Hartley Magazine
Greenhouse growing
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 […]
Happy New Year! Here’s to fabulous crops, few pests and many pleasurable moments pottering in your Hartley greenhouse. With the wet weather, there is no better place to shelter as you check your plants. If you haven’t done so already, a water butt to collect rainwater from the roof is a ‘must’ and can be […]
Once tomatoes have set their fourth or fifth truss of fruit, cut off the main stem one leaf above the terminal truss, so the moisture and nutrients are focussed on swelling and ripening the fruit. Tap the open flowers around mid-day when the pollen is dry to encourage further pollination and tie the stems to […]
There are two important jobs for the greenhouse at this time of year. From February onwards, it’s time to sprout (or ‘chit’) first and second early potatoes and sowing tender, long season crops like tomatoes. Gardeners’ ‘chit’ potatoes so they are already growing when planted, – it’s a chance to get ahead. The technique is […]
The erratic weather continues to preoccupy our gardening thoughts, with hot sunshine and cold drying winds over much of UK and barely enough rain, in most areas, to top up the water butt. Check your pots twice a day and water if necessary, make sure tomatoes are moist. Erratic watering causes fruit splitting. Pinch out […]
The weather has been strange this spring, with low temperatures and chilling winds, punctuated by hot days. Gardeners are used to erratic conditions, for sure, but this spring has been very odd. One interesting feature is that drought and dry cold wind have meant the best slug free hostas in the garden for years and […]
Early May is the time to sow outdoor cucumbers, marrow, squashes, pumpkins (vertically on edge, not laid flat like a surf board) French and Runner beans and Sweetcorn in gentle heat around 20C in peat substitute seed compost or multipurpose compost individually in 7.5cm pots, ready for planting out once the danger of frost has […]
This is the time of year when you really appreciate having a glasshouse. It buys you extra growing time while the weather outside is erratic. Sow crops in the propagator if you have one or in a cold greenhouse and cover with fleece. Plants can be potted on, if necessary, before hardening off and transplanting […]
