will limit growth; so don’t let crowded conditions hold plants back. ■ Clean cold frames before putting them to good use. They are a great aid to raising small plants in a protected environment. Scrub with warm soapy water and use a hose to wash off any residue.
PLANT POTATOES The middle of March is the traditional time to plant early potato varieties in southern areas. Of course, this timing may be delayed in a cold month and it may be two or three weeks later in northern areas. Ask other growers where you live if you are unsure. Each one may have their own secret for getting the best early potatoes and many will be willing to share. Seed potatoes should have short green sprouts at this point. These 8 | MARCH 2019
can be planted 30cm (12in) apart in trenches 60cm (24in) apart that are half-filled with compost or rotted manure. Plant potatoes around 15cm (6in) deep and cover over with soil that was dug from the trench. If you garden on heavy wet soil, then lay seed potatoes on the surface and cover with manure. You can pile soil on top to make a raised ridge with drainage trenches at each side. Just make sure that
soil is 15cm (6in) deep and shoots aren’t too close that they grow out of the sides of the ridge. You can plant second early and maincrop varieties in March as well, provided you can protect emerging shoots from frosts in April and May. This gets plants off to an early start and they often form a good crop of roots before any blight attacks. This is a good way to grow organic potatoes without using sprays. www.kitchengarden.co.uk
■ Tender vegetables such as courgettes, sweetcorn and dwarf French beans can be sown now in cell trays. With just a little gentle heat they will soon germinate. ■ As the soil warms up weeds will start to grow, so hand weed or hoe them off regularly to prevent them establishing. ■ Indoor peaches and nectarines can be pollinated by gently dabbing the open flowers with a soft paint brush to move pollen from flower to flower. ■ Carry on sowing tomato seeds in small pots to produce plants for planting out in a cold greenhouse or polytunnel in May. ■ As soon as the first potatoes in the polytunnel push through, earth them up with soil when the growth is several inches tall.
10 | MARCH 2019
WITH MARTIN FISH Seed potatoes being started off in small pots
POTTING CITRUS & POTATOES March is when things really start to get busy for the undercover gardener now the days are getting longer and the temperatures rising. In my heated greenhouse the citrus fruits are just starting to make new growth, which means it’s a good time to pot them into larger pots if needed. As citrus prefer slightly acidic conditions, I use a mix of John Innes and ericaceous compost which suits them well. In the polytunnel I’m potting chitted potato tubers into small pots. This is a good way to start them into growth ready for planting in the garden or potting into larger pots in a few weeks’ time. This allows you to start growing in a small space. www.kitchengarden.co.uk
JOBS THIS MONTH
HARVEST CURLY KALE Curly kale is a good winter vegetable to grow, both outside and in the polytunnel. The advantage of growing undercover is you can extend the growing and cropping season by several weeks. For plants growing in the garden they need to be fully grown and established before winter to withstand the cold weather, whereas in a polytunnel with that little bit of protection you can plant in early autumn and have plants ready to pick from spring. When grown under cover you can also plant much closer together to maximise the growing space. Through March and April you can enjoy nutritious kale from the polytunnel and then pull it out ready for summer crops to be planted.
■ As soon as you empty a watering can, refill it from the tap or water butt and stand in the greenhouse or polytunnel to allow the water temperature to rise slightly. This prevents seedlings and young plants from getting a cold shock when you next water.
SOW IN THE POLYTUNNEL BORDER
PLANT SALAD CROPS
In March the daytime temperatures on sunny days can be warm in a polytunnel, although at night they drop and can be cold. Despite this, the soil will now be warming up which means you can now start to sow a good selection of vegetables directly into the prepared border. Carrots, radish, beetroot, spring onions, peas and turnips can be sown. After raking the soil to produce a fine seed bed, take out shallow drills around 1.5-2cm (½-¾in) deep and sow the seeds thinly along the row. Cover over with moist soil and lightly firm. To settle the soil, water lightly and cover over the ground with a sheet of fleece until the seedlings start to push through.
To have a good and regular supply of fresh salad crops for as much of the year as possible, seeds need to be sown on a regular basis. Ideally, a small amount of seed should be sown every two or three weeks for a continuous supply. Lettuce and other salad leaves that were sown in cell trays in February should now be large enough to plant out to grow on. As the weather gradually warms up, they will grow quickly and in just a few weeks you can start picking. If you can, try to get into the habit of sowing more seeds every time you plant out. That way you will never be without lettuce to pick.
■ Spend a little time working out where you are going to sow or plant vegetables over the coming months. Ideally, draw a simple plan to make sure you can fit everything in that you want to grow and remember to reserve space for later plantings.
PRICK OUT SEEDLINGS To be able to pick you own tomatoes, peppers and aubergines as early in the summer as possible, seed needs sowing early. This means having a heated propagator to be able to germinate the seed and warm growing conditions to grow on the seedlings. February sown seed will now have germinated and the seedlings need to be pricked out before they get too large. The ideal time to prick out is the two-leaf stage. Carefully loosen the roots and handle the seedlings with their seed leaves, not the stem. Transplant individually into small pots of compost, water in and grow on in a light warm greenhouse or conservatory where you can maintain a temperature of 10C (50F) at night. www.kitchengarden.co.uk
■ To maximise the use of your propagator or heated bench, as soon as seedlings have germinated and have had several days to become established, move them off to free up room for more seed sowing.
■ Keep some sheets of newspaper handy to cover the propagator when needed. On warm, bright days use it to shade and cool down seedlings and on cold nights a covering of newspaper will help insulate and retain warmth in the propagator. ■ Check for early signs of aphids. It only takes a few warm days in spring for them to appear. If spotted, rub them off with your thumb or use an organic, contact insecticide.
MARCH 2019 | 11
YOU
YOUR PLOT
ALL THE LATEST NEWS, PRODUCTS & FACTS FROM THE WORLD OF KITCHEN GARDENING
Metaldehyde slug pellets will be banned in 2020, following a long campaign by environmentalists. A UK ban on the outdoor use of metaldehyde is to be introduced from spring 2020. The decision to prohibit the use of metaldehyde, except in permanent greenhouses, follows advice from the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides and the Health and Safety Executive that metaldehyde poses an
unacceptable risk to birds and mammals. Concerns have also been raised about metaldehyde contamination of drinking water – although this was apparently not a factor in the decision. Announcing the ban, Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: “I encourage companies and growers to look at the alternatives, such as ferric phosphate, which is authorised and does not carry similar
risks.” Ferric phosphate slug pellets are approved for organic use, as uneaten pellets break down into iron and phosphate, which occur naturally in the soil. The outdoor use of metaldehyde will be phased out over 18 months to give growers time to adjust to other methods of slug control. Find out more at: http://bit.ly/slugpellets
LONDON BECOMES THE LATEST VEG CITY
London has become the 17th local area to join Veg Cities – the campaign by Sustainable Food Cities, led by Sustain and Peas Please, which aims to support local action to increase the availability and consumption of vegetables. London’s ‘veg pledges’ include: ■ Further support for Capital Growth and other food-growing networks, supporting Londoners of all ages to grow more of their own veg. ■ Support from the Mayor’s Fund for London for 330 Kitchen Social clubs, which provide healthy meals and activity programmes for children in the school holidays. By 2020, these will be delivering 300,000 meals and reaching 50,000 children. ■ Promoting the uptake of Healthy Start vouchers, which provide access to healthy food for low-income families. ■ A Healthier Catering Commitment which will target food businesses and franchises with more than 250 employees, focusing on sustainability and the promotion of healthier options.
ALLOTMENTS ARE GOOD FOR YOU, SAYS STUDY
A recent survey undertaken in the Netherlands found that allotment gardeners aged 62 and older scored ‘significantly or marginally better on all measures of health and well-being than neighbours in the same age category’. The survey compared 121 members across 12 allotment sites with a control group of 63 respondents without an allotment garden but who lived near the allotment gardeners.
To find out more and get involved, go to https://www.vegcities.org/
DO YOU HAVE SOME HOT STORIES FOR OUR NEWS PAGES? SEND THEM TO TFLANAGAN@MORTONS.CO.UK 12 | MARCH 2019
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WHAT’S NEW?
Researchers fear that warmer winters may not provide sufficient chilling for blackcurrants in the UK, delaying the start of the growing season and resulting in reduced yields and lower fruit quality. Like many woody plants, blackcurrants require a period of chilling before they start to grow in spring. This reduces the risk of frost damage to new buds and ensures that buds burst rapidly in spring and flower together, when pollinators are abundant. A research group based at the James Hutton Institute in Dundee, which co-ordinates the British Blackcurrant Breeding Programme, found that milder winters cause blackcurrants to flower later, produce fewer fruit and have a reduced plant lifespan. The research demonstrates the need to develop varieties that can cope better with a warmer climate. Dr Katharine Preedy, from Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, said: “Blackcurrants are like the canary in the mine. If we can understand what they need in a changing climate, we can apply our knowledge to similar crops like blueberries, cherries, apples and plums.” Find out more at http://bit.ly/warmerblackcurrants it D ed Cr
ob
A FEAST OF COLOUR
ds
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See
According to a report by the Automobile Association (AA), the contents of the average UK shed are worth around £2000. If you ensure that you lock up your shed, the report says, then you’re covered by your home insurance. It also says that if an item in your shed/garden office cost more than £1500, then it needs to be declared as a specified item. The AA has produced this new video encouraging people to consider their shed and garden safety: http://bit.ly/gardenshedsecure
i es
If you’re looking to bring some extra colour to your salads this year, how about trying this Amaranth Superfood Salad Mix, from Dobies Seeds? The red, orange and green leaves can be cut when young or left to mature and eaten as an alternative to spinach. For more on this visit: www.dobies.co.uk
LOCK UP THAT SHED!
LONDON POTATO DAY MARCH 3. Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, SE1. Many varieties seed potato, advice, talks. 11am-4pm. 020 7401 8865 www.gardenmuseum.org.uk
You can now access KG’s monthly podcasts on Spotify. Just key in ‘Kitchen Garden podcast’ into the ‘Search Box’ and pod’s your uncle, with access to all episodes. Listen to extracts from key articles or enjoy general garden chit-chat from the Three Mudketeers. KG podcasts are also available via the main website: www.kitchengarden.co.uk
CONWY SEED FAIR MARCH 26. Conwy, North Wales. Plant stalls, seeds, seed potatoes, home produce and crafts in the High Street and Square. 9am-4pm. www.conwybeekeepers.org.uk BASICS OF ORGANIC VEGETABLE GROWING MARCH 4. Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland. Theory and practical for those new to veg gardening or organic methods. 10am-4pm. Book on 01572 813200 www.barnsdalegardens.co.uk
For a full list of shows, festivals, events and courses this month please visit our website www. kitchengarden.co.uk and choose the Diary Dates category.
PLEASE NOTE We have made every effort to ensure these details were correct at the time of going to press, but recommend you check with the organisers before travelling.
MARCH 2019 | 13
YOU
YOUR PLOT
SUMMER OF DELIGHT Thank you for all the help given in Kitchen Garden magazine. I have been reading your magazine since at least 2012. Before that I knew very little about vegetable growing. It’s helped me a lot and thank you for all the seed packets each month.
For the first time I tried aubergines last year and I got fruit (growing them outside). I enjoyed the ‘Yellow Delight’ tomatoes too. It must have been the summer weather last year, but I grew swedes bigger than any other year! Ralph L Wigley, Middlesex
TONY SAYS: Well done Ralph, especially with your aubergines grown outside. Not always the easiest crop to grow!
CONTACT US WITH YOUR LETTERS AND TIPS: TFLANAGAN@MORTONS.CO.UK
GUILTY, M’LUD! Great article on security in February issue of KG, especially in light of our own sad experience (allotment shed break-in and thefts). I read of a garden centre that was recently targeted, and a number of gates and decorative trellis panels were stolen. When apprehended, the thieves asked for 14 other fences to be taken into consideration! Colin Smith, Kent
BARGAIN MARKERS These are my cheap and cheerful version of bed markers for my plot. I see many places which sell the iron ones for about £30-plus but as I try to spend as little as possible I decided to make my own. These poles are basic plant prop poles (from local stores) which have been sanded
and resprayed. With a simple piece of wood that hangs on the pole to show what veggies have been planted, they are easily removed too, so if you change the bed the following year you can hang a new wooden sign in its place. Who needs to spend lots! These cost me about 90p in total each to make. Bargain. Danielle Wilson, Nottingham
Send us your tips and pictures and if your letter is published you will get a £10 Dobies voucher. If you are lucky enough to have yours chosen as our Star Letter you will get a £25 voucher. Your voucher will be sent out with a Dobies catalogue and you can choose to spend your winnings on a fabulous range of seeds,
14 | MARCH 2019
young plants and gardening sundries. You can get hold of a copy of the catalogue now by phoning 0844 701 7625 or go online to www.dobies.co.uk You can reach us by letter, email or via our Facebook page: FACEBOOK.COM/ KITCHENGARDENMAG
Email your letters to tflanagan@mortons. co.uk or post to Letters, Kitchen Garden, Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR
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YOUR VIEWS
THANK YOU KG I am writing further to our previous emails regarding my son’s entry to your Vegetable Art Competition. I just wanted to let you know that his prize arrived safely and I am attaching a photo of Tom wearing his wellies and gloves down on the allotment. He would like to say a big “thank you” too. Paula Cottrell, West Sussex
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I am wondering if anyone else has had a problem with growing plants in empty toilet rolls. I tried this method and wondered why I had such a poor crop of runner beans, until I dug them out and found the cardboard had not rotted away. I don’t think I will be trying this method again. Keith Jack, Liverpool TONY SAYS: It might have had something to do with the very hot summer we had last year and not enough moisture reaching the cardboard to help its decomposition?
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ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS PLUMPUDDING: Buy a few basic tools to start with. Fork, trowel, rake and hoe. After weeding, feed your soil to get things off to a good start. Don’t spend a fortune on poisons and herbicides – they aren’t necessary. Grow a small number of vegetables that you like to eat and don’t try to grow too many, you can always sow some more as the season progresses.
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WESTI: Walk around your site/neighbourhood. Look what is growing well, especially those closest to you. Take your time, don’t do your back in clearing it all in one go. Clear a bit and plant in that, then clear the next bit to sow or plant in that. Year 1 is getting what crops you can but taking notes of successes and failures so year 2 is gaining confidence and proper rotation planning and feeding the soil, then you can be like the rest of us, done what we can and fingers crossed Mother Nature plays fair. RETROPANTS: Don’t worry too much about everything looking perfect, it’s not telly gardening, it’s real! Skips are your friend. Take a kettle and a gas stove for a nice cuppa, maybe a choccy biccy or two to share with your neighbour.
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MARCH 2019 | 15
Cover blossoming cherry trees with fleece to protect early flowers from frosts.
Illustrations: Let’s Face It
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such as aphids, snails and caterpillars that love to attack our fruit and veg. So how pleased were they then to receive this gift from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), crammed full of a fantastic selection of seeds, suet and nibbles guaranteed to attract a variety of garden birds, including blackbirds, blue tits, great tits and sparrows. This Bumper Bird Food Gift Box with Feeders is perfect for getting you started and enjoying the flits and frolics of our feathered friends. To see more RSPB gifts go to https://shopping.rspb.org.uk or telephone: 0345 034 7733
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Like many readers no doubt, the Mudketeers like to attract birds to their garden – after all, it’s one way of keeping on top of those pesky pests
PLUGGING THE LEEKS My family love to eat leeks and I love to grow them. They must be the easiest of the onion family to produce and are far less fussy about site or soil, seeming to thrive anywhere they get at least a little sun each day. They are very hardy too and will happily sit outside through the hardest of winters until needed for the kitchen for warming soups, stews and pies. I usually sow a few cell trays this month for full-sized leeks and sometimes make another sowing at the end of April/early May for baby leeks if space allows. There are lots of good varieties of course but I often sow ‘Musselburgh’, which is a reliable and hardy variety producing white stems of a good length. They can be sown in trays or direct outside in nursery rows once the soil is warm enough and not too wet.
16 | MARCH 2019
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