This year on 21st September, the weather changed to autumn at the flick of a switch. Night temperatures dropped dramatically, friends nearby had their first frosts and mornings started with that wonderful organic smell of autumn but warmed as the day progressed. The tomato plants were lifted and stripped of fruit, some partially ripened are […]
September began with rainfall in many areas filling up our water butts with the most precious commodity in the world and a welcome relief to all gardeners. It is the time of year when you reap the reward for your labours, with tomatoes, aubergines and peppers ripening rapidly. Begin removing individual leaves around aubergines, peppers […]
Now’s the time to sow Fennel, oriental vegetables like mizuna greens and Pak Choi, rocket, coriander dill, spinach, claytonia and land cress in modules. Germination will be fast and they can be planted out by mid-August for cropping in autumn. Later in the month August sow spinach, spring onions, lettuce and spring cabbage for transplanting […]
Transplant Aubergines, peppers and chillies into pots one or two sizes larger filled with peat free multipurpose compost with added John Innes, as they grow. Repot when a good root system has developed but before they become pot bound and congested with roots, finally transplanting into 23 cm pots or two per growing bag to […]
As the spring weather continues to confound, I am thankful that my Hartley greenhouse provides some consistency in climate and growing conditions. Move seedlings from the greenhouse to cold frames or into a sheltered spot for ‘hardening off’ during the day, bringing them in at night, for ten to fourteen days. Where night temperatures have […]
A feature of this spring has been high temperatures during the day which have dropped considerably at night and drought conditions; it’s been something of a challenge but an opportunity for new learnings. When it happens again, I will definitely start sowing crops in modules in the greenhouse much earlier, once it becomes apparent that […]
It has continued to be a cold spring, this year. Warm days followed by clear nights mean that temperatures plummeted as any heat absorbed from the sunshine radiated from the ground overnight. Thank goodness we can get ahead in the greenhouse. Most of my dahlias are overwintered under a heavy mulch in the garden but […]
At this time of year, a weather beating greenhouse is invaluable. Hot sunny days, followed by clear, cold nights means that the remains wet and cold, so it is too early for sowing outdoors directly into the soil. It’s long been accepted that parsnips are sown outdoors in February but the truth is that sowing […]
From February onwards, it’s time to sprout (or ‘chit’) first and second ‘early’ potatoes. Put your potatoes in a tray or egg box with the ‘rose’ end, where there is the greatest density of ‘eyes’ or buds, at the top, keep them at about 7C (45F), then, after four to five weeks the shoots should […]
The first two days of January have shown us just what a lottery the weather has become. New Year’s Day it was howling wind and torrential rain, today is the start of a cold ‘snap’. Both potent reminders of the joys of owning a Hartley Greenhouse, as you can start sowing from early January, whatever […]
When it comes to gardening, climate change means a revision of expectations and ideas. These days, an unheated greenhouse provides useful protection for tender crops for longer than ever before. When October frosts were the norm, you wouldn’t even consider leaving chillies to ripen in the greenhouse but now it is more commonplace. Keep checking […]
Clear autumn leaves from gutters as they start to fall. Prevent downpipes from clogging by putting a pan scourer in the hole at the top, then clearing the debris as it backs up, from time to time. Collect rainwater in a waterbutt, when it is full, water at the base of fences under the eaves […]
