Tag Archives: peas

How To Freeze Peas (An Easy Step By Step Guide)

Nothing beats the taste of fresh garden peas, especially if they’re home grown. If you have a glut of fresh peas then you need to find a way to store them. In this post I’ll show you how to freeze peas and preserve that just picked taste. How To Freeze Peas The first thing to decide is how long you want to keep them, if it’s between 6-8 weeks they can be frozen without being blanched. If you want to store your frozen peas beyond 8 weeks then they need to be blanched. When Is The Best Time To Pick… → Read More

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

10 Vegetables To Grow In September

Just because Summer is officially over, it doesn’t mean that’s the end of the growing season. There’s still time to sow and harvest a few crops and it’s a good time to start preparing for next season. So here’s 10 vegetables to grow in September. 10 Vegetables To Grow In September The 1st of September officially marks the start of Autumn, a time when things start winding down. But not for us gardeners, it’s time for us to get in a few late crops for Winter harvest and to start on next Springs crops as well. Radish September is the… → Read More

Amaranth Companion Plants

Grown extensively throughout South America as a cereal crop, amaranth grows well in the UK during Summertime. The leaves and seeds are edible and the plant is decorative enough to grow in the flower bed. Most plants do better if grown with other, helpful plants, read on to benefit from amaranth companion plants. Amaranth Companion Plants In it’s native lands, amaranth is a perennial plant but here in the UK it only grows as an annual. This gives us a short season between frosts, so it’s companions will also be warm weather crops as well. Amaranth companion plants include:- Cucumbers… → Read More

What Can You Plant With Potatoes

One of the most popular vegetables grown by the home gardener along with tomatoes. Also like their cousin the tomato, they have preferences when it comes to neighbours. So what can you plant with potatoes? What Can You Plant With Potatoes In the UK potatoes are generally sown from March and depending on type are harvested from June through to October. In all cases potatoes should be lifted before frosts return to your area. There are many plants that can be grown as companion plants with potatoes, below is a list of some of the best ones. Potatoes and Celery… → 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

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

Winter Squash Companion Plants

All plants benefit from growing in companion with others, and winter squash are no exception. Below are the best winter squash companion plants I have found to increase yield, health and vigour of your plants. Although they are called winter squash, this relates to their storage ability and not to when they should be grown. Winter squash are grown at the same time as summer squash ( zucchini, patty pans, courgettes etc…) but can be saved to consume during the winter. Whereas summer squash will not store because their skin does not harden enough to keep the inside fresh. So… → Read More

Zucchini Companion Plants (Courgettes)

Whether you call them zucchini or courgettes, this summer favourite is easy to grow. As long as they are picked regularly summer squashes including zucchini, marrows, and patty pans will continue producing until the first frosts. There are many zucchini companion plants and all will benefit your plants. The key to healthy plants is as always, soil preparation. Add plenty of compost or well rotted manure to the soil to give these hungry plants a boost. Once they flower feed weekly with comfrey plant food or a good tomato fertiliser. Zucchini Companion Plants Good companion plants for zucchini (courgettes) are… → Read More