Pots & Planters: A Vegetable Gardeners Best Friend!

Quite simply, I love pots and planters.  

When I started the London Vegetable Garden on my Hackney balcony, it was imperative to make good use of containers: gardening in the air, on concrete, necessitated it!  However, even though I now have the luxury of a garden in my Peak District cottage, I’m still a huge advocate of containers and pots, for the simple reason that they offer the gardener a great deal of flexibility.

Sunlight

On the rare occasions that sunshine actually does fall on the British Isles, it’s essential to make the most of it!  Planting vegetables in wooden garden planters such as those available at UK Water Features allows gardeners to move plants around as required to make maximum use of the weather.  Planting in wooden garden planters allows you to freely move your vegetables around without disturbing the roots – which is vital to ensure the plants remain happy and healthy!

Decoration 

Whilst plastic flowerpots are cheap and readily available, they are not the most picturesque of garden sights!  Using wooden garden planters in the garden is far more aesthetically-pleasing, whilst the variety of colours available ensure that gardeners can apply a personal touch, as well as ensuring that their pots and planters fit in around the garden!

Soil-less areas

And of course, wooden planters can allow budding gardeners to create planting areas when space may be limited or actual earth is not available!  Patios, driveways, paved areas: planters and pots allow you to create an environment for planting all kinds of vegetables and plants.  When I started the London Vegetable Garden blog on my balcony, I would have been lost without pots and planters!

Variety 

My friends at UK Water Features have a huge range of wooden pots and planters, demonstrating the impressive range of products on the market today.  Whether you’re looking for a convenient pot or planter to grow tomatoes in, a raised planter for serious vegetable gardening, or an elegant design to place some ornamental plants in, there really is something for everyone!

To see the full range of wooden garden planters, please visit the UK Water Features website today!

Sundays, Sheds and Sowing!

With drizzle falling from the skies, I donned some old gardening clothes, made a fresh mug of tea and ventured into the garden with a steely determination: it's that time of year when every gardener has to tackle the shed!

Sometime back in October, I packed up all of the old flowerpots, put the barbecue away and shut the shed up over what has been a very long and cold winter.  However, spring has arrived in many parts of England and although the Peak District (current home of the 'London' Vegetable Garden) remains under grey skies and odd showers, it has started to get warmer in the garden.

This weekend provided the perfect opportunity to get out there, have a good sort out and turn the shed from a 'storage' building back into the living, working potting shed of the London Vegetable Garden!  The garden also took a lot of sweeping, having collected a lot of leaves and organic debris over the winter months:

 

As we prepare for a summer of vegetable growing in the garden, here's two photographs showing the garden space that I have to work with:

As you can see, the decking area at the foreground of the picture allows for plenty of pots and containers, as does the paved area at the bottom of the garden.  The bed of soil on the left of the pictures is cleared for vegetable growing, however I found last year that this patch was quite shaded and often very damp: I am currently researching the best vegetables and plants to grow in this shaded, damp vegetable patch.

Following the clear-out of the shed and the tidying up of the garden, I set about planting various vegetable seeds in trays.  These included proven staples such as tomatoes, cucumbers and runner beans, whilst sweet peppers, cauliflower and cabbages are all a first for the London Vegetable Garden!

 

In addition to the vegetable seeds, I also potted up some trailing lobelia, which my wife and I had purchased earlier in the morning from B&Q.  We bought 24 plants for £5, which I have potted into various different flower pots and containers at both the front and the back of our cottage.  I can't wait until they start to bloom and bring great swathes of colour to our windowsills and patio!

So that was a very eventful Sunday in the garden, but one that ultimately indicates that the vegetable garden is very much up and running for summer 2013 – let's hope it's a productive one!

Look out for my next blog post on Wednesday, when I'll be discussing how to maximise your window areas to create DIY greenhouses for your vegetable seeds!  Until then, come and say hello on Twitter, @londonveggarden, or come and join the community of like-minded urban gardeners on Facebook!

WIN!!! 'RHS Chelsea Flower Show: A Centenary Celebration'

This weekend, I reviewed the wonderful 'RHS Chelsea Flower Show: A Centenary Celebration', by Dr Brent Elliott, a delightful book celebrating 100 years of this iconic gardening event.

In addition to the exclusive discount offer for readers of the London Vegetable Garden (see the post here for details), the lovely folk at Frances Lincoln Limited publishers have a brand new copy to give away to one lucky reader of the London Vegetable Garden!

To enter, simply click on this link to be taken to the book photograph on the London Vegetable Garden Facebook page.  To win, write a short comment explaining what gardening means to you!

The best comment will receive a brand new copy of 'RHS Chelsea Flower Show: A Centenary Celebration', delivered free to their home.

Good luck – and remember to 'like' us on Facebook!

BOOK REVIEW / EXCLUSIVE READER OFFER: RHS Chelsea Flower Show: A Centenary Celebration

One of the things that I love most about gardening, plants and flowers, is the very timelessness of it all.  In a world of high-speed technology and global industrialisation, it's reassuring to spend some quiet time in the garden, nurturing and cultivating plants with knowledge that has been passed down through generations.

And this sense of gardening through time is explored marvellously in the new book from the Royal Horticultural Society, which celebrates the centenary of the Chelsea Flower Show.

Written by Dr Brent Elliott, librarian and archivist to the Royal Horticultural Society and author of numerous articles and books, 'RHS Chelsea Flower Show: A Centenary Celebration' is a veritable 'joie de vivre' of gardening literature.

Packed full of rare archive photos, content and interviews, this wonderful book explores the history of the Chelsea Flower Show, charting its progress from humble beginnings to the war years; populism in the 1960s through to the media glare of the 1990s and the ascendancy of style in today's culture.

On page 80, we see some truly stunning photographs of vegetable exhibitions, which will no doubt appeal to readers of the London Vegetable Garden.  Of particular fascination throughout the book is also the many vintage posters and signs, which demonstrate our collective attitude towards gardening from a societal perspective; from the austerity of post-war gardening, to the flamboyance of competition and modern-day artistic creations.

Published by Frances Lincoln Limited, 'RHS Chelsea Flower Show: A Centenary Celebration' is available now in all good book shops, priced at £25.

EXCLUSIVE LONDON VEGETABLE GARDEN READER OFFER!

To order 'RHS Chelsea Flower Show: A Centenary Celebration' (9780711234512) at the special London Vegetable Garden offer price of £20.00 (inclusive of UK P&P) please call Bookpoint on 01235 400400 and quote the code 46CFS.

Too Cold? Maximise the Longer Sunlight with Greenhouses and Cold-Frames!

The clocks have gone forward and it’s official now British Summer Time!  However, the continued cold snap (and snow in more northern parts of the country!) have left many of us still waiting for spring, let alone summer!

Nevertheless, it’s time to start thinking about planting seeds and getting ready for the summer – it will come eventually!  But how do gardeners protect seeds, young plants and seedlings in this continued cold weather?  Many of you have been emailing me, or contacting me on Facebook or Twitter, asking what to do in this protracted cold weather.  Well, greenhouses and cold-frames provide a perfect helping hand.

At Gabriel Ash, there is a truly magnificent range of greenhouses, in all shapes and styles, perfect to suit any garden.  Whether you’re looking for a freestanding greenhouse, a lean-to, or even a magnificent vine house, Gabriel Ash has something for you.

I’m a huge fan of the Royal Horticultural Society, and Gabriel Ash has a dedicated range that has been endorsed by the RHS: follow this link to see the range.  Glasshouses and shed / greenhouse combinations complete the extensive range of greenhouses on offer.

However, cold-frames are also vitally important to the gardener in this cold British weather.  Cold-frames are commonly used as a stopgap between greenhouse and planting outside, ‘hardening off’ young plants and vegetables and getting them used to life outside of the greenhouse.  However, for those working with a smaller garden space, then can still be just as effective as a greenhouse.

At Gabriel Ash, there is a wonderful range of coldframes to suit any garden, including the Baby Grand, the Grand Coldframe and the Upright Coldframe.  For those of you with less space (I started out gardening on a balcony, remember!), the Grand Upright could be a useful design, making maximum use of limited space.

So although it’s still cold outside, gardeners can really make use of the longer sunlight hours, using the warmth and protection of cold-frames and a greenhouse to get started growing plants and vegetables despite the weather: take a look at the full range today.

Get Set For Spring!

Despite the cold weather and seemingly unending flurries of snow all over the county, the evenings are (slowly) starting to get lighter and buds are already beginning to show on some plants.  As springtime inevitably starts to approach, thoughts naturally turn towards setting the garden up for the forthcoming summer.

Plants, vegetables, flowers and shrubbery are inevitably at the forefront of the gardener’s mind: yet a garden can greatly be enhanced by a few very simple, stylish and natural additions.  Garden furniture and decorations offer versatility and style, with a few carefully considered additions dramatically altering the feel and style of a garden.

One of the first tasks of spring is to tidy up the potting shed, which may have become a dumping ground for anything and everything over the winter months!  At Garden Trading, there are some wonderful items available to help you organise your potting shed and keep everything neat and tidy, including a variety of wall units, storage boxes and my personal favourite, this beautiful 12-drawer storage unit:

One of the undeniably great pleasures of being in the garden is the sound of birdsong.  This year, why not welcome our feathered friends with a selection of bird boxes?  Garden Trading has a wonderful selection of bird boxes, with a variety of styles to suit any garden design, from clean and crisp white models, to rustic, log-effect options.  But Garden Trading also caters for our friends without wings – this hedgehog house is a personal favourite of mine!

Finally, why not consider something stylish from a ‘temperature, tide and time’ range?  We British love nothing more than to discuss the weather, and this classic slate barometer and thermometer set provide information to talk about, while acting as a stylish talking point in their own right!

So why not get carried away with some good old-fashioned British optimism: it’s cold outside but spring IS on the way!  Take a visit to http://www.gardentrading.co.uk and browse a wonderful range of garden furniture, tools and homeware and start planning 2013’s garden today!

Balancing beauty and practicality for your vegetable garden design

There's no hobby as relaxing, fulfilling, and useful as gardening. It will keep you active and outside during the summer. It's the cheapest way to eat, and as an extra bonus, no food tastes as good as what you grow yourself. A properly planned garden can also be a beautiful addition to your property. With many factors to consider when designing your garden, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Here are some tips to help you create the attractive vegetable garden that's right for you.

Key factors : Sun, water, soil

The first step is to choose the best location for your garden. Most vegetable crops need plenty of sun, so an unobstructed view of the south is a must. Convenient access to water is also critical. You also want to test your soil to see if it drains properly so the roots of your plants won't mould. You might need to consider designs that help improve drainage.

Choosing the right design
There are many options for designing the layout of your garden. We'll take a look at the most practical first, and then move on to more aesthetically pleasing options. 

Row cropping
There's a reason why farmer's choose the standard row-cropping design, where crops are planted in single rows with about a half metre of space between. This allows for larger gardens that can be tilled and tended with machines. However, most people who grow personal gardens prefer to till, weed, and fertilise by hand. This makes it possible to have thicker rows or small plots. 

Four-square gardens
One popular option is the four-square design, where a plot is divided into 2-4 square metre beds that conserve space while allowing all plants and weeds to be within arm's reach. For a better-looking and more unique garden, try plots of varying sizes and shapes, intersected with parallel and diagonal lines. 

Raised beds
A personal favourite for both beauty and practicality is the raised-bed method. Here you build a 10-20 cm high wooden frame for each of your garden beds. Like a picture frame brings structure to a painting, raised beds accentuate your garden. While building the initial frames is a lot of work, there are also several practical pay-offs, such as preventing soil compacting and improving drainage. The result is a garden that grows well and looks great.

Pots aren't just for cooking
We are all used to seeing flowers and indoor plants in pots and other containers. However, most vegetables also grow well in pots. These can interspersed anywhere in your garden, along your home, or conveniently next to the grill. Not only can you choose beautiful and creative containers, but you gain portability in case some plants start to look like they need more sun.

Be creative
Whichever design you choose, remember to be creative. Adding personal finishing touches can really make your garden special. An elegant birdbath will bring welcome, bug-eating visitors as well as adding charm. An arched entry is stylish and gives you climbing plants like peas something to hold onto. The result will be a space that is pleasing to your eyes and your stomach. View some of the innovative examples of work from Bluefishlandscapes garden designers, and their recent T.V collaboration with the loveyourgarden team, and the inspirational Alan Titchmarsh, the principal guiding hand, presiding over the talented group of landscapers.

Add colour
A truly beautiful garden takes advantage of the wonderful colour combinations nature has to offer. Growing flowers alongside your vegetables isn't just attractive, it also attracts beneficial insects that will pollinate your crops and kill harmful insects. Of course, there are also colourful vegetables that can add flare, like multi-coloured tomatoes, Swiss chard, and rhubarb.