GrowBlog

The Worst Enemies of Rosemary

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:01:57 GMT

One of the most popular kitchen herbs in the world, rosemary is one of the first perennials herbs added to most vegetable gardens. Rosemary can grow into head-high bushes where winters are mild, but temperatures below 15 to 20°F (-6 to -9°C) can kill the plants. But cold is not the only problem a rosemary-loving gardener is likely to have. Five species of powdery mildew are known enemies of rosemary, particularly plants that are kept indoors. In addition, deceivingly beautiful rosemary beetles are surprising gardeners in the UK with their herb-hungry appetites.

Mint - Friend or Foe?

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:20:13 GMT

Mint has gained a poor reputation amongst many gardeners. The mere mention of it will bring forth warnings about how invasive and weed-like it can be, choking out all other plants and herbs in the vicinity. Yet I find it hard to hate this delicious herb and, by following a few sensible precautions, it can easily be grown well with a range of uses in the kitchen...

Growing Great Garlic

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:38:18 GMT

Just when you think the gardening year is over, it's time to plant garlic. The most flavorful member of the onion family is always the last veggie to go into the ground, because garlic cloves start their life cycle by developing roots in cold soil. Then, after at least two months of chilling, the little slivers of green that barely poked up their heads all winter will take off like green rockets. By summer, each little clove will grow into a 3-foot tall plant anchored by a beautiful bulb, ready to dig and cure.

Grow Your Own Protein - Quinoa

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:29:23 GMT

Livestock agriculture contributes 18% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. This fact was thrust into the media’s attention earlier this week when Lord Stern, the author of the influential Stern Review on the costs of tackling global warming, declared that people will need to reduce their consumption of meat if we are to take climate change targets seriously. Whatever your views on this statement, it is clear that home-grown produce is the best source of food if we are to reduce our carbon footprint. Yet the question in many people’s minds is whether a plant-based diet can meet our nutritional requirements for protein? With less livestock would it be feasible to grow everything required for a well-balanced diet?

Make Health Food for Your Soil

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:39:25 GMT

Fall is high season for making compost, the finest of all foods to feed your garden soil. Compost-worthy materials abound this time of year, so all you must do to make a batch is to pile up dead or dying plants, cool-season weeds, fruit and vegetable waste from your kitchen, and maybe some shredded leaves. Will such a simple project really make a difference in the performance of your veggies next year? You bet it will!

Buying Dead Seeds?

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:08:51 GMT

One of my favourite parts of the gardening year is opening a new packet of seed and sowing them. Seeds represent so many garden aspirations and hold the promise of an abundant harvest. Yet, amazingly, recent tests in the UK have shown that up to 59% of packet seed is dead when you buy it, with no chance of ever germinating and producing a crop.

Corrupted by Cabbage

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:28:49 GMT

Depending on who you ask, pride is either a sin (St. Augustine) or a virtue (Aristotle). As a gardener, it does not feel wrong to gloat with pride over a perfect head of cabbage, but it can get you into trouble. For example, you can become so spellbound by a savoy’s crinkled leaves or the artful veins in a red head that you spend excessive time admiring them when you should be eating them. Is this what St. Augustine meant by “a love of one’s own excellence?”

Growing for Taste

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:46:53 GMT

It seems that nearly every celebrity chef is embracing the idea that growing your own food is worthwhile. Last week I watched a cookery program in which the presenter took a portable stove down to some London allotment gardens and cooked up a delicious lunch from ingredients picked in situ. Such programs may simply be a reaction to the current surge of interest in the source and quality of our food but it has always been true that the very best cooks need the very best ingredients. Where better to source those special culinary delights than from your own garden?

Get Ready to Go Undercover

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:15:48 GMT

If you garden where winter temperatures often drop below 10°F (-12°C), setting up a winter tunnel in autumn can bring tremendous payoffs. You can use the protection of a plastic-covered tunnel to extend the harvest of late-season leafy greens or to improve the winter survival of marginally hardy plants. Lastly, a tunnel or frame makes a fine home for late sowings of super-hardy spinach and mache. The little seedlings will sit patiently through the coldest months and explode with new growth first thing in spring.

Ripening Green Tomatoes

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:14:45 GMT

The very best tasting tomatoes are those that are ‘vine ripened’ – left to reach a deep vibrant colour on the plant. Nothing beats the taste of freshly picked ripe tomatoes which are, without question, infinitely superior to shop-bought produce. However, as the season draws on and temperatures start to drop there are invariably lots of green tomatoes left on the plants that don’t quite ripen in time. Rather than wasting them, why not try some easy techniques to ripen them indoors?

Making Turnips Taste Better

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:19:52 GMT

Everyone has an opinion on turnips. They either like them or they don’t, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re talking about turnips’ super-nutritious greens or crunchy roots. This food finickiness can present a problem in autumn, when turnips plump up like magic in gardens. The next thing you know, your house is divided into turnip lovers and turnip haters, and cooking from the garden has become a sticky business. Here are several great recipe ideas to help turn your harvest of turnips into dishes your family likes to eat!

Good Garden Hygiene – Beating Pests and Disease

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:27:47 GMT

I recently returned home after camping with my family to find four of my tomato plants had been attacked by blight while I was away. All the symptoms were there – blotches on the leaves and stems, fruit turning brown and sections of the plant dying. My first concern was how to prevent it spreading to my many other tomatoes and to keep it from affecting next year’s crop. Understanding how plant diseases and pests spread is central to this as may plant diseases and pests can survive over winter in a garden, ready to attack young seedlings the following year.

A Garden Full of Beans

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 08:20:16 GMT

Fast and dependable, beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are among the most popular crops grown in gardens. Over 85 percent of GrowVeg users grow beans, which come in a huge array of types and colors. Trying them all will keep you busy for years, especially if you grow both snap beans and shelling types.