Spring seems to be showing itself a few days at a time this year and I have been making the most of the sunnier spots as my tomato and chilli seedlings are so ready for their outdoor ventures. Even better as I am now the proud owner of a greenhouse, oh so exciting! This came […]
Winter Hardy Herbs
The best herbs to have in your kitchen garden are the winter hardy sage and rosemary. March means spring here normally but this year we have almost been snowbound and with the windchill factor, temperatures have been at a record low. The grass may have hidden by a thick layer of snow but the fragrant […]
Seedlings Potted On
A set of true leaves on my tomato seedlings now! Winter might be too stubborn to give way to warmer weather this February but it certainly hasn’t stopped the tomato seedlings from putting on some fabulous growth. Once the seedlings show true leaves they are ready to be transplanted into their second homes as I […]
Easy Flowers for Summer
As spring comes nearer, I am considering all the flowers that brought beautiful splashes of colour to my garden last year. More importantly, these blooms were a real attraction for the bees and butterflies. Spring saw chives spring to life and as the weather became warmer, the garden was soon dotted with lilac blooms. Chives […]
Chilli Seedlings
Indoor planting in winter does have exciting moments especially when you see the the first green baby leaves from the chilli seeds planted less than two weeks ago! The seed trays were covered with a plastic cover to conserve the moisture and warmth, and for this I placed the trays near the boiler in my kitchen. I’m […]
Tomato Seedlings
I planted tomato seeds last weekend and not expecting much action for a while, was so delighted to see little seedlings popping through the dark compost. These started their life near the boiler in the kitchen which is the warmest place in my house. Now that they have germinated and produced their first two baby […]
Planting Seeds
Planting chilli and tomato seeds indoors in January means the best harvests before the cooler weather of autumn sets in. It’s always amazing to think these little seeds will become plants bearing fruits this summer in my kitchen garden! So on a very cold and dismal January weekend, I have popped into my local garden […]
Beetroot and Pak Choi
This year I planted beetroot and pak choi for the first time and was so surprised that they were so easy to grow. I started by planting seeds straight into my raised beds in spring. Then as they germinated and grew, it was a case of thinning the seedlings, which means removing weaker seedlings to […]
Dahlias This Autumn
Autumn has truly set in and there is no better way to celebrate it than with dahlias. Now before you ask, I do not have dahlias in my garden as I have not grown them .. yet! However, like me if you love these gorgeous flowers then a visit to Aylett Nurseries in St. Albans […]
Last Harvest
The last of my homegrown vegetables which I have now harvested as summer comes to an end and autumn brings in the cooler weather with its long dark evenings! Courgettes that were started indoors from seed were planted out in May, after the last frosts were over. Although I provided them with support for them […]