Category Archives for Gardening Ideas
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Growing Cucumbers
Cucumbers With cucumbers, plant breeders have now solved three problems. Cucumbers bear male and female flowers separately, and it has always been necessary, when growing the traditional long, smooth, greenhouse or frame cucumbers, to remove all the male flowers. Otherwise … Continue reading
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Growing Cucumbers Indoors
Cucumbers are not the easiest of vegetables to grow, but if you choose the right varieties to start with and give them the regular care they need, you can produce a successful crop at your first attempt. As well as … Continue reading
How to Grow Lettuce: Lactuca Sativa
Lactuca sativa Although the exact origins of the lettuce are unknown it was certainly known to the Greeks and Romans, and has been grown in Britain since at least the middle of the sixteenth century. It is now the most … Continue reading
Scarlet Runner Bean
Phaseolus multiflorus When this well known and popular vegetable was introduced into Britain in 1633 it was for the ornamental value of its beautiful scarlet flowers. It is now grown for the edible pods, which are often over 30cm (12in) … Continue reading
Growing Broad beans
Viciafaba This vegetable was well known to the Egyptians and Romans while broad bean seeds have been found associated with Iron Age relics. It was certainly introduced to Britain as a cultivated plant well before the seventeenth century. Broad beans … Continue reading
How to Grow Garden peas
Pimm sativum hortense—Green pea Pisum sativum macrocarpum—Sugar pea Tetragonolobus purpureus—Asparagus pea Green peas, sugar peas (Mangetout or Edible—podded peas) and petit pois—all of which have been developed from the same basic ancestor—are dealt with here along with the reddish flowered … Continue reading
Growing Kale
Brassica oleracea var. acephala (curly kales/ borecole), Brassica napus (plain-leaved, fodder or rape kales) Kales are hardy winter greens and will withstand very severe weather indeed. In Britain they are, therefore, particularly useful in northern districts. Plants may be classified … Continue reading
Grow Your Own Cabbage
Brassica oleracea var. bullata (Savoys) Brassica oleracea var. capitata (other cabbage) Plants in this group are characterized by the large terminal bud which forms the familiar cabbage. Careful management and choice of cultivars allows the gardener to have mature cabbages … Continue reading
How to Grow Cauliflower
Brassical oleracea var. botrytis cauliflora This very important member of the Cabbage family has cultivars which mature at different times of the year and, if a careful choice is made, it is possible for you to have cauliflowers ready almost … Continue reading
How to Grow Brassicas: Brussels Sprouts
Brassicas are an essential feature of any vegetable garden. They provide green leafy vegetables and other edible plant parts over a large part of the year. Many of the plants are derived from the wild cabbage—Brassica oleracea—which is native to … Continue reading