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This week I’ve been looking at the garden. It is much improved with a new decking area (relocated and rebuilt over two weeks) and a new fence. The fence was meant to be an easy job – just me moving … Continue reading →

Germination: is the process of a seed bursting open and sprouting into a plant. Most seeds take warmth as a sign to begin germinating. When you feel warm sun on your skin, think of your seeds. Whether they are in pots on windowsills or in the ground outside, they will be feeling the warmth too. Here’s Rudi Radishes tips on germinating indoors and outdoors…

Paper pots ready to plant the broad beans

Germinating indoors:
1. Use a propagator will keep the soil warm and moist, the perfect conditions for germinating seeds into seedlings.
2. Homemade propagator, from upcycled packaging.
3. Paperpots are cheap and easy to make.

Home-made cloche's

Germinating outdoors:
1. Before you plant your seeds, warm the soil by laying black polythene over the area you are planning to plant.
2. When you plant your seeds, keep them warm and protected from hungry bugs by making a cloche or a mini-greenhouse. Here’s how to upcycle a plastic bottle into a mini-greenhouse.

Radishes take 8-10 weeks bo grow ready to eat

Happy growing!

Rudi Radish

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Getting Maize (Sweetcorn), Squash (Courgette, Marrow, Pumpkin) and Bean (Pea, Beans) to grow together is one of the oldest and most talked about poly-culture methods of planting. The basic principle behind planting these three plants together is quite simple, the Maize supplies support for the beans, the squash helps to suppress weeds by providing a ground cover (a bit like a living mulch) and the beans fix nitrogen into the soil. Once the corn matures the squashes should be close to reaching maturity and the corn can be harvested allowing the squash to take over the plot. This method of planting is an excellent way to grow a number of different crops in a small space. It does work best in tropical countries but the method can be put into place in the UK or any other temperate climate with the help of some canes to support the beans and peas.

The overall yield for all three would be greater than a mono-crop in a similar sized area. It is therefore ideal for the urban gardener with a very limited amount of growing space. The three plants together can also look quite attractive and could act as a decorative border within a garden as well as a good source of food.

A variation on this planting regime would be sunflowers instead of corn.