With a bit of luck my last post sold you on the joys of growing saffron. Now for the nitty-gritty. I can’t pretend this is a crop for a very small garden, though you might try growing it in a lawn or a regular bed like any other crocus. If you do, please be warned:…
Category: Sowing
Coronoveg: Don’t peak too soon with the Three Sisters.
These last few days have been sunny and warm. I understand the clocks go forward on Sunday. I, for one, have been on the allotment for the past few days. But that doesn’t mean we should be sowing every seed in the back of the garden shed. Even if we don’t get actual frost yet,…
Coronoveg Shopping List Part One: Kit
I’ve had a request for a shopping list so today, let’s look at basics. This is Part One: Equipment. Part two: Seeds will come later today. Growing medium Let’s assume we’re not going in for all that hydroponic stuff where plants are grown in water only. It’s fancy and it works but I don’t really…
Pea Shooters for All
We’ll start the new-look Event Gardener with a brilliant, fast crop that EVERYONE can grow. You don’t need a garden or fancy equipment, just an outside windowsill that gets a reasonable amount of sun. This can be done NOW. Start this morning and you’ll be cropping next Thursday. Pea shoots are served as a side…
One for the rook, one for the crow…
Or how a post about sowing peas led to a life-lesson learned. Writing this post has made me realise that one of the things I regret most about my last allotment was not taking photos of the friends I made on it. I have pictures of my own plot, but nothing that reminds me of…
Slow Start
This has to be the slowest start to any year I’ve had. There’s no excuse – the weather hasn’t been that bad. Still, I often start stuff out too early, so perhaps taking it a little easier – and not over-sowing, which is a particular horticultural bad-habit of mine – will mean the stuff I…
Taking a chance on garlic
First Day – April 25th, 2016. I always plant my maincrop garlic in late September to overwinter. I’ve been growing the same variety for years – I have no idea what it is, but I understand garlic slowly adjusts itself to the soil its in, so I always save a few bulbs for planting and the…
Reflected Seedlings
This time of year every single space with any kind of light source at all in my house is taken up with trays full of seedlings. I’ve got windows, but no windowsills, so they end up being balanced on piles of books, trays across the bed, and my dining table. Sadly the light sources are…
Year-Round Events: Pea Shoots
Ever since I read the ever-excellent Naomi Schillinger’s column in Grow Your Own last year, I have been growing pea shoots. I read it after experiencing a week’s worth of pea shoots decorating every meal I ate on holiday in Nottinghamshire (I don’t think it’s anything to do with that area of the country, just that they are…
Cold outside; Chilli inside
It’s nearly the end of January and I still haven’t sown my chilli seeds. I need to get my skates on, but have decided to wait one day longer. My compost has been sitting outside in the cold so, to prevent any possible seed-rot, I’ve popped a couple of filled trays in the propagator to take the chill…
The Event Gardener 