Time to plant tomatoes outside. It has not been the best of springs for hardening off tomatoes (moving them from indoors to outdoors). Extreme heat during days and cold nights up until early May has meant the plants started from seed were indoors longer than usual. The extreme heat is challenging for young plants. Tomato …Read More about Tomato planting time
Archives for May 2017
Planting courgettes
Courgettes are one of the most productive garden vegetables that can be grown in a city garden. Two plants in a large container will produce one or two courgettes per week. Courgettes can be grown in soil beds but as they are the absolute favourite of slugs and snails, containers can work better. Courgette seeds …Read More about Planting courgettes
Planting out beans
Now is the time to be thinking about this year’s crop of climbing beans. Beans grow very well in city gardens, from containers or in soil beds. They make good use of vertical space and by mixing varieties will provide a steady weekly crop over the summer months. They are low maintenance and attractive in …Read More about Planting out beans
Potting up chilli peppers
These warm days are ideal for getting young chilli plants outdoors for their first taste of sunshine. By potting the small plants up into larger pots the plants will start a growth spurt. This is good. Cold winds, sudden chills, heavy rains and slugs are not good, they can kill the young plants very easily. …Read More about Potting up chilli peppers
Turn in the weather
According to tradition planting out should only begin when the bluebells have passed. In recent years spring weather has become quite unreliable with late cold spells and heavy rains. This has reduced the window of opportunity for getting many plants started and hardened off before the summer heat starts. The sharp changes in weather of …Read More about Turn in the weather
Potting up leeks
Growing leeks from seed is for the very patient. These were started in January and February and are only now ready for moving on. Some will be planted out into the garden beds in the coming weeks but of more interest for city gardeners is growing leeks in pots for balconies and paved areas. Leeks …Read More about Potting up leeks