Author Archives: Steve Jones

Growing Parsnips in containers

Parsnips are considered to be difficult to grow by some gardeners, I have never had any difficulty with them. I always allow the soil to warm up before sowing my parsnip seed and this is usually long after the guide date on the seed packet. Growing parsnips in containers allows you to artificially raise the soil temperature and get an earlier start than is otherwise possible. Growing Parsnips in containers It’a all about the size when growing parsnips in containers. The container needs to be at least 24 inches (60 cms) deep to allow the parsnip roots to grow. I… → Read More

Companion Planting Parsnips

The benefits of growing plants together are well documented and have been used for thousands of years. Companion planting parsnips will improve the health and flavour of your parsnips and save space. Companion Planting Parsnips All of the following plants will enhance the health of your parsnips if grown in companionship with them. Parsnip companion plants include:- Onions and Parsnips Due to their strong aroma, onions help to disguise parsnips from the so called carrot root fly. The root fly maggot attacks the roots of carrots, parsnips, and celery and in the case of parsnips and carrots renders them inedible…. → Read More

Companion Planting Cosmos

With their bright, open, daisy like flowers and fern like leaves, cosmos are a welcome sight in any garden. They also work well in the vegetable garden. By companion planting cosmos with your vegetables you will grow healthier food and have a pretty display. Unlike some flowers that have many beneficial effects on their neighbours, the main claim to fame for cosmos is they attract aphids. The knock on effect of this is they also attract hoverflies and more importantly hoverfly larvae. Hoverflies are great pollinators, and their larvae are voracious consumers of aphids. Companion Planting Cosmos Any plant that… → Read More

Nasturtium Companion Plants

Such useful plants, nasturtium leaves, flowers, and seeds can be used to give a peppery kick to salads and garnishes. But there is so much more to this colourful plant,using nasturtiums as companion plants bring many benefits. Read on for all you need to know about using nasturtium companion plants. Nasturtium Benefits Aside from their nutritious benefits, nasturtiums are of considerable benefit in the vegetable garden. They attract pollinating insects like bees, butterflies, and hoverflies to your garden. They also attract aphids and cabbage white butterflies which can cause serious damage to your crops. Grow nasturtiums as sacrificial plants to… → Read More

How To Germinate Seeds Quickly

Seeds require heat and moisture to grow, the growing medium isn’t particularly important. What is important is a constant temperature and adequate moisture content. That’s the beginning of this fascinating journey into how to germinate seeds quickly. What is a Seed? Any seed from the smallest mustard seed to the largest sunflower seed is an embryo. In it is everything necessary to nurture the life force of the emerging plant. Plants produce seeds to perpetuate their species and like any parent they ensure that the seed has all it needs. A good example of this are wild birds, we know… → Read More

How To Get Rid Of Stinging Nettles Organically

Stinging nettles are in most cases a nuisance to us gardeners, and if you touch them wrong they’re literally a pain. There are lots of ways to deal with nettles, and there are many chemicals that will do the job. But if you’re like me then you’ll want to know how to get rid of nettles organically. How to Get Rid of Stinging Nettles Organically Lets look at the way stinging nettles spread. They have evolved to survive, they do this in 2 ways. Stinging nettles spread by seed distribution and by spreading their roots. Getting rid of them without… → Read More

Watermelon Companion Plants

I live in the UK and I have dabbled at growing melons in my unheated greenhouse a few times over the years, with mixed results. This year however, I have found a UK based seed company that offers watermelon seeds for the UK climate. So I’m looking at watermelon companion plants and I’ll share them with you here. What Are Watermelons? Watermelons are members of the curcubit family which includes pumpkins, squash, melons, cucumbers, and gourds. They are sweet flavoured and as the name suggests, very juicy. Watermelons develop differently to other members of the same family. They have less… → Read More

Crop Rotation After Garlic

I work to a 4 crop rotation plan, and in my plan the plant family that falls into crop rotation after garlic is solanum. That is the nightshade family, including potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, chillies, and aubergines. Garlic Crop Rotation Garlic and onions should follow brassicas, and be followed by potatoes. In a 4 crop rotation system garlic is only in the same bed every 4 years. This will keep soil bound pests and diseases at a minimum and improve the health of all crops. For the following year, as garlic is not a very heavy feeding plant, it should not… → Read More

What is Crop Rotation and Why is it Important

When we first start to grow vegetables, there is so much to learn. What to grow, when to grow, where to grow and so on. Once these basics are mastered we have to come on to more advanced questions like what is crop rotation and why is it important. Crop Rotation Definition In simple terms crop rotation is a system to prevent growing the same vegetable or family of vegetables in the same soil. So by using a 3 or 4 crop rotation system you keep the crops healthy year on year. That deals with the question what is crop… → Read More

What to Plant After Onions

This is not as straight forward as it seems, because there are some plants that don’t get on with onions. Depending which type of onions you grow will determine how late in the season you have this problem. Over wintering onions are lifted earlier than spring sown, so what to plant after onions depends on many factors. What to Plant After Onions As I said earlier, time is the main problem here, and this is where forward planning is needed. If you have some winter squash, Pumpkin, Swede, Winter Cabbage, Chilli or Tomato plants in pots, these can be planted… → Read More