Broad beans, Vicia faba, are a popular crop with vegetable gardeners as the young beans are particularly sweet. Sow in the autumn to harvest from May or sow late winter/early spring for summer harvests. There are dwarf varieties which grow well in containers or small...
We all grow broad beans, or fava beans as our American cousins refer to them as. They are a popular crop across the world and many gardeners, myself included, grow them because they are a good space filler, can be planted in autumn to crop the following year and are a...
April is a fun time in the allotment or vegetable garden. Things are starting to grow, but not just the things you want … the weeds start to grow including the dreaded mares or horse tail. This will send up shoots with pods on the end that release spores to spread the...
As spring comes, so bees, and other pollinators, wake up from hibernation and emerge looking for food. At this time of year, food can be scarce for them, particularly if an unseasonably warm snap wakes them up. With the climate changing, warm periods in late winter...
No matter how much space you have to grow in, sooner or later, you will realise you have run out of space and need more. Sadly, we can’t just click a button and expand our gardens or allotments. What you have to do is make the most of the space you have and be...
Have your tomatoes got dark blotches on the end that are creeping across the fruit? Don't panic, it is not the end of your crop, but something called blossom end rot, caused by lack of calcium in the fruits and it also affects peppers and aubergines. By making some...
Tomato blight, or late blight diseases (Phytophthora infestans), is a major issue for growers across the world. It can destroy crops and by the time it has infected your plants, it is too late for you to grow any more and your entire harvest is lost. Worse, late...
Sprouting broccoli, Brassica oleracea var. italica, is an expensive to buy vegetable, known for its high levels of vitamins and anti-cancer agents. It is relatively easy to grow, though does have quite a long growing season so will take up space on your allotment. It...
Broad beans, Vicia faba, are a popular crop with vegetable gardeners as the young beans are particularly sweet. Sow in the autumn to harvest from May or sow late winter/early spring for summer harvests. There are dwarf varieties which grow well in containers or small...
We all grow broad beans, or fava beans as our American cousins refer to them as. They are a popular crop across the world and many gardeners, myself included, grow them because they are a good space filler, can be planted in autumn to crop the following year and are a...
It is now getting quieter at the allotment as the harvest draws to a close and the days shorten, making it harder for many people to get time to work on their allotment. The weather will be colder and winter storms will be coming in. It's a lot of tidying up and...
In October, the allotment gets quieter, though you can find plenty to do. Sowing will be slowing down, but there is still lots of harvest and eat. Many of your plants will not survive a frost, so they need to be harvested before a frost hits. You will not be watering...
The vegetable garden quietens down a little in August, surprisingly enough, giving you a bit of time to enjoy the weather and the fruits of your labour. Your main jobs will still be weeding and watering, but now you will be busy harvesting everything and wondering...
July is another busy month in the vegetable garden. Planting will be slowing down, but harvesting is going to be occupying a lot of your time. Weeding and watering will be another time consuming task, but mulching your plants can help reduce the amount of work you...
June is all hands to the pump as it is one of the busiest months in the vegetable garden. The risk of frost has passed now for almost everyone, so all those tender plants you have been carefully looking after can be planted out. Many of the crops you have nurtured...
