iGrowVeg

Vegetable Seeds to Sow & Bulbs to Plant in November

Posted on 08. Nov, 2009 by Tracey.

Its truly autumn now with the leaves falling and temperature dropping. There’s not much left to sow in November but if you want to get a head start on next year there’s a few vegetables to sow or plant that will delight you with their harvest in May to July.
Garlic
Garlic is easy to grow from [...]

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Planting Autumn Onions, Shallots, Broad Beans & Peas

Posted on 01. Nov, 2009 by Tracey.

I’ve finally planted and sowed my last seeds of the year in the form of my Autumn Onions and Shallots, Broad Beans and Peas.

I’m now growing:
Plot 1
OUT: Mustard Greens and Japanese Kale – crop failure due to slugs and caterpillars.
IN: 3 rows of Autumn Planting Shallots ‘Grise’ and 3 rows of ‘Senshyu Yellow’ Onions.
Plot [...]

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What To Look For in a Good Vegetable Variety

Posted on 21. Oct, 2009 by Tracey.

How are new seed varieties chosen to become the next big thing for 2010?
Answer: Seed or Plant Trials.
Most of the major and some of the independent seed companies conduct seed trials every year to find the vegetable varieties which are performing the best.
What are the trials looking for in a good variety?
What are [...]

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To Cloche or Not To Cloche, that is the Question

Posted on 17. Oct, 2009 by Tracey.

As the winter rolls in, the dreaded frost rears its ugly head around mid to end October (South East, UK) and it leaves all your unprotected seedlings gasping, frozen and soggy.
What Damage Can Frost Do To My Seedlings?

It can turn the foliage brown and black and leaves may shrivel or curl up. The plant [...]

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Vegetable Crop Failure is the Path to Growing Success

Posted on 07. Oct, 2009 by Tracey.

As I look back over my growing year I automatically think of the vegetables that underperformed or didn’t perform! but I think it is human nature to try to improve on growing them. My failures definitely give me the determination to try for success next year.
Some of my failures this year have been:

Cabbages
The first year [...]

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UK, USA & Worldwide Vegetable Seed Supplier Catalogues – Out Now!

Posted on 04. Oct, 2009 by Tracey.

October is the time of year where jobs and sowings in the vegetable garden begin to slow down enough to turn your attention to other things like what to grow for next year. The seed companies are now starting to release their 2010 seed catalogues or online ranges packed full of new and exclusive varieties [...]

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Growing Techniques: Thinning Vegetable Seedlings

Posted on 02. Oct, 2009 by Tracey.

Thinning seedlings is an essential technique all vegetables growers need to learn. Thinning is literally pulling out seedlings that are very close together to space out your seedlings and avoid overcrowding.
Reasons to Thin your Seedlings:-

Give your vegetable plants room to grow,
To enable you to get bigger vegetables by spacing seedlings correctly,
To help keep away pests [...]

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Vegetable Seeds To Sow in October

Posted on 30. Sep, 2009 by Tracey.

September is the month for looking forward to the autumn and winter months and planting overwintering vegetables for your plots. Remember to make your own cloche or buy horticultural fleece to protect your winter veg from the frosts.
1. Broad Beans (Overwintering/Autumn Varieties)
Sow: October to November
Harvest: June to July
Broad Bean Overwintering Varieties:

The Sutton – A [...]

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Garden Organic Vegetable Growing Cards, Courses & Events

Posted on 22. Sep, 2009 by Tracey.

Garden Organic is a 50 year old UK charity for organic gardening, farming and food. They provide organic gardening advice, support for schools, research, development and maintain 2 demonstration gardens, one in Essex and one at their main HQ near Coventry where they also started the Heritage Seed Library.
I’ve just signed up to Garden Organic [...]

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Outstanding Onion Facts

Posted on 18. Sep, 2009 by Tracey.

Following on from my previous posts on Onion Week at iGrowVeg.com here are some useful facts about the humble onion.

Hayfever Sufferers should eat more onions. Quercetin which is found in over-the-counter anti-histamine medication is also found naturally in onions. The high amount of querceptin in onions absorbs into the body twice as quick as the [...]

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