When it comes to boosting production in a vegetable garden, the versatility of mini-hoop tunnels can’t be overstated. Though commonly used to stretch the harvest season into late autumn and winter, mini-hoop tunnels also have an important place in the spring and summer garden. These simple structures can be used to pre-warm soil, shelter early-planted crops or provide a shaded … [Read more...] about Mini-hoop tunnels boost veggie production
Food to grow
18 vegetables and how to store them
Freezing, drying and canning are options for long-term storage of freshly harvested vegetables, but what are the best ways to store produce for a few days or weeks? The Ecology Center at Berkeley Farmers’ Markets in California offers these environmentally responsible (no plastic wraps or disposable containers) suggestions. Beans, shelling Open container in fridge. Beets … [Read more...] about 18 vegetables and how to store them
Gooseberry plants are easy to cultivate
In my family, gooseberries provided everyone with a job: I grew and harvested them, my father topped and tailed them, and my mother turned them into mouth-watering pies and jam. Often thought of as quintessentially English, gooseberries aren’t mentioned in any British documents until the late 13th century, when King Edward I’s fruiterer had bushes imported from France. Their … [Read more...] about Gooseberry plants are easy to cultivate
How to grow a pawpaw tree
Until the recent frenzy that saw chefs clamouring to add pawpaws to their menus, the only time you may have heard of this sweet fruit (sometimes described as tasting like banana, guava and persimmon, all rolled into one creamy fruit) was in the lyrics of a traditional American folk song: “Pickin’ up pawpaws, puttin’ ’em in your pockets.” But its culinary popularity … [Read more...] about How to grow a pawpaw tree
Blueberry bonanza
If you’re looking for me in August, there’s a good chance you’ll find me beside our highbush blueberry hedge, picking a big bowl of juicy berries. Once relegated to an out-of-the-way spot near the vegetable garden, fruiting perennial shrubs like highbush blueberries are now being recognized for their ornamental value, and being invited to take centre stage in gardens and … [Read more...] about Blueberry bonanza