Vegetable Growing General
Selected Articles
Watch those Weeds!
Can weeds be useful as a self sown green manure? Or are they a real threat to next year's crops.
more on Watch those Weeds! ...
Protect the bees in your garden or allotment.
As summer approaches and we reach for our sprays all insects, pests and benefactors alike, are at risk. However, a few simple precautions should help to minimise the damage to bees and other beneficial insects.
more on Protect the bees in your garden or allotment. ...
Kohl Rabi is it a Root Vegetable?
Despite its versatility kohl rabi is seldom grown in gardens or allotments, and is not often seen at shows. Kohl rabi is a brassica, also known as turnip rooted cabbage, and looks rather like a tennis ball with a tuft of leaves on top, all perched on a short stalk.
Articles applicable to all those who grow vegetables for both show and table by members of the NVS
The no dig approach to gardening
Did you spend a back breaking day (or even more) during the winter digging over your vegetable plot? If so have you considered whether digging, either single or double, is really necessary and worth all the time and effort?
The no dig approach to gardening
Increase your harvest with intercropping and catch cropping part 3 of 3
Part three of the three part article about intercropping and catch cropping
Increase your harvest with intercropping and catch cropping part 3 of 3
Increase your harvest with intercropping and catch cropping part 2 of 3
Part two of the three part article about intercropping and catch cropping
Increase your harvest with intercropping and catch cropping part 2 of 3
Increase your harvest with intercropping and catch cropping part 1 of 3
Although many gardening books refer to both intercropping and catch cropping many growers confuse the two. And why not? After all it is what you do that matters not what you call it.
Increase your harvest with intercropping and catch cropping part 1 of 3
Tomato Yellow Peach
This year I tried the "Heritage" tomatoes offered as plants. Not all the plants supplied survived and grew but of those that did one cultivar, Yellow Peach, seemed to me to be outstanding.
Brassicas in General - a Guide
A general guide to growing brassicas - the cabbage tribe by Bob Herbert.
Brassicas in General - a Guide
Watch those Weeds!
Can weeds be useful as a self sown green manure? Or are they a real threat to next year's crops.
Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
Most of us have had tomatoes suffering from blossom end rot at some time - the base of the fruit flattens, eventually becoming concave, and goes brown, remaining hard, despite the name "rot"
'Icarus' - an Excellent F1 Brussels Sprout
I first grew the Brussels sprout Icarus in 1994-5 from a packet bought cheaply for 50p and set them out with two other cultivars and they grew well producing good sized sprouts with no bitterness
'Icarus' - an Excellent F1 Brussels Sprout
Why grow shallots from seed? The shallot 'Creation'
Why should British gardeners consider growing shallots from seed rather than from bulbs as they have done not just for years but for generations?
Why grow shallots from seed? The shallot 'Creation'
Mini vegetables - crops of the future? Part Two
Part two of a two part series on growing mini vegetables, their history, benefits and drawbacks as well as which mini vegetable crops and cultivars to grow
Mini vegetables - crops of the future? Part Two
Mini vegetables - crops of the future? Part One
Part one of a two part series on growing mini vegetables, their history, benefits and drawbacks as well as which mini vegetable crops and cultivars to grow
Mini vegetables - crops of the future? Part One
Forcing Vegetables
Forcing is a method for producing crops outside of the natural season. Here are some crops you might not have thought of forcing
The Pea Bean - Phaseolus aegypticus
The pea bean was mentioned in Gerard's Herbal published in 1597 and is, in fact, one of the earliest of the half hardy beans to be cultivated in Europe.
The Pea Bean - Phaseolus aegypticus
Increased Yields with Hydroponic Systems
Growers are catching on to the fact that if they want healthy plants and great yields growing hydroponically in hydro systems is the way to go. With plants grown in active hydro systems typically producing 3x greater yield than those grown in soil.
Increased Yields with Hydroponic Systems
The Humble Radish Most abundant crop in Japan
The humble radish - did you know it is the most abundant crop in Japan? What varieties to grow and how to grow them for a year round crop
The Humble Radish Most abundant crop in Japan
Grow Parsnips Successfully
Many people have problems growing parsnips, especially in just germinating the seed. This article will help you to grow parsnips successfully and at least germinate the seed
Purslane - for salads in winter or summer
The two types of purslane are quite distinct. Winter purslane or miners' lettuce, Montia perfoliata, is a tough, cold resistant salading for growing in the open to crop from October until spring. Summer purslane, Portulaca oleracea, is a succulent, half hardy annual grown for use throughout the summer.
Purslane - for salads in winter or summer
Brassica Growing, coping with Club Root
One of my objectives over the years has been to obtain a reasonable crop of brassicas from a plot of sandy loam which is infected with the club root fungus. Added difficulties are that it is a long way from any water supply and is attacked by pigeons and cabbage root fly!
Brassica Growing, coping with Club Root
Growing Aubergines (egg plant)
You often read in books and seed catalogues that growing aubergines is as simple as growing tomatoes. And that if you can grow tomatoes out of doors you can grow aubergines without protection too. In my experience this is wrong!
Growing Aubergines (egg plant)
Celery -A Most Difficult Vegetable
If your ground will grow good cauliflowers it will grow good celery. You must have your ground in good heart and this means plenty of manure worked in when digging in late autumn
Celery -A Most Difficult Vegetable
A cure for whitefly?
Despite being written back in the early 90's this cure should work today although you will need to find a different brand of detergent.
Chitting or Sprouting Potatoes
Without chitting some tubers may fail to grow, causing gaps in the rows, others may send up as many as seven or eight stems which, being overcrowded become tall and spindly. This weakened growth will yield only a poor crop of tubers, most of them small.
Chitting or Sprouting Potatoes
The butternut squash
Squash will succeed in a wide range of soils, provided there is no shortage of moisture and plenty of organic material has been dug into the bed.
Florence Fennel or Finnochio
The edible, swollen stem of Florence or sweet fennel, or finnochio, is a true delicacy. This bulbous vegetable is a dwarf form of the common fennel cultivated in many herb gardens
Kohl Rabi is it a Root Vegetable?
Despite its versatility kohl rabi is seldom grown in gardens or allotments, and is not often seen at shows. Kohl rabi is a brassica, also known as turnip rooted cabbage, and looks rather like a tennis ball with a tuft of leaves on top, all perched on a short stalk.
Kohl Rabi is it a Root Vegetable?
Organic matter and humus
It is very rare, if not impossible nowadays, to be able to purchase well rotted manure. Although farmyard manure will often look rotted it has probably just been well trodden by beasts. So if you can store your own it will pay dividends in the long run
Is There a Future for Allotments and Allotmenteering
An article on the future of allotments from 1992 that is as relevant today.
Is There a Future for Allotments and Allotmenteering
Scorzonera or black salsify
Salsify and scorzonera are almost invariably linked together in books and seed catalogues although they are actually quite distinct. Find out more about this easy to grow vegetable
What is Celtuce - and is it worth growing?
Celtuce is a form of non-hearting lettuce grown for its stems, which are eaten raw, as you would eat celery. But is it worth growing? is the question answered here.
What is Celtuce - and is it worth growing?
Winter Crops from the Greenhouse
I am always surprised that many gardeners who grow excellent summer crops in glasshouses fail to use them for vegetable production in winter and early spring.
Winter Crops from the Greenhouse
Cultivating Garlic and Elephant Garlic part 2
Cultivating Garlic and Elephant Garlic Part 2 covers how to ensure a good crop of garlic and some tips for growing garlic for show, how to get away with late planting garlic and more
Cultivating Garlic and Elephant Garlic part 2
Cultivating Garlic and Elephant Garlic
There are, in Britain at least, a great many misconceptions about garlic. These misconceptions cover all aspects of the plant - the types available, sources of supply and how best to cultivate it!.
Cultivating Garlic and Elephant Garlic
Some Tips on Tomato Growing Under Glass
Growing your tomatoes under glass can result in great crops safe from the weather but does require attention to detail if you are to get the best results.
Some Tips on Tomato Growing Under Glass
Unusual Vegetables: Salsify the Vegetable Oyster
Salsify is an unusual vegetable, also known as the vegetable oyster. It is not difficult to grow, being similar to parsnips. Also covers the culinary uses of salsify and showing
Unusual Vegetables: Salsify the Vegetable Oyster
Some vegetables that will grow in a little shade
One of the most difficult things I get asked (and asked very frequently) is to suggest vegetables that will grow well in shady places. Such vegetables are rare!
Some vegetables that will grow in a little shade
The Dewpoint Growing Cabinet
Of special interest to the keen grower, this revolutionary growing cabinet from TwoWests and Elliott provides a new method to propagate with greater reliabilty and speed than older methods.
Tomato Feeding Methods by Charles Maisey
How to feed your tomatoes for maximum yield for table and best condition for show
Tomato Feeding Methods by Charles Maisey
Organic Gardening Part 2 by Vanessa Jones
The second part of the articles on organic growing explores the environmental issues surrounding food and the resources consumed in both conventional and organic food production.
Organic Gardening Part 2 by Vanessa Jones
Tiger Nuts by Dianne Mason
The Tiger nut is not really a nut but a small tuber first discovered some 4000 years ago. It has many other names like Zulu nut, yellow nutgrass, ground almond, edible rush and rush nut. An unusual tuber, despite its being called a nut
Organic Gardening Part 1 by Vanessa Jones
Good organic practice depends principally on an understanding of the components that contribute to soil fertility; the development of a productive soil and then the maintenance of a productive soil by practicing crop rotation and fostering natural methods of pest and disease control by pursuing organic practices such as companion planting and encouraging beneficial wildlife.
Organic Gardening Part 1 by Vanessa Jones
How I Grow Onions and Leeks by Ivor Mace
How I Grow Onions and Leeks is a personal view by National Vegetable Society NVS member Ivor Mace who has grown for 45 years and runs an organic gardening course at Pencoed College
How I Grow Onions and Leeks by Ivor Mace
Points About Root Vegetables You Already Know or Should, Some Thoughts for Beginners
The RHS lists the following root vegetables in the Horticultural Show Handbook, artichokes Chinese and Jerusalem, beetroot, carrots, celeriac, kohl rabi, parsnips, potatoes, radishes, salsify, scorzonera, swedes and turnips. Some advice for beginners.
Points About Root Vegetables You Already Know or Should, Some Thoughts for Beginners
The Curse of Clubroot by Professor Geoff Dixon
An article about Perlka and Clubroot, which is one of the most difficult diseases to control and the fear of brassica growers.
The Curse of Clubroot by Professor Geoff Dixon
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