Author: Shannon Butcher

Shannon Butcher is an editorial contributor who has a Journalism degree from the University of Lincoln. When she’s not creating content she can be found visiting many of the UK's beautiful countryside locations with her dog, Pilot. 01507 529529 | [email protected]

How to sow

Tips and Advice
Some vegetables are sown direct and then thinned out as they grow and are harvested where they were originally sown. However there is another technique; this uses a nursery bed to sow seeds in to and these are moved to their final positions when they are small plants. Traditionally crops such as brassicas (cabbages, kale, cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts etc.) and…
Continue reading

Hanging veg gardens

Tips and Advice
It is possible to grow an increasing range of tasty vegetables and herbs in hanging baskets, here are some top tips to get you started. Edible crops for baskets Tomatoes –the trailing bush types. Dwarf French beans. Lettuce. Salad leaves such as rocket, mizuna and corn salad. Nasturtiums for colour but are edible too. Herbs including parsley, chives, basil, mint,…
Continue reading

Bag up your veg

Tips and Advice
Why not make use of the growing-bag to grow some great crops. The growing-bag is the perfect self contained veg-growing kit and a very cost effective method of container growing. Growing-bags have long been used in greenhouses to grow tomatoes and cucumbers, so avoiding the use of border soil which can be asource of disease; but they are much more…
Continue reading

Growing in containers

Tips and Advice
So, what’s a container? This depends on what crops you are growing, for example lettuce and salad leaves can be grown in quite shallow containers. A small trough 17cm (7in) deep and 30cm (12in) long would suffice for a few mixed cut and come again salad leaves. Ideally, aim for atrough about 20cm (8in) wide, 60cm (2ft) long and at…
Continue reading

Diary dates for May

Diary Dates
Shows & Festivals | Talks, Tours & Open Days | Apple Events | Fruit & Veg Growing Courses | & more…. PLEASE NOTE We have made every effort to ensure these details were correct at the time of going to press, but recommend you check with the organisers before travelling GARDEN SHOW AND FESTIVALS Garden Show Ireland May 5-7 Antrim…
Continue reading

Kitchen Garden May 2017

Latest issue
A note from Steve… May means warmer soils for most of us and the prospect of filling the plot with young plants – either home-grown or bought in. In this issue I’ll be offering my top tips for success with your early plantings and in a separate feature suggesting some second sowings that can be made now and keep your…
Continue reading

‘Garden & Harvest Festival’ A Brand-New Gardening Event for Autumn 2017

News
Toby Buckland’s New ‘Garden & Harvest Festival’ Comes to Forde Abbey in Somerset There’s an exciting new date on the gardening calendar – Toby’s Garden Festivals have teamed up with Forde Abbey in Somerset to create a brand-new annual event, Toby’s Garden & Harvest Festival. Running on 16th and 17th September 2017, Toby’s new festival is destined to be a…
Continue reading