Posts Tagged ‘container gardening’

A coleus called Kong

April 28th, 2023 | Plant Talk with Graham Rice | Comments Off on A coleus called Kong

Kong coleus are are big plants, with big leaves.

The Mr Fothergill’s website is packed with tempting flower seeds. But tucked in amongst them where, perhaps, we don’t always spot them, there are some superb and varieties grown not for their flowers – but for their leaves.

Of course, the most important thing about foliage plants is that they look good when there are no flowers – that’s kind of the point. When the petunias and cosmos are nothing more than a tuft of leaves, plants grown specifically for their colourful leaves are already doing their bit to brighten the garden.

Top of the list come coleus. For many years we were offered some unpredictable mixtures of coleus. Their leaves came in some very bright colour combinations but we never knew exactly what we were going to get until the seeds came up. Then along came the Kong Series – in particular ‘Kong Rose’.

For a start, these are big plants, with big leaves – hence the name. Reaching 50-60cm (20-24in) in height, the make real impact and the colouring of ‘Kong Rose’ is just stunning: raspberry juice, black cherry and vivid green all in a remarkable pattern. I grow them as specimens, in individual pots.

‘Kong Rose’ is vigorous and soon makes an impact. Grow it in containers on the patio or deck, keep it watered so that the compost remains moist and feed every week or two with Mr F’s Liquid Tomato Feed.

There’s just one other thing. Eventually, spikes of small blue flowers may start to develop in the shoot tips. ‘Kong Rose’ has been developed to reduce the chance of this happening, because it spoils the look of the plants. But if flower shoots start to develop – snip them off. Your coleus will look so much better.

Growing Salad Onions from Sowing to Harvest

August 29th, 2019 | News | Comments Off on Growing Salad Onions from Sowing to Harvest

Growing Salad Onions from Sowing to Harvest

They’re fresh, fast and fabulous in salads, stir-fries, quiches and savoury tarts. We’re talking about salad onions, also known as scallions, spring onions or green onions. Whatever you call them, they’re great for fitting in wherever there’s space and will give you a harvest of peppery stems in as little as eight weeks.

Salad onions are also one of those crops that can be sown in late summer to give one of the earliest harvests next spring. So let’s get on and grow some! Read on or watch the video to find out how.

Where to Grow Salad Onions

Like their bulb-forming cousins, salad onions prefer a sunny, open site and fertile, well-drained soil. For best results, grow them in soil that’s been improved with regular additions of well-rotted organic matter such as compost.

A close up of spring onions growing in a container on a windowsillThese tall, thin plants don’t take up much space, so they’re ideal for containers, or be opportunistic and grow them between rows of slower growing vegetables such as parsnips until they need the extra space. Another option is to grow them with carrots, where they may help to reduce problems with carrot fly.

When to Sow Salad Onions

Start sowing under cover from late winter, then continue outside from spring. Sow short rows every three to four weeks to give a steady supply of stems. Your last sowings, made at the very end of summer using a winter hardy variety, will be ready to harvest early next season.

How to Sow Salad Onions

Sow seeds directly where they are to grow or into containers of potting soil to transplant later on.

Direct sow seeds into finely-raked soil. Mark out a drill about half an inch (1cm) deep. Use a string line if you prefer neat, straight rows. Additional rows should be spaced about 4in (10cm) apart. If it’s hot and dry, water along the rows before sowing. This creates a cooler environment around the seeds, helping them to germinate.

Sow the seeds thinly along the rows then pinch the drill closed to cover the seeds. Alternatively, backfill the rows with potting soil. This is useful if your soil isn’t as fine and crumbly as you’d like at sowing time, and also helps rows to stand out clearly from the surrounding soil for the purposes of weeding. Once you’re done, label the rows and water thoroughly.

Sowing into containers helps to make the best use of your available space because you can start seedlings off while the ground is still occupied by a growing crop. By starting plants off under the protection of a greenhouse, tunnel or cold frame you’ll be able to start sowing up to six weeks sooner at the beginning of the growing season.

The easiest method is to use plug trays. Fill your plug trays with a general-purpose potting mix then firm the mix down into the modules with your fingertips. Sow a pinch of four to eight seeds per module then cover them with more potting mix. Water and keep the potting soil moist as the seedlings appear and grow on.

Planting Salad Onions

Transplant the clusters of seedlings as soon as they have filled their modules and you can see roots at the drainage holes. Carefully ease the plugs from the tray then plant them into prepared soil so each cluster is 2-4in (5-10cm) apart within the row, with rows spaced at least 4in (10cm) apart. Water the young plants to settle the soil around the rootball.

Caring for Salad Onions

A bunch of spring onions laid down on a wooden ledge, freshly harvested from an allotmentDirect sown salad onions shouldn’t need much thinning but if there are any overly thick clusters of seedlings, remove some of the excess to leave about half an inch (1cm) between plants.

Remove weeds as they appear to prevent them from overwhelming your plants. Salad onions are shallow-rooting, so water in dry weather to speed growth and minimise the risk of plants bolting, or flowering prematurely.

Salad onions are rarely bothered by pests but birds can sometimes peck at the emerging seedlings, particularly early on in the season. Cover sown areas and seedlings with row covers if this proves to be a problem.

How to Harvest Salad Onions

Salad onions are typically ready to enjoy 10 to 12 weeks after sowing, though at the height of the growing season it can be as soon as 8 weeks. Harvest the largest plants first so that those left can continue to grow. This way you can extend and maximise your harvest.

Store your salad onions in the refrigerator or slice them up to pack into freezer bags or containers to add to recipes whenever you need a boost of fresh flavour.

Salad onions are reliable, versatile and downright delicious – we wouldn’t be without them, that’s for sure! What about you? Comment below or head over to our Facebook and Twitter page.

Herb Garden Design Ideas

November 21st, 2018 | News | Comments Off on Herb Garden Design Ideas

Every garden needs herbs! Herbs like rosemary are what transform meals – contributing bags of flavour and turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.

The great thing about herb gardens is that they can be designed to fit any style, size or shape. Read on or watch the video for ideas to fit more herbs into your garden.

Where to Grow Herbs

There are herbs for every situation, so whether you have just a compact corner to spare or an entire garden, you can use herbs to create a space that’s both useful and beautiful.

Choose herbs suited to your growing conditions. Herbs like rosemary, oregano, sage and thyme thrive in drier, sunnier positions, while softer leafy herbs like mint, parsley, chives and lovage grow well in moist, part-shaded areas.

Grow herbs in among your vegetables, alongside flowering ornamentals, in a wildflower meadow, on the patio or within a dedicated herb garden – the choice is yours.

Growth Habit

When designing with herbs the first thing to consider after growing requirements is growth habit. Tall, statuesque herbs like angelica contribute vertical interest to the garden. They are generally planted towards the back of a bed so they don’t overshadow shorter plants but can also look great thrusting skywards among lower growing plants.

Medium-sized herbs, from about 1-3ft, or 30cm to 1m in height, will form the bulk of your planting. Combine a variety of leaf shapes, colours and textures to break up blocks of planting. And, of course, most herbs will also draw in numerous beneficial bugs, most noticeably bees that will go on to help pollinate vegetables and fruits.

Lower-growing herbs like parsley or chives should be planted at the front of any scheme where they can form a neat edging or spill outwards.

Edging and Paving

Herbs for edging look simply stunning. Grown alongside a path they’ll release their aroma every time you brush past.

Creeping herbs like thyme, oregano and prostrate forms of rosemary are great for growing within paving, planted into cracks, opportunistically at the edges, between slabs or in other gaps. From here they’ll extend out to soften hard surfaces, while taking advantage of the radiated heat to waft their delicious fragrance even further.

These types of herbs work well bursting out from any landscaped surface to create a more relaxed, informal feel. Or try planting them en masse to form a practical, yet highly attractive, living mulch that also works to crowd out weeds.

Formal Herb Gardens

Formal herb gardens use straight lines and patterns for pleasing symmetry. Raised beds especially lend themselves to this type of setup, helping create a sense of ordered calm. Plant a mix of hrebs or just one type of herb per bed to emphasise the order and make maintenance far simpler.

Formal needn’t be on a grand scale. A simple herb wheel is a great way to pack a handy selection of herbs into a space little wider than your average steering wheel. Selecting herbs that enjoy the same growing conditions – like this wheel of Mediterranean herbs – makes ongoing care easier, while dividing up the space into individual planting pockets helps stop herbs growing into each other or one herb from dominating.

Container Herb Gardens

Many gardeners can only afford space for a few pots of herbs. But that doesn’t mean you can’t design an effortlessly stylish herbal heaven! Cluster pots of herbs, salads and vegetables together to create a living tapestry of leafy loveliness. Use bold forms like rosemary to create a feature on your terrace, or mix them up in stone or metal troughs and herb towers to really pack your herbs in while ensuring an eye-catching centrepiece to feed both body and soul.

Herbs can also be used to offer vertical interest by growing them in containers held up on posts, or secured onto walls and fences.

Design a Herb Garden

Designing your own herb garden is hugely satisfying, and the GrowVeg Garden Planner makes it easy. Play around with different layouts at your leisure. Drop in any number of containers, planters, troughs or raised beds from the selection bar, or design your own beds using the drawing tools. Once you’re done, select Herbs from the dropdown menu and begin planting. If you’re unsure which herbs are best for your garden, click on the information buttons for handy growing advice, plus details on how each herb may be used. You can also use the Custom Filter button to narrow down the selection to show, for example, only easy-to-grow plants, or plants that will grow in partial shade. Have fun trying out a few designs and perfecting a herb garden that’s unique to you.

Herbs contribute so much to the garden – and us! Whether it’s a little something for livening up recipes or a profound sense of beauty.

If you have a herb garden, we’d love to know about it! Comment below or head over to our Facebook and Twitter page.

Vertical Gardening – Grow More In Your Garden

March 25th, 2015 | The vegetable garden | Comments Off on Vertical Gardening – Grow More In Your Garden

Vertical gardening

With a little careful planning you can create your garden so plants that are happy to grow vertically still produce an abundant harvest whilst using a fraction of the ground space.

Grow a whole range of plants vertically including: melons, beans, squashes, grapes and kiwis using pergolas, canes, wigwams and wires on walls.  If you have wall space you can also grow a range of vegetables in wall mounted planters that helps you to grow crops and decoratively cover ugly garden walls.  You can also grow fruit trees against walls, as cordons and espaliers to maximise the space you have.

Get some tips in this video on planning a vertical vegetable plot to help you use your space to its absolute maximum.

Pot Toppers are perfect for patio veg gardeners

March 9th, 2015 | The vegetable garden | Comments Off on Pot Toppers are perfect for patio veg gardeners

Pot Toppers from Mr Fothergill's

While an increasing number of householders like the idea of growing at least some of their own food, modern gardens are often too small for a traditional vegetable plot.  Would-be ‘Good Lifers’ can however look forward to a ready supply of salad leaves and herbs just outside the back door or on the patio thanks to a new idea from Mr Fothergill’s.

Pot Toppers is the name of Mr Fothergill’s new range of pre-sown circular 20cm (8in) wide seed mats that are designed to help out patio veg gardeners.  There are seven varieties – three mixed salad leaves and four popular herbs – and with three mats per packet householders can look forward to a season-long supply of their favourites however small the back garden may be.  They can even be grown on balconies, and container gardening is the ideal answer for those who have little or no garden, but still wish to ‘grow their own’.

Mr Fothergill’s David Turner says he believes Pot Toppers are also perfect for youngsters wishing to have a go at growing plants from seed for the first time.  Each has a recommended retail price of £3.45.

Look out for Mr Fothergill’s Pot Toppers online on the website, at garden centres and other retail outlets nationwide.