Tag Archives: strawberries

What Does It Mean When Strawberries Don’t Flower?

What Does It Mean When Strawberries Don't Flower?

You spend ages researching the type of strawberry plant you’d like to grow. Wait for them to come through the post, or appear in the garden centre. Get them home, plant them, but they don’t flower, what does it mean when strawberries don’t flower? You made sure the soil conditions were right by adding compost or well rotted manure, watered your plants as needed. But all you have to show for your hard work is leaves, healthy green leaves, but no flowers. What Does It Mean When Strawberries Don’t Flower? To fully answer this question we need to look at… → Read More

Companion Planting Brussels Sprouts

Companion Planting Brussels Sprouts

A native vegetable from Europe, the Brussels sprout has been grown since at least the middle ages. It is thought to have been developed from cottagers kale, and is a hardy vegetable, able to withstand harsh winters. Companion planting Brussels sprouts with other plants will help you grow healthier plants. Companion Planting Brussels Sprouts Along with other members of the brassica family, Brussels sprouts do well growing in companion with many other plants. This not only saves space, but also can enhance the health of both plants. So let’s get into the best companion plants for Brussels sprouts. Good Companion… → Read More

Companion Planting Brassicas

Companion Planting Brassicas

All plants growing in the wild, grow in companion to other plants, so it’s ok to do this in your garden. However, there are some plants that do better with others, and some that will be problematic. Companion planting brassicas will give your brassica plants the best companions, and show you what not to grow with brassicas. What Are Brassicas? In easy terms, brassicas are all members of the cabbage family, and so members include:- Cabbage Cauliflowers Broccoli Calabrese Kale Brussel Sprouts Collard Greens There are also some members of the brassica family that might surprise you, like Turnips Kohlrabi… → Read More

What to Grow in February

What To Grow In February

If you’re anything like me, by the end of January you can’t wait to start the growing season off again. Well this post will give you all the information you need to get srated as soon as the calendar turns. So let’s have a look at what to grow in February. What to Grow in February If you have the luxury of a greenhouse, even a unheated greenhouse, there’s a wide range of plants you can grow in February. If you don’t have a greenhouse then your options are slightly more limited but don’t despair. There are many ways to… → Read More

Companion Planting Cauliflowers

Companion Planting Cauliflower

Cauliflowers are a member of the brassica family, and like all members of that family they have certain likes and dislikes . To find out more follow me as we learn all about companion planting cauliflowers. Why Companion Plant? Plants do better surrounded by other plants, for instance strawberries do well with certain herbs because the herbs attract pollinators that will also pollinate the strawberries. This is how nature works, but us gardeners don’t like to see randomness in our plots, we like order. Well here’s a newsflash, nature has it’s own order. Look at the hedgerow or woodland and… → Read More

Companion Planting Leeks

Companion Planting Leeks

A popular member of the allium family, the leek can be useful as a companion plant. By companion planting leeks you can help to protect many plants from pests. Read on to discover all the benefits of companion planting leeks. Companion Planting Leeks The plants that do best when companion planted with leeks to keep pests away include:- Apple Trees and Leeks By planting leeks under apple trees you will help prevent scab on the apples. For more information on companion planting apple trees click here. Strawberries and Leeks Strawberries do well with any member of the allium family, and… → Read More

kale companion plants

kale companion plants

Kale is a member of the brassica family and has similar growing requirements to others of this plant group. Companion planting is beneficial to plants for a number of reasons, soil and watering compatiblity, health and insect deterrence. The kale companion plants listed below will also be fine to grow with all other brassicas. kale companion plants There are some plants that should never be grown anywhere near kale but more on these later, for now let’s concentrate on the best companions for kale. Just before we start, there are some reports that artichokes make a good companion plant to… → Read More

How To Grow More Strawberries

How To Grow More Strawberries

Ask any strawberry grower what they would improve if they could and they will probably say… More fruit. Here in the UK we have a short fruiting season between frosts so it’s crucial to get as much from each plant as we can. Read on to find out how to grow more strawberries. Let’s start with the basics, because if the foundations are right then everything else should just fall into place. How To Grow More Strawberries Strawberries need free draining soil, full sunshine and to be sheltered from the wind. As with all plants the soil is the most… → Read More

Companion Planting Figs

companion planting figs

Man has been cultivating figs for at least 10,000 years and probably before that. During that time, many growing combinations will have been tried. We don’t need trial and error as we have all of that combined knowledge of companion planting figs to draw upon, The benefits of companion planting are well known and scientifically proven to improve plant health and growth. Fig companion planting is an interesting one as most figs do better with confined roots. This means that we need to be mindful that companion plants will be in competition for nutrients. Companion Planting Figs I mentioned confining… → Read More

What Grows Well With Raspberries

What Grows Well With Raspberries

Always expensive in the shops,raspberries make a great fruit for desserts and just to eat fresh. Raspberries are not that difficult to grow and are fairly undemanding to maintain. As with all plants they will do better with certain companions so what grows well with raspberries? What Grows Well With Raspberries The principles of companion planting are well known, some plants repel pests, some attract beneficial insects either to pollinate or as predators on the bad bugs. Some are sacrificial, taking the bad bugs away from your crop plant. Others share beneficial compounds through the soil whilst others do the… → Read More