Of all the gardening gifts that go on giving, thereās a clear ā and solar-powered ā winner. Many of us gardeners, myself included, are about to be crushed under a barrowload of gifts we never wanted ā much of them little more than ephemeral, opportunistic tat. Itās easy for this season of goodwill to slip […]
Sometimes December creeps by without much troubling the winter inhabitants of the greenhouse, which in my case are sort-of tender aeoniums and pelargoniums, and a couple of other tough succulents. But this year has been different. Winter has come on hard, with frosts and snow and many days and nights of sub-zero temperatures. These plants […]
The darkest days of the year find me in limbo land, because the gardenās largely hibernating. There are snowdrop tips everywhere, a promise of things to come. The witch hazel buds hang in the air, like tiny fists in snuff-brown gloves, but soon their marmalade strands will break free and flow. For now, Iām reduced […]
Itās just turned December in the UK and until a few days ago there were still butterflies and bumblebees foraging on the winter shrubs. In my garden my resident wasp nest was still very much active, and there were many late summer flowering plants actually still in bloom, like cosmos and coreopsis and roses. Social […]
We heat greenhouses to keep tender plants safe through winter and start off outdoor plants earlier. In my last piece I noted how we could save on that heating by maintaining good air circulation with low humidity. These conditions reduce mould on our plants, something surer to kill than the low temperatures themselves. However keeping […]
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Start Amaryllis bulbs into growth, watering sparingly at first; just trickle a little tepid water around the bulb, then increase the amount as growth appears. Once they are actively growing, keep them constantly moist but not waterlogged and take care not to get the growth tip wet. They need temperatures around 20C so move them […]
Plans to redevelop āredundantā commercial greenhouses overlook the huge opportunity to redeploy them: the means to renewable ultra-local horticulture is standing right there. Big greenhouses mean bigger opportunities: I donāt know any gardener who wouldnāt upsize their undercover growing space if they could. In a greenhouse, bigger means more of everything: space, potential, food, flowers, […]
Last month I attended the Garden Communicators International online conference. One of the presentations by the National Garden Bureau and All-America Selections featured the best new plants that will be available in nurseries next spring. These introductions are the result of years of developmentāchosen for better form, tougher hardiness, or disease resistance. So, as the […]
In my neck of the woods, being the foothills of Pikes Peak in Colorado, the old chestnut about making hay while the sun shines, is rehearsed by me and my gardening clan as āmake haste while the sun shinesā. Ā Old man winter is just around the next corner, and she who snoozes loses. Last week […]
With the cost of produce steadily rising, greenhouse owners may want to try growing their own vegetables this winter. Quite a few plants will continue growing in cool conditions as long as they donāt freeze. The minimum temperature in your greenhouse should be somewhere above 40Ā°F during the night and on cloudy days, although at […]
I spend a great deal of time in my study. Many a time I sit there wishing I was in the garden instead of being tied to my screen, metaphorically speaking. However, when I get a whole day in the garden the weather sometimes lets me down. A few days ago, it lashed down for […]
