Tag Archives: radishes

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

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

Radish Companion Planting

Such a small and often thought insignificant plant, the radish is a very useful companion plant. Radish companion planting is all about continuity, one of the fastest growing plants that I know of, from seed to table in 6 weeks. Sow every month for a near constant supply of these tasty salad vegetables. It’s worth remembering that radishes are members of the brassica family and need to be rotated with other crops accordingly. Having said that, they make a good catch crop between rows and as markers for slower developing seeds. Radish Companion Plants There are two main companions to… → 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

Allotment Ideas For Beginners

I live in Essex and I had to wait nearly 3 years to get my allotment, 3 years of growing in pots and containers. So when my offer for an allotment in my area came through I jumped at it. I soon started to realise how much I didn’t know, what I needed was allotment ideas for beginners. Allotment Ideas For Beginners So here’s my top tips for allotment newbies, some will be obvious and some not so, but I hope they help you on your allotment journey. The first thing I’ll say is you’re in a marathon, not a… → Read More

Companion Planting Peas

All peas including snow peas are members of the Legume family, they all fix nitrogen from the air. This gives us gardeners two main advantages, firstly at the end of their growing season they add nitrogen to the soil (making it available for the following crop). Secondly when companion planting peas with other plants there is no competing for nitrogen. Companion Planting Peas The best plants to grow with peas are plants that thrive in the same environment with peas and have the same watering and nutritional needs. These include:- Carrots Sweet Corn Radishes Beans Celery Tomatoes Peppers Aubergines Parsley… → Read More

Companion Planting Peppers

Often expensive to buy in the shops, peppers whether green, yellow, orange or red are relatively easy to grow in the home garden. By companion planting peppers with other helpful plants you can certainly give them a much better chance of success. Companion Planting Peppers Peppers are a member of the same family as Chillies, Aubergines, Tomatoes and Potatoes so they need to be included in your rotation plan. Plants that will help peppers grow include:- Alliums (Chives, Onions and Leeks) Beans and Peas Basil Dill Parsley Marjoram, Rosemary and Oregano Tomatoes Radishes Petunias, Marigolds and Nasturtiums Chard, Lettuce and… → Read More

The 5 Easiest Vegetables to grow in containers

If space is limited it is still possible to grow fresh, healthy vegetables in containers. In this guide, I’ll share with you the tricks that I have learned over the years. So here it is, the 5 easiest vegetables to grow in containers. Preparation is key As with everything in life, getting the basics right will make the goal easier to attain. Use the largest pot or container you can. Fill with the best compost you can find, and plant the healthiest plants you can grow. Maintenance Container grown plants need feeding regularly with a good food like comfrey plant… → Read More

Container veg growing

Most vegetables can be grown in containers. The bigger the container the better, I had best results with old flower buckets (morrisons sell them eight for a pound) fill with a good quality compost and feed and water regularly as pots and containers dry out quickly in dry spells. I have grown:- carrots calabrese cauliflower courgettes spring onions broad beans runner beans dwarf beans tomatoes turnips radishes potatoes peas with varied results. I found that courgettes grow well if the container is big enough, other squashes however, didn’t do so well I suspect that they need more space. I have also grown potatoes… → Read More

What’s the quickest crop

Probably the quickest crop are radishes. I sowed a row of radish seeds four weeks ago and I’m pulling them already. I favour the variety French breakfast because I find the red and white colouration very appealing, and they have a lovely flavour. To sow radish seed just make a narrow trench not very deep just about twice as deep as the seeds are thick, then sprinkle the seed in the row then lightly cover with soil, water in with a fine rose on your watering can, then wait for roughly a month. You can see when they are ready to… → Read More