Author: Emma Rawlings

Deputy editor Emma Rawlings trained in horticulture and then spent many years in the industry before entering the world of gardening journalism. She has a small veg plot at home and also helps her brother on his allotment sized veg garden. She loves to experiment with new varieties and enjoys mixing flowers and veg together on the plot. When not gardening she spends time looking after her ponies and cats. The former provide manure for the garden, the latter just demand food and cuddles

Swap your seeds

Features, News
Growing our own vegetables relies on a good source of veg seeds and this can be a hefty annual expense. If we learn to save some of our own seeds we not only save money but over time we actually nurture varieties that do especially well on our own plots. Sourcing seeds locally is also a great way to fast…
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Why kale is king & how to grow it

Features
If there had to be a choice between which brassicas to grow Emma Rawlings would choose kale every time. Here she explains why and gives tips on how to grow it. Kale ‘Rainbow Candy Crush’ would look good in a flower border yet is also tasty to eat PHOTO: SUTTONS www.suttons.co.uk You can keep your cabbages, caulis and sprouts –…
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World Bee Day

News
It’s WORLD BEE DAY on the 20th May, so look out for solitary bees and help scientists better understand declines. Check out a new solitary bee identification guide available to download free at https://northsearegion.eu/beespoke/publications-downloads/While bumblebees and honeybees are familiar to many of us, solitary bees are often overlooked. In fact, 90% of the UK’s bee species are actually solitary bees,…
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Undercover salads

Blog
If you have an empty border of soil in the greenhouse and don’t grow tomatoes or peppers in it you could always sow salad leaves in short rows. Pictured are sowings of radish ‘Rioja’ which is often used as a microgreen. These are plants you harvest as seedlings. The leaves are tinged with purple. They are very healthy and are…
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Growing for gold

Features
Medwyn Williams is a name synonymous with veg growing, and with 12 consecutive Gold Medals at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, he is one of the worlds foremost experts on growing and showing vegetables. Here he talks to Grapevine podcast host, Daniel Heighes Q: Medwyn, Queen Victoria has just turned up in a time machine and she wants the walled vegetable…
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Small space growing

Small space growing

News
If you don’t have a lot of room to grow, there are many ways to maximise crops from tiny places. Emma Rawlings suggests some ideas. Edible corner This picture shows that in a small sunny corner you can create something attractive but productive. Planted at the back is an espalier fruit tree. You can buy young trained trees or you…
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