Beginner Plants: Brassicas

Read time: 5 minutes

The next of the 4 plots in the 4-year crop rotation is brassicas, the cabbage and mustard family. These follow the plot the legumes were in last year as they are heavy nitrogen feeders. They will be followed by nightshades, and then onions & roots the year after that.

The beginner plants that I've chosen for this category are cabbage, kale, and radish. If you are sowing these seeds inside, then ideally you'll sow in compost, in either modular trays or small pots.

Cabbage

There are spring, summer, and autumn/winter cabbages. For this beginner plants series I'm going to choose summer cabbages as they have a similar growing season as the other chosen plants.

When to Plant

If you are sowing seeds directly outside, then late February to early May, protecting them from the cold if sowing earlier on. Check the packet of your chosen variety.

If you are sowing the seeds inside then you can plant them at the same time as outside. Check the packet of your chosen variety.

Where to Plant

You want to plant compact varieties 1 ft apart, and larger varieties 18 inches apart. If you are planting outside, make a trench along the row you want to plant cabbages in, or dig holes where you want them to grow, and then sow a couple of seeds per cabbage you want. Usually when you buy cabbage seeds you get hundreds in a pack, so you can, if you want, sow 2 or 3 seeds per hole to have a greater chance of the cabbages growing. If you do this and multiple plants start growing, you'll want to leave only 1 there. There are multiple things you can do if you get multiple growing in a hole. Put them in a pot and give them to someone or sell them to someone; put them somewhere else in the garden, maybe you even have a cabbage spot where no seeds germinated; you can eat the shoots; or you can compost them. 

If planting inside, plant in modular trays or in small pots. If you plant in modular trays, then you may need to pot them on before planting them outside. Plant 1 or 2 seeds per section in a module tray, or 3-4 seeds in the middle of an individual pot. If you have extra seedlings growing, remove them. They can be planted out after around 5 weeks, ensuring you limit root disturbance.

Growing

You'll want to protect plants from slugs, snails and pigeons. Cover with insect proof mesh or fleece, or plant inside a polytunnel. The plants won't be flowering, so you don't need to worry about pollinators also being kept out.

Harvesting

They should be ready to harvest somewhere between 4 and 6 months from sowing, depending on the variety. Once they have a firm head and are a size you are happy with, you can start harvesting. If you are picking more than one, try to pick alternating cabbages, giving the remaining ones more space.

To harvest, cut through the stem just above ground level. You can score a deep cross into the stump and they can produce a second, smaller cabbage. When you have finished harvesting, either after the first or second cabbage, dig the root up to prevent disease.

Kale

Kale shares much of the same sowing season as the other beginner crops, but it will live through winter, even living up to 2 years.

Kale is often, due it's slow growth, planted away from the main bed so that it doesn't take up space during the growing season. It's up to you whether or not you plant it straight to the final position or not. I personally just plant it where I want it to be for the entire season instead of needing to transplant it part-way through the season.

When to Plant

If you are sowing seeds directly outside, then you can do so at any time from March to June.

If you are sowing seeds inside, then do so in March or April.

Where to Plant

If you are planting straight outside, the final positions want to be 18 inches apart, but you can sow them as close as 3 inches apart, which is enough for later transplanting, and should allow you to grow enough for the final spacing. If you are growing them in their final position, you can either grow them 3 inches apart, then harvest some as baby leaves when they get crowded, or pull the seedlings up and do the same as above. If you are growing kale to use the leaves as salad leaves, then you can grow them 3-6 inches apart, keeping them at their original distance. 

If you are sowing seeds inside, then plant 1 or 2 seeds per section in a module, or 3-4 in the middle of an individual pot. If you have extra seedlings growing, remove them. Plant out, after hardening off, in May or June, after the risk of frost has passed.

Growing

You'll want to protect plants from slugs, snails and pigeons. Cover with insect proof mesh or fleece, or plant inside a polytunnel. The plants won't be flowering, so you don't need to worry about pollinators also being kept out.

Harvesting

If you are growing to use as salad leaves, then start harvesting as soon as the plants reach about 6 inches tall. I'd recommend picking individual leaves from multiple plants, always making sure to leave plenty of leaves on the plant. A general rule is to pick no more than 1/3 of the leaves of a plant.

If you are growing for more mature kale leaves, then you can start to remove leaves when the plant reaches 1 ft tall, again making sure to leave plenty of leaves on the plant.

You should be able to harvest leaves once, maybe twice a week once the plants are big enough for you to start harvesting from them.  

Radish

There are winter radish varieties, which I will cover in another post down the line, but for this I have chosen spring/summer radishes as they have a similar growing season to the rest of the plants.

When to Plant

You can plant radishes under cold protection as early as February. You can plant April to July if you want to do so without cold protection. If you want regular harvests, then sow some weekly, rather than all your radish seeds at the same time. Radishes usually do better before the hottest part of the summer.

Where to Plant

Plant radishes directly into their final growing position, spaced about 1-2 inches apart, with 6 inches between rows. If you sow them closer than that, take some out when they start growing.

Growing

You may want to protect plants from slugs, snails and pigeons. Cover with insect proof mesh or fleece, or plant inside a polytunnel. The plants won't be flowering, so you don't need to worry about pollinators also being kept out. I find that once they are established, they are okay with pests until late summer or early autumn when the caterpillars get them.

Harvesting

Early sowings may take 6-8 weeks to harvest, with later sowings taking around 4 weeks. Harvest young when roots are around 1 inch in diameter.

The leaves can also be eaten, although due to the texture it is recommended to cook them. You can pick some leaves from radishes that are still in the ground, or just wait until you harvest it and use all of the leaves too.  

Radishes

I am proud to be affiliated with JustSeed, a company that I have bought seeds from for a few years now. I believe in what they are doing over there, and if you are going to buy seeds, garden tools, or seedlings, then please consider checking them out and using my link below to do so. Thank you for supporting me.

https://justseed.com/?ref=ANGJ

Beginner Plants: Legumes

Read time: 7 mins

One of the 4 plots in the 4-year crop rotation is legumes, which is the pea family. These are used to replace the nitrogen in the soil by using Rhibozium bacteria to help them extract nitrogen from the air. Plants use nitrogen for leaf growth, and because of this, green leafy plants use the most nitrogen. Brassicas are heavy nitrogen feeders, so they will be planted in this legume plot next year, with nightshades the year after and onions & roots the year after that.

The beginner plants I've chosen for this category are runner beans and peas. Runner beans can be harvested young and sliced and used as green beans, or left to mature, shelled, and used as a bean. For peas I personally prefer a variety where you pick them young and can eat the pods too, such as mangetout or sugar snap, as it saves a lot of time, not needing to shell them, but you grow these peas or garden varieties in the same way, so you decide whether you'd rather shell the peas and eat them as peas, or buy a variety where you can eat the entire thing.

Growing runner beans

When to plant

If you are planting the seeds directly outside, then after your last frost. They will not like a frost, so it's best to wait until you are safe from any more frosts. You can find a map here. 

Alternatively, if you want to plant them outside directly into their final growing position, you can do so under a coldframe or polytunnel, which I talk about here. You can do this a few weeks before you expect your last frost, maybe less if it's a coldframe as they might outgrow it before you can plant them out.

If you are planting the seeds inside in pots or trays, either in a greenhouse, polytunnel, coldframe or your home, then you can do this a few weeks before your last frost, and then transplant the seedlings out after your risk of frost has gone.

Where to plant

If you are planting the seeds directly outside then one or two beans at the base of each wigwam, in the ground, covered with soil but not too deep. Remove the wigwams, but mark where they are, if covering with a coldframe.

If you are planting the seeds inside, then plant them in trays or individual pots. I like to use old mushroom trays, the big white/transparent ones. You can see a picture in the pea section of this post. Fill your container with soil, compost, or a mix of the two, and half bury the runner beans, up to the white bit halfway down the long side of the bean. One bean per module in a 12-module tray, probably 2 in the small individual pots, and if you use the large mushroom tray, I manage to fit 3 rows of 5 beans in each tray (you can use a similar spacing if you have other sized trays). Transplant seedlings out, being careful to minimise root disturbance, after risk of frost has passed.

Growing

Runner beans will want growing supports as they are climbers. 

You can use an existing wire fence, although it can be time consuming getting the plant off at the end of the season. 

Alternatively you can use wigwams. These are usually set up in an obelisk shape. You can either use bamboo canes or branches from pruned trees, at least 6 feet in length (1.8 metres). Form a circle around the base with the sticks around 6 inches apart, using between 5 and 8 canes. Angle the canes towards each other near the top, so that they cross over each other and you can tie string or twine around them to keep them together. You'll plant the beans at the base of each cane and they will grow up them.

If outside in the ground, water in dry spells, but otherwise they should be okay. If they are under cover or in a pot or raised bed, then you may need to water more frequently. 

Harvesting

Beans should be ready to pick from around July onwards. You ideally want to pick them young and use them as green beans rather than shelling them. You can get continual harvests up until autumn. Pick them when the beans are still small and you can't really feel or see them within the pods. If you are eating as green beans, then cut the top and bottom off the bean and cut the bean at an angle multiple times, so that you have a few pieces, and then cook them by steaming, boiling or frying.

If you want fully grown beans, either for saving to plant next year, or to eat, then leave the pods on the plant until the beans have swollen up and you can fully see and feel the outline of the beans in the pods. If it's your first time, pick one you think is ready and open it up (you can pop it at the top or bottom and then peel down the side) and see how mature the bean is. It will be more pink than the ones you planted, but that colour will soon go.  

Runner bean flower

Growing peas

When to Plant

Peas can be planted inside or outside in spring, as early as March. They like the cool weather and tolerate frosts. However, they will want around 10°C to germinate. You can soak peas for a few hours to overnight to help them germinate faster.

Where to Plant

If you are planting them directly outside into their final growing position, then sow the peas 2 inches deep in rows about 3 inches apart, with a 1 ft space between the rows (meaning around 1.5 - 2ft between the plants).

Planting distance doesn't need to be exact, it's just a rough distance to aim for. I personally find it easier working in inches and feet, as my garden shoes are about 1 ft in length, so i can estimate quickly. For peas, you could walk along the row planting seeds 1 ft apart, and then go back and put 3 evenly spaced peas in between each pea. Or you could cut some string or twine, and mark with pen or ribbons or something every ft along it, place that beside the row and then do the same thing.

If you are planting them inside then plant them in trays or individual pots. I like to use old mushroom trays, the big white/transparent ones, which you can see in the picture below. Fill your container with soil, compost, or a mix of the two, and half bury the peas halfway into the soil. One pea per module in a 12-module tray, 2 or 3 in the small individual pots, and if you use the large mushroom tray, either 15 or 18 peas, with 3 rows of 5 peas in each tray or 3 rows of 6 (you can use a similar spacing if you have other sized trays). Transplant seedlings out, being careful to minimise root disturbance, after a couple of weeks.

Growing

Dwarf varieties of peas don't need growing support, but some varieties do, and some don't need it, but will benefit from growing support. You can place chicken wire between the rows, or short bamboo canes or sticks pruned from trees. 

If outside in the ground, water in dry spells, but otherwise they should be okay. If they are under cover or in a pot or raised bed, then you may need to water more frequently.  

Harvesting

You can start harvesting peas from about 12 weeks after planting, so from around June, and can continue regular picking until October. Regular picking encourages more pods to form.

Pick shelling/garden varieties when the pods are filled. If you are growing sugar snap or mangetout (where you can eat the entire pod) pick the pods when they are starting to develop and around 3 inches long.

Pea seedlings in an old mushroom tray

Growing Broad Beans

When to Plant

If you want a summer harvest, then broad beans can be planted early on in the growing season, as early as February if planting inside or protected outside. Plant in March or April if planting outside unprotected.

Plant seedlings outside in March or April, after hardening off. 

Where to Plant 

If you are planting them directly outside into their final growing position, then sow the peas 2 inches deep in rows about 6 inches apart, with an 18 inch space (1.5ft) between the rows.

Planting distance doesn't need to be exact, it's just a rough distance to aim for. For broad beans, you could walk along the row planting seeds 1 ft apart, and then go back and put 1 evenly spaced bean in between each bean planted. Or you could cut some string or twine, and mark with pen or ribbons or something every ft along it, place that beside the row and then do the same thing. 

If you are planting them inside then plant them in trays or individual pots. I like to use old mushroom trays, the big white/transparent ones, which you can see in the picture in the pea section of this post. Fill your container with soil, compost, or a mix of the two, and half bury the beans halfway into the soil. One pea per module in a 12-module tray, 2 in the small individual pots, and if you use the large mushroom tray, 15 beans, with 3 rows of 5 beans in each tray or 3 rows of 6 (you can use a similar spacing if you have other sized trays). Transplant seedlings out, being careful to minimise root disturbance, after a few weeks.

Growing

Dwarf varieties of broad beans don't need growing support, but some varieties do, and some don't need it, but will benefit from growing support. You can place chicken wire between the rows, or short bamboo canes or sticks pruned from trees.

If outside in the ground, water in dry spells, but otherwise they should be okay. If they are under cover or in a pot or raised bed, then you may need to water more frequently.  

Harvesting

They can be ready to harvest from May onwards, depending on variety and when you planted the seeds. Regular picking encourages more pods to form. Pods lower down the plant should mature first.

If you want to harvest the entire pod, then pick the beans when they are young and about 3 inches long, cooking them whole.

If you want to harvest them as beans and shell them, they still want to be fairly small and young, but a bit bigger. The 'scar' on the pod should still be either white or green. Once that turns black, the beans will be tougher. 

A broad bean plant flowering

I am proud to be affiliated with JustSeed, a company that I have bought seeds from for a few years now. I believe in what they are doing over there, and if you are going to buy seeds, garden tools, or seedlings, then please consider checking them out and using my link below to do so. Thank you for supporting me.

https://justseed.com/?ref=ANGJ

Gardening in the Cold

Read time: 4 mins

On those cold nights in early autumn when we are heading towards the first frosts, or in those same nights in early spring, usually when we're still getting the occasional frost, you can protect your plants from the cold. You can do this in a few ways. Planting them in a greenhouse or polytunnel, covering them with coldframes or fleece, or putting them inside. I'm going to go through all of these methods and will refer back to these in the plant specific posts.

Greenhouses

A transparent glass or plastic enclosed structure. They can protect plants from frost and many pests, with windows to open for airflow and pollinators. There can be beds in there for growing plants in their final position, or you can place pots/trays of seedlings or fully grown plants in them. You'll need to manually water any plants that are in a greenhouse. If you have a heated greenhouse you can grow things year-round.

Polytunnels

A tunnel covered with translucent polyethelene, usually with a steel or plastic structure. They work in the same way as a greenhouse, but can be moved and are usually much cheaper. They heat up to make them warmer than the outside air and can protect from frosts, as well as many pests. Place it in the garden to cover plants in their final growing position or use it to protect potted plants and seedlings. Open vents and windows for airflow and to let pollinators in. You'll need to manually water any plants that are in a polytunnel. This is the method I'll probably be using next season.

Coldframes

They are like a box that is either fully transparent or at least a transparent lid. It's placed over your plants, or plants in pots placed in them. They protect from frosts. Useful for protecting plants from one of those random one-off frosts or getting a headstart on a small number of plants. Open the lid during warmer days so that the plants don't overheat. Plants will need to be manually watered. They offer protection from some pests.

Fleece

A lightweight, porous fabric that is wrapped around or covering plants, protecting them from frosts and many pests. Used to cover plants in pots or plants in the ground. Plants inside a fleece can sweat during the day in mild weather, as well as getting damp during the night, so it's a good idea to open up or remove the fleece during the day to prevent rotting of plants. These plants won't need to be manually watered, unless you go through a dry spell. If using for seedlings, make a frame and cover the area with fleece.

Inside

Plant seeds in trays or pots inside, or grow potted plants inside. Plants inside are protected from almost all pests. South facing windows provide the best natural light, but this isn't always enough, so you can use grow lights to provide plants with enough light to be healthy. Plants will need to be manually watered.

Spring

When the days are generally sunny or bright, and the weather is starting to warm up in spring, but you are still getting some frosts, using the below can allow you to extend your growing season and start plants off earlier.

Greenhouses and Polytunnels

Plant seeds in trays or pots within the structure. Or plant into their final growing position in beds in the greenhouse or the ground in a polytunnel. They should get warm during the day and will protect from frosts at night, allowing you to get a few weeks headstart. At this time of year, provided the structure isn't placed in the shade, plants should get plenty of light.

Coldframes

Plant seeds in trays or pots inside a coldframe, or place the coldframe over plants that are in the ground. This should protect plants from frosts and most pests and get warm during the day, giving plants a few weeks headstart, or protecting from one-off frosts. 

Fleece

Not used as often for fully grown plants in spring. Wrap fleece around a frame and place over seedlings in their growing position or place pots inside to protect them from frosts.

Inside

Plant seeds in trays or pots, or grow plants in pots inside. Having them inside will protect them from frosts, and can get warm, depending on the temperature of your home.

Autumn and Winter

When the weather starts to cool and you are expecting to get some frosts, using the below you can extend your growing season further into autumn or winter.

Greenhouses and Polytunnels

Plants can be moved into the structures, allowing you to extend the growing season and protect from frosts and pests. Or planted in a bed or ground within the structure if you plan ahead and want an extended growing season.

Coldframes

Place the coldframe over plants that are in the ground. They should protect from frosts and most pests and get warm during the day, extending the growing season and protecting from one-off frosts. 

Fleece

Cover or wrap around plants to protect them from frosts and allow them to survive longer, taking off during warm or sunny days.

Inside

Move potted plants inside to protect them from frosts. Grow lights preferred here as it isn't as light at this time of the year.

I am proud to be affiliated with JustSeed, a company that I have bought seeds from for a few years now. I believe in what they are doing over there, and if you are going to buy seeds, garden tools, or seedlings, then please consider checking them out and using my link below to do so.

https://justseed.com/?ref=ANGJ

Frost Dates

Read time: 2 mins

What are frost dates?

There are two types of frost date that are used for gardening. The first frost date is the date in which you can expect to get the first frost of the year, with the last frost date being the expected time that you will receive the last frost of that year. By year I'm referring to the gardening year, starting with the first frost date and carrying on for an entire year until that time comes again.

Your last frost date will typically be in spring, and your first frost date in late autumn or early winter. The website I use, linked at the bottom of the post, gives it in a 10-day range, and should be used more as a rough guide than an exact number. For example, my first frost in 2024 was a month before I would usually expect it, and as of writing this post I still shouldn't have had a frost. It's a good idea to have your rough frost dates in mind, but keep an eye on the weather forecast, even as early as a month or two out from those dates.

You can get a ground frost when the air temperature is as high as 4°C (39°F), although that's usually only on a clear night and will only be a light frost, meaning only the ground will freeze and not the air. But this can still cause problems for plants, so you'll want to look out for temperatures just above 0°C (32°F) when looking for frosts.

Planning with the last frost

The last frost date typically signals the date from which you can plant seedlings out. Some plants, such as spinach and peas are fine to be planted out when it's still cold, however most summer crops can be killed by a frost, so it's best to wait until you won't get any more frosts for the year. If you want to plant out before the last frost in your area, there are multiple ways in which you can. Cold frames, greenhouses, and polytunnels can help here, as can growing inside.

I will be referencing the last frosts a lot more than the first frosts in other posts, as the last frost of the year is relevant to planting out a lot of seedlings or sowing seeds outside. It's a good idea to note down your expected range for first and last frosts, as it's easier to reference frost dates for plantings because it will be different for everyone.

Planning with the first frost

The first frost date typically signals the date at which the 'summer' growing period is over. Some plants, such as carrots, parsnips, and some brassicas, can be grown or stay in the ground during winter, but many common plants won't survive, or do very well, when the weather gets that cold, so you'll want to be harvesting most things before this time of year.

When are your frost dates?

Frost dates can vary quite a lot within the UK, and much more country to country. Some places in the UK may not even get a frost for the entire year, others might be frost-free from late February onwards, giving them very long growing windows. April is the most common month in the UK for people to be getting their last frost, whereas those with the shortest growing window may have to wait until late June for the frosts to leave for summer. 

The earliest first frosts in the UK, for those that can expect a frost, should come at the start of October. However this year much of the UK had frosts in early October. The last 10 days of November and first 10 days of December are the most common within the UK, with some places not getting a frost until January.

You can find below links to maps of the first and last frost dates for the UK, the maps that I personally use.

https://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-united-kingdom-last-frost-date-map.php

https://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-united-kingdom-first-frost-date-map.php

I am proud to be affiliated with JustSeed, a company that I have bought seeds from for a few years now. I believe in what they are doing over there, and if you are going to buy seeds, garden tools, or seedlings, then please consider checking them out and using my link below to do so. Thank you for supporting me.

https://justseed.com/?ref=ANGJ

Garden Pests

Read time: 6 mins

What are pests?

Pests are destructive animals that attack any plant you don't want them to. There are ways to kill them if that's what you want to do, and you can find lots of information about that in other places, but I won't be mentioning any of them here. I will be going through ways to deter pests, protect plants, and encourage pest predators to your garden.

Pests can also benefit the garden in many ways. And unless they are an invasive species, they are a vital part of the ecosystem, providing food for other animals, pollinating, spreading seeds, and decomposing organic matter, which is why I focus on non-lethal control methods. 

I'm going to list some of the main pests and the general things they will do, as well as the best method to use against them. I'll then mention in individual plant posts which pests might cause you problems for that plant specifically.

What do pests do to plants?

Pigeons and other birds

Pigeons will eat seeds that aren't sown deeply enough, and eat seedlings that aren't protected. Other birds will also do this, but in my experience pigeons are the biggest culprit. Birds will also eat fruit from trees and bushes, like cherries, raspberries and blueberries.

Although birds of prey and foxes can prey on birds it's hard to attract these to your garden, so the best way to deal with these pests is going to be to protect your plants with some kind of netting or fence, or grow them in a polytunnel or greenhouse. 

Rabbits, hares and squirrels

These will eat a wide variety of plants, eating leaves and shoots of young plants, often killing the plants or eating the entire thing. They may also dig holes that can uproot plants or damage root systems.

This is the same as birds, where birds of prey and foxes can prey on these animals too, it's hard to attract these to your garden, so the best way to deal with these pests is going to be to protect your plants with some kind of netting or fence, or grow them in a polytunnel or greenhouse. If your fence has small holes in it, is less than 2-3 feet high, or isn't buried into the ground enough, then rabbits can still find their way into your garden even if it is fenced off. Squirrels will find their way in regardless of a fence.

Hare in the garden

Deer

They will eat plants and fruit, and due to their large size they can cause issues very quickly. 

Many people will already have fences around their garden, which will mean you likely won't have any problems with deer, but if you don't have that protection, then cages or fences are going to be the go to here, as well as growing in a greenhouse or polytunnel.

Mice and rats 

They will eat seeds, seedlings, and fruit/vegetables. They can also get into compost bins or piles and eat the material in there. They may also dig holes in the garden, either to burrow or to get to below-ground vegetables. 

Birds of prey, foxes, weasels and snakes eat these rodents, but they can be hard to attract to your garden. You can however plant certain strong smelling plants that they do not like and can deter them. As well as trying not to compost with food scraps outside of a compost bin, and putting your compost bin on a slab or something similar so that they cannot dig their way in. 

A barn owl with a fresh kill

Slugs and snails

They will eat the leaves of plants, loving to go after seedlings. They can very quickly destroy plants and lay hundreds of eggs every year, quickly multiplying.

There are a few non-lethal methods that you can use here.

Encourage predators to your garden. There are so many animals that eat slugs and their eggs. Predatory insects, including beetles, centipedes, and spiders, can be attracted by having places to hide, like mulches, ground cover, log and leaf piles. Rodents and moles will also eat slugs, as will foxes. Some birds will also eat them, and having bushes or hedges can provide cover for some of the smaller birds to hide and nest in. Frogs and toads are great for slug control, and these can be attracted (it can take a while) by having a wet area like a pond or fountain that they can access, as well as plenty of places for them to shelter during the heat of the day and predators. Ponds, bushes and places to nest can attract hedgehogs to the garden, who eat smaller slugs and snails. If you have fences surrounding your garden, you can make a 'hedgehog highway' to allow them access, although be aware this may also let other things in, so you may want to take precautions with your plants if you do this. 

Trap crops. Planting one of their preferred plants near the plants you want to protect, and even away from them to attract them there instead, can mean them focusing on the sacrificial plant instead of the ones you want to grow. Certain species of cabbage or mustard are high on their list.

Deter with strong smelling plants. Foxgloves, lavender, roses and many aromatic herbs, as well as other plants, can repel slugs due to their dislike of the smell. Planting these throughout the garden, especially nearby the plants you are trying to protect, is a good method.

Relocation. If all else fails, or you'd rather do this alongside other methods, you can always pick them up and move them somewhere else. I do find myself going outside when there are freshly planted seedlings out there to put the slugs in a bucket and move them further down the garden. Just be careful of where you relocate them to, you don't want someone else to lose all of their plants because you took the slugs to their garden.

Black slug in the grass

Caterpillars

They will eat leaves, flowers, seeds, and even the fruit. However, they are the larval stage of butterflies and moths, which are hugely beneficial pollinators in the garden. 

Mint, sage and lavender can repel caterpillars, so planting these nearby can keep them off of plants. Insects can eat them, so providing places for them to hide, like mulches, ground cover, log and leaf piles can be good here. 

Some birds and mammals will also eat caterpillars, so the same method as above can be useful.

But I often find myself leaving them and trying to make sure they don't spread too far, as I love having moths and butterflies in the garden, so sacrificing a couple of plants is fine to me. 

Hawk-moth caterpillar

Aphids and whiteflies 

They will suck sap out of plants or encourage diseases, leading to stunted growth or dying plants. Ants will actually farm aphids, milking the honeydew that forms on the aphid from sucking the sap out of the plant. This is a fascinating process, so I'll definitely do a short blog post on it in the future.

Ladybirds, lacewings and spiders are good for killing aphids. They are attracted to pollen-rich flowers like yarrow and dill, and if you provide shelter and places for them to overwinter such as hollow stemmed plants, straw, and even bushes and the underside of leaves, then they will want to stay in your garden.

What can you do about pests?

Protect plants

Netting or growing in cages can protect plants from rabbits, deer, rodents and birds. Garden netting or chicken wire are commonly used, along with frames or posts. I try to use branches from pruned trees to form my structures, but you can buy metal frames or posts or canes. You'll want to be careful with pollination if you are netting or caging. Either choose netting with big enough holes for bees, butterflies, etc. to fit through, or remove the netting for a period while the plants are flowering.

Growing in a greenhouse or polytunnel, or anywhere inside, will also protect your plants from rabbits, deer, rodents and birds. In a house will also protect from slugs and caterpillars. You need to be careful with pollination again, leaving greenhouse or polytunnel windows open at times during the flowering process, and hand pollinating inside plants. There's a lack of wind here, so insect pollination (or hand pollination) is extra important.

Deter pests

Crop rotation can make it harder for pests to find plants, and reduce the numbers over time.

Companion planting can be used to either attract pests to other plants, hide plants from pests, or attract predators prey on the pests.

Encourage predators

Through companion planting, or having lots of flowers in your garden, you can attract many different insects to your garden, some of which are predators for pests.

Giving these predators places to hide, shelter and overwinter will make them more likely to stick around and help you year after year.

Avoiding the use of chemicals, as they can keep pest predators away.

Nest of orb-weaver spiderlings

I am proud to be affiliated with JustSeed, a company that I have bought seeds from for a few years now. I believe in what they are doing over there, and if you are going to buy seeds, garden tools, or seedlings, then please consider checking them out and using my link below to do so. Thank you for supporting me.

https://justseed.com/?ref=ANGJ

Companion Planting

Read time: 4 mins

What is companion planting?

Companion planting is growing different crops together, choosing plants that benefit or complement each other. These may be planted at the same time or grown in mostly separate seasons, just overlapping at some point. You can even extend the concept to plants that are not grown together at any point in their life cycle, but follow one another in the garden bed.

This post is about why you should consider companion planting, along with some examples of good combinations. Similarly to the Planting Seeds: Inside or Outside post, it's to give you an understanding of it so that I can mention it in the individual plant posts with a brief reason and then move on. 

What are the benefits of companion planting?

Efficient use of space

Plants with big roots, like tomatoes, need to be planted quite far apart for optimal growth, as the roots can spread quite far. Plants with smaller roots, like basil, can be planted in gaps between the bigger crops to use that space. The amount of smaller plants you can fit in is going to vary, but even 1 smaller rooted plant in between can save space and allow you to grow more.

Provide shade 

Planting bigger plants next to others can provide them with shade. Some plants like the shade or want to be shaded during the hottest part of the day in summer, such as lettuce and spinach, which will often bolt in the heat, going to seed and slowing the production of leaves. The leaves of some species will go bitter when they bolt too, so unless you are trying to grow them to save seeds, bolting is something you'll want to try and avoid if you can.

Provide growing support 

Tall, strong stemmed plants like corn or sunflower can provide a growing support for climbing plants like beans or squashes, whereas the alternative is to grow them up cane supports. There's an ancient method called the Three Sisters, used by Native American tribes, where the squash plants on the ground shade the soil and provide weed suppression, and the corn grows tall, providing a climbing support for the beans. Support can also be offered by protecting from wind, or even somewhere for the plant to lean so that its weight can be supported and it doesn't snap.

Attracting beneficial insects

Nearby flowers can attract pollinators. Fruits are formed from flowers that have been pollinated, and while some are wind pollinated, others need insects to do this for them, or are more reliably pollinated by insects rather than the wind. You can hand pollinate, but it can be hard and time consuming to do so.

Protection from pests 

Scent is one way that insects can find plants, so hiding crops by masking the scent of other crops can make them harder for pests to find, or strong smelling plants used to deter the pests. 

Some insects will eat common pests, like aphids. You can attract these predatory insects to your plants, or the area they are in, and hopefully they will reduce your pest problem.

There are some crops that pests prefer. You can plant some sacrificial crops, called 'trap crops' that should attract pests as they are a preferred plant over the one you are trying to protect. It's a bonus if you can compliment that with attracting predators. You may also be able to harvest something from the trap crop at the end of the season, or get some nice flowers from it during the growing season.

Improve flavour 

Some crops improve the flavour of other crops when planted nearby. This is supposedly the case for improving the flavour of tomatoes by planting basil next to them. 

Provide nutrients 

Planting legumes, which can add nitrogen to the soil, next to a plant that's a heavy nitrogen feeder can provide it with additional nutrients during the growing season, leading to better growth.

A beautiful nasturtium flower

Plants to grow together

Marigolds and tomatoes. Marigolds can help deter whiteflies and aphids, while also attracting pollinators.

Marigolds and beans. Marigolds can deter pests, attract insect predators for the pests, and attract pollinators.

Borage and strawberries. Borage attracts pollinators and insect predators for pests, and is also said to improve the growth and taste of strawberries. While it isn't native, borage is naturalised to the UK and not deemed invasive. And you can cut the head off before seeding if you want to be extra safe.

Lavender and carrots/leeks. The strong scent can repel or 'confuse' pests, as well as attracting pollinators to the area (which aren't useful for the carrots or leeks unless you are allowing them to go to seed, but can benefit the garden in general). Lavender is perennial, meaning it lives for more than two years, so its placement in your garden will be permanent or semi-permanent, unless you grow it in pots and move it around the garden or transplant it.

Nasturtiums can be a companion to many plants, including those in the brassica and nightshade families. They can repel pests, draw others away from plants, and attract pollinators.

There are a lot more pairs that you can grow together, and I will recommend some in the individual plant posts, along with the benefit that they can provide.

A Marigold flower in the garden amongst the crops.

Plants to avoid growing together

While there are many plants that do well when grown together, there are plants you want to avoid growing too close to each other. This is sort of a different topic, but I think it fits within this well enough to put them together, and it makes sense to mention those to avoid growing together at the same time as I'm recommending plants to grow together.

Alliums and legumes. Plants in the onion family can stunt the growth of legumes if grown too close.

Brassicas and strawberries/tomatoes. They compete for nutrients and moisture, and strawberry growth can be inhibited.

And many more.

I am proud to be affiliated with JustSeed, a company that I have bought seeds from for a few years now. I believe in what they are doing over there, and if you are going to buy seeds, garden tools, or seedlings, then please consider checking them out and using my link below to do so. Thank you for supporting me.

https://justseed.com/?ref=ANGJ

Planting Seeds: Inside or Outside?

Read time: 4 mins

If you want to plant your own seeds instead of buying seedlings or transplanting, then you can either sow seeds directly into their final growing position, or start them in seed trays or pots, and later transplant them to their final growing position. Some plants you can only really sow the seeds inside, some plants you can only really sow the seeds outside, and some plants you have more of a choice. I say seeds here because most are grown from seeds, but I'm also including potatoes, onions, and garlic, which are grown from the thing itself.

Squashes planted inside in newspaper cups

Why sow seeds inside?

Some plants need to be started early enough that in most places it's going to be too cold to plant them outside. It's recommended to plant these inside to get the most out of the growing season. If you wait to sow them outside then they'll have a shorter growing period and they may not be ready to harvest before the end of the season, or you may get less, smaller or unripe fruit from them.

Quicker plant growth. You can control the light and temperature that they are getting, making it warm enough for them to grow well and extra light than they would be getting outside in winter and spring. This can give your plants a headstart, leading to bigger and/or stronger plants, as well as more fruit.

Reduce the damage from pests. Having plants inside removes most of the pests that may attack a young plant, like slugs, snails and birds. You may still get flies or aphids, but usually less pests than outside. Seeds sown outside can be protected, as can outdoor seedlings, but this won't always work and planting inside removes that from the equation.

You have a mulch outside, which can prevent seeds from sprouting, unless you remove it.

Why sow seeds directly outside?

You don't want to disturb the roots. Plants generally don't like their roots being disturbed, but if you are careful (taking the entire pot or modules worth of soil or compost out with the plants) then many plants don't mind being transplanted. However, crops where the roots are the main part of the crop (potatoes, carrots, etc.) do not like being transplanted. 

The temperature has warmed up by the time the seeds want sowing. This is going to be most of the plants that were traditionally grown in the UK.

You have a way of protecting the young plants from the cold and frosts. Greenhouses, polytunnels, cold frames or fleeces can be used to keep them warm enough during the still cold spring.

You want to plant seeds the easier and quicker way. Needing to only plant once instead of double plant (sowing seeds inside and then planting the seedlings outside).

You don't have the equipment, or don't want to get the equipment needed for planting seeds inside. Speaking of which, what equipment do you need?

A young mustard plant sown directly outside

What do you need to start seeds indoors?

Grow lights

Plants need light, and even southern facing windowsills don't really give seeds enough light. You could get by, but the plant growth won't be as good. A greenhouse or glass conservatory would provide enough light and be good enough, but grow lights would still provide more light.

Heated mat or propagator

Lots of seeds want to be warm to germinate, often between 20 and 30 degrees. The seedlings ideally want to stay above 10 degrees. Heat mats and heated propagators usually increase the temperature of a room by 10 degrees, so if you don't have somewhere that will be those temperatures, then heat mats or propagators may help you.

Trays or pots

Modular trays or individual pots are most commonly used for growing seeds inside, due to the ability to plant them out while minimally disturbing the roots. You may sometimes 'pot up', and move a plant into a bigger pot as they get too big for their current pot to prevent them getting rootbound. They can be bought from any garden centre and should be available in every shop that sells some garden things. Or you can use newspaper, like I sometimes do, with a paper pot maker. Tear strips of newpaper and roll them up, making small pots.

Compost

Use a light compost so that the seedlings can push through when they emerge. Compost should provide enough nutrients in that small pot for the seedlings until you plant them out to their final growing position.

Which to choose?

I'm going to go through all of the plants from Plants to Grow for Beginners, and put them into categories. Plants you should start inside, those to start outside, and those that can be started either way. I will go into more detail in the individual beginner plant posts coming up.

Inside

Tomatoes, cucumber, courgette, winter squash. These can be started outside if you want to, but it's recommended to start them indoors. Basil and coriander fit into this category from the herbs.

Outside

Potatoes, radish, garlic, onion, carrots, parsnip, beetroot. These really need to be started outside as they won't like to be transplanted, and with the potatoes, garlic and possibly onions, you'll be planting something quite big anyway, so may not even have the space inside. Most flowers and herbs can be planted inside, but it's unnecessary and won't really benefit them, so can be planted outside. 

Either

Peas, broad beans, runner beans, kale, cabbage, lettuce, spinach. These plants can do well sown either inside or outside, and it's really personal preference which you do.

I prioritise those that do best from being planted inside, and try to plant enough of those inside for how many I want to grow (grow some extras in case they don't come up or don't survive), and then see how much space I have left for those that can be planted either. Also combined with the timings of when they will be growing. I'll go into more depth in the individual posts for how important it is for each beginner plant, and then in the future when I include other plants I'll do the same for those.

I am proud to be affiliated with JustSeed, a company that I have bought seeds from for a few years now. I believe in what they are doing over there, and if you are going to buy seeds, garden tools, or seedlings, then please consider checking them out and using my link below to do so. Thank you for supporting me.

https://justseed.com/?ref=ANGJ

Crop Rotation

Read time: 7 mins

What is crop rotation?

Put simply, crop rotation is growing different crops sequentially in the same area. What I'm going to focus on here is a 4-year rotation, as splitting the crops into 4 categories works well. Each category has its own space in the garden, and shifts to another one each year, so by the 5th year everything is back into the plot that it started in.

Before moving on I want to mention plants that are grown out of rotation. Flowers, herbs, squashes, corn, and salad leaves are commonly grown plants that don't need to go into the regular rotation. If you want to grow these then you can have other section(s) in the garden for them, or plug gaps in your 4-plot rotation with them. Spreading flowers throughout your garden might be a good idea, as they can be very good for attracting pollinators, which you need to pollinate the flowers of some of your food crops in order for you to get fruits from them. 

My posts about the individual categories will go into more detail about growing all of these plants and will hopefully help you decide how to ultimately split up your garden. So from now on in this post when I talk about splitting up your garden, it is only with regards to the 4-year rotation part of the garden. Just bear in mind that if you want any of the other plants mentioned, that you will want space for them too, so the 4-year rotation may not take up your entire growing space.

What are the benefits of crop rotation?

Replace soil nutrients

In order to grow, plants use sunlight, water, and 'food' in the form of nutrients. This means that any plants you are growing will take nutrients out of the soil. Different plants will use different amounts of each nutrient found in the soil, so by growing the same crop in the same location year after year, you will deplete the soil as you'll be taking the same nutrients out every year. This is especially bad for plants that are heavy feeders of one nutrient (like brassicas and nitrogen). So rotating crops can give the soil a 'break' and a chance to add nutrients back into the soil. Some plants, like legumes, will even add nutrients back into the soil. Legumes do this by converting some of the nitrogen gas from the air into a form that plants can use.

Combat disease

If you plant the same crops in the same location year after year, then diseases can take hold, such as club root in brassicas. However, if you rotate the crops, the disease might not have a host plant the following year and may die, and it will be harder for the disease to take hold. There are a variety of diseases that plants can get, but they usually kill the plant or severely damage it, leading to a loss of crop. There are many ways you can attempt to manage diseases, but this is a good place to start to try and prevent it easily and naturally.

Fight Pests

Many insects are host-specific, meaning they will only reproduce (and survive) on a specific plant. If you plant the same plants in the same area every year, it makes it easier for insects to find them and can cause a build-up, with them nesting there year after year after year, making it harder and harder to control the pest population. They use smell, taste or sight to identify plants, so moving the plants each year can reduce the number that are able to successfully find the host plants and manage to lay eggs nearby. This can be combined with companion plants, which I will be releasing a blog about soon, to an even greater effect, and leave you better able to manage the pests.

Splitting up the garden

While there are 4 categories to work with, you can split the garden into 4 or 8 fairly equal sections. The reason for the options of either 4 or 8 is mainly because of potatoes and tomatoes. You don't want to grow potatoes in the same spot every year and the same applies to tomatoes. The same also applies to planting tomatoes after potatoes or potatoes after tomatoes. However, you also shouldn't plant tomatoes and potatoes too close together. 

The reason they don't want to be planted in the same place after each other (or themselves) or be planted next to each other is due to the increased chance of disease, which can lead to dying plants and fruit. So this means that if you want to grow both tomatoes and potatoes in a crop-rotation, you either need to plant them far enough away from each other (10ft or 3m) within the same plot, or in different plots to each other.

I would recommend 4 plots if you only want to grow either potatoes or tomatoes, or if you only want to grow one of them in a given year, or if you have space within each plot to have 10ft (3m) between your potatoes and tomatoes, or if you don't mind the risk of having an increased chance of disease impacting them.

I would recommend 8 plots if you want to grow both tomatoes and potatoes and you don't have the space within 1 garden plot to split them up.

If you split the growing area into 8, I'd recommend labelling them A1, A1, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, D2 or similar, keeping with the 4 categories.

What size to make the plots?

Your plots don't have to be exactly the same shape and size, but getting them roughly the same size in a way that fits the shape of your growing area would be ideal, as then you can grow similar numbers of each crop year after year, not really needing to change your plan much. And if there are some of the plants you don't want to grow as many of in one of the sections, you can fill the space in that section with the other plants that don't need to go into a rotation. 

However, if this doesn't suit your growing area or you want to (or don't mind) have, for example, lots of potatoes and tomatoes one year and then not many another year, then you can split the garden into sections of any size. I personally find it easier to have the same sizes so that I don't need to adjust my plans every year, but that doesn't mean it's also the best way for you to do it.

How to do crop rotation?

A 4-year crop rotation is likely to be the best, provided you will be wanting to grow at least some crops from each category.

The four categories are: legumes, brassicas, potatoes, onions & roots.

Legumes, which includes the varieties of beans and peas. Peanuts are included here, but like peppers, they will probably benefit from being grown in a pot or greenhouse.

Brassicas, which includes brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, calabrese, kale, radish, mustard, swede, turnip.

Potatoes, which includes potatoes and tomatoes. Aubergine and peppers are also in this family, but can be grown anywhere in rotation, and might benefit from being grown in pots or a greenhouse anyway.

Onions & Roots: Onion, garlic, leek, beetroot, carrots, celeriac, celery, salsify, parsnips.

Plots in rotation

Brassicas follow legumes because brassicas are heavy nitrogen feeders and legumes can add nitrogen to the soil, providing plenty of nutrients for the brassicas the following year. Onions & roots are last in the rotation because root vegetables don't particularly like soil heavy in nutrients, and it will lead to a lot of leaf growth rather than the root itself (which is the main edible part). Legumes follow onions & roots as the roots break up the soil which is good for legumes.

Plot A - Year 1 is legumes, followed by brassicas in year 2, potatoes in year 3, and onions & roots in year 4. Going back to legumes in year 5.

This order follows in every plot in the garden, just with each plot being 1 year behind plot A. Meaning:

Plot B is brassicas in year 1, potatoes in year 2, onions & roots in year 3, and legumes in year 4.

Plot C is potatoes in year 1, onions & roots in year 2, legumes in year 3, and brassicas in year 4.

Plot D is onions & roots in year 1, legumes in year 2, brassicas in year 3, and potatoes in year 4.

Which plants don't need to be rotated?

There are some common crops that don't need to go into a set rotation like the other crops you are growing. This includes plants in the squash family, corn, salad leaves, and sunflowers. Although it's still recommended to plant these crops in different areas each year, as planting them in the same place year after year can remove vital nutrients from the soil, create diseases and mean pest problems.

Perennial vegetables like rhubarb, asparagus, and 'berries' also don't need to be included in a crop rotation plan. As well as flowers you want to plant around the garden. 

What if you don't want to grow crops from every category?

If you don't want to grow crops from some categories, or not enough to fill that plot, then you can plant something else in that plot that year, like the plants that don't need to be in a rotation plan. I would recommend if you aren't filling a plot with legumes, that you add nitrogen to the soil in other ways, such as growing a green manure in autumn and cutting it down in winter and digging it into the soil. You may want to do this anyway, but it's especially important if you aren't growing legumes.

I am proud to be affiliated with JustSeed, a company that I have bought seeds from for a few years now. I believe in what they are doing over there, and if you are going to buy seeds, garden tools, or seedlings, then please consider checking them out and using my link below to do so. Thank you for supporting me.

https://justseed.com/?ref=ANGJ

Plants to Grow for Beginners

Read time: 4 mins

This post is just to outline the plants I've chosen that I believe are good for beginners to grow and to briefly touch on what they are. I will categorise the plants into where they fit into a crop rotation plan (which I will explain in the next post), and release individual posts detailing each set of plants, which will allow me to go into more detail for choosing varieties, how to plant them, look after them, and harvest them. This post should introduce you to them and is the place where they are all grouped together for easy referral, and once the individual posts are released, you will find links to them on the names of the plants in this post.

Why did I choose these plants?

They are some of the easier plants to grow and care for, meaning they are ideal for anyone, especially those just getting into gardening or wanting to upscale a bit or branch out. They are suited to grow in the UK climate and fit within the 'standard growing season', which is spring to autumn. Due to these they are very well known and commonly grown in the UK. You may have grown them before or know someone who has grown them.

Which plants are good for beginners?

Nightshade

Potatoes and tomatoes both belong to the nightshade family, but are very different plants from one another. Potatoes grow below the ground, and are grown from the potatoes themselves, whereas tomatoes are grown above the ground and are grown from seeds. Aubergines and Peppers are also in this family, and can be grown in the UK, but aren't suited to the climate and are a bit more complex to grow. I will cover these in another post down the line, but I haven't included peppers and aubergines into my beginner plants.

A potato plant in flower

Legumes

Peas, broad beans and runner beans, which I've picked from the bean family. Legumes includes peas, beans, lentils, and even peanuts. Some legume plants don't get very big and are self-supporting, such as broad beans and peas, but some, such as runner beans and French beans, are climbing plants and will need something to support the plant. Peanuts are very unique in the way they grow, flowering above ground and then going below ground in order to form the pods. There are many varieties of beans, but most of them are very similar when it comes to growing them.

A flowering bean plant.

Brassicas

Radish, kale and cabbage, from the cabbage and mustard family. The family also includes broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, mustard, turnip and swede. Most of the crops in this family are heavy feeders, meaning they use a lot of nutrients from the soil. Radish, turnips and swede are grown below ground, while the rest are above-ground plants.

A red mustard plant.

Alliums and Roots

Unlike the other categories so far, this isn't really a family of plants, but they all work similarly for crop rotation, which is why they are grouped together.

Garlic and Onions from the allium family, which also includes leeks. The 'bulb' is grown just below the surface, with a stem (or stems) growing above ground. If plants in this family flower, they can produce beautiful flower clusters at the ends of their stems, and then produce seeds that you can plant. For onions, this usually happens in their second year of growth. 

Carrots, parsnips and beetroot for the 'roots', that for crop rotation also includes celeriac, celery, and salsify. With the exception of celery (where you can cut off 1 stalk at a time if you want), these plants are harvested by digging them up, as the main edible part is below ground. However, you can also eat the leaves of these plants.

A flowering onion.

Salad Leaves and Gourds

Salad leaves include plants from different families, but they have similar culinary uses and are grown in a similar way, so I've grouped them up here. Lettuce and spinach are the chosen leaves. Gourds include cucumbers, melons, courgettes, squashes, and pumpkins. I've chosen cucumbers, courgettes and winter squashes here. These crops don't need to go into a rotation plan in the same way that the above categories do.

A blue hubbard squash.

Flowers and Herbs

I've grouped the remaining plants here as they are a little different. There are too many flowers to go into detail for all of the recommended ones, so I will choose a few that I think are the key ones, and then mention some others as well. These can be planted wherever you want, as with herbs, and don't need to go into a rotation.

Flowering oregano.

What next?

The next 4 posts will be about: crop rotation, seed planting, companion planting, and garden pests. Hopefully this will give beginners enough information so that when I talk about in the plant specific posts, you understand what I'm talking about, as that is where I will go into detail of when to plant, how to care for them, when and how to harvest them, and what varieties you might want to choose.

I am proud to be affiliated with JustSeed, a company that I have bought seeds from for a few years now. I believe in what they are doing over there, and if you are going to buy seeds, garden tools, or seedlings, then please consider checking them out and using my link below to do so. Thank you for supporting me.

https://justseed.com/?ref=ANGJ