Be honest: you’ve got a shady patch of ground and you have no idea what to do with it. The good news is that even these areas can be productive – when you know what to grow. As someone who has tried to grow all sorts of vegetables in the shadier parts of my plot … Read more
Rhubarb is a plant that enjoys summer-like weather. Sadly this weather typically doesn’t last for long in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Forcing rhubarb is a way to “trick” your rhubarb plants into fruiting earlier in the year, extending your harvesting season. Just as importantly forced rhubarb tends to have a sweeter flavor, and … Read more
The bitter gourd is a vigorous vine that is native to the tropics and Asia. Also known as “balsam pear” and “bitter cucumber”, the fruits look rather like like bumpy cucumbers. If you’re looking to grow something a little bit “different” then you could do a lot worse than these unusual gourds. The odd-looking fruits … Read more
Growing a few vegetables each year is far from difficult. Even with some bad luck and a distinct lack of weeding most of us can produce at least a few crops each year. However maximizing those yields and getting the most vegetables possible – now that’s another challenge. Over the last few years I’ve slowly … Read more
If there’s one complaint that I hear about vegetable gardens it’s simply that they’re “ugly”. People often want to hide them away out of sight, and overlooking someone else’s vegetable plot can be a cause for neighbourly tensions. But things don’t have to be like that. With a little thought and effort your pride and … Read more
This year I did something a little bit crazy; I went travelling for the entire summer and left my beloved vegetable plot in the hands of my mother-in-law. There were two impacts of this travel; firstly, I still wanted to produce fruits and vegetables if at all possible, and secondly I wanted to make the … Read more
There are two traditional ways to grow leeks. The first of these is growing leeks from seed; the second is to buy “starts” which are essentially leek seedlings. Growing leeks from seed is just as effective as the other method, and can work out a lot more cost-effective. The one downside is you’ll want to … Read more
Celeriac, also called root celery or knob celery, is very similar to celery, however, it’s much easier to grow. Renowned for the crisp celery flavor of the root, you can enjoy this vegetable cooked or raw. Although most North American’s have never heard of it, it’s long been a staple in European cooking and gardens. … Read more
The artichoke plant can quickly spread up to six feet across. It will make a bold statement in any garden. The silvery green foliage is attractive and it grows fairly easily in a variety of climates. Many people are fearful of growing the artichoke however, it’s not that difficult and there are a few different … Read more
Until recently, sweet potatoes were still seen as quite an exotic food in the UK. And while the British public seems to have taken well to the sweet potato, attempts to grow it among gardeners are still few and far between. While the “traditional” potato is grown in numerous gardens and allotments across the nation, … Read more