Here at Haws we are planting all manner of seeds, some are growing, some, not so much. What has become apparent is growing fruit & veg is not our forte. So, we have asked some of our friends of Haws to share their expertise. First up, Joe!
'My name is Joe Harrison and I'm self-confessed gardening addict. I'm a self-taught gardener with a passion for growing organic fruit and vegetables, sharing tips and advice I've picked up over the years, encouraging other gardeners along the way.'
Spring has officially arrived and if you listen very closely, you can almost hear the sound of seed packets being eagerly torn open by gardeners all over the nation, and this year you can be one of those keen gardeners too.
Growing your own food really doesn’t have to be a daunting experience, absolutely anyone can do it and during this blog series I’m going to show you just how easy it is. Even if you are a complete novice, by the end of our time together, you’ll be well on the road to becoming a confident, accomplished green fingered gardener.
We’ll be going right back to basics, following the whole process from start to finish. We’ll talk about what you’ll need to start with, how to sow your seeds, how to take care of your seedlings and the most important part; enjoying your delicious produce at the end.
There are a few things we need to consider before we buy our seeds. Firstly, we need to think about where we will be growing our plants and how much space we have to grow in. If you’re limited for space, you don’t need to worry because you can successfully grow lots of different edibles in tubs, pots and containers.
Secondly, we need think about the amount of sunlight our growing space receives before we choose our veg seeds. Plants require varying levels of sunlight to thrive so you need to choose plants which will be happy in the location you decide to grow. If you’re new to gardening this can sound quite off-putting but don’t worry, the seed packet is your friend and it’s where you can find all the information you need to know for each particular plant variety. The back of the seed packet will give you details such as the sunlight requirements, how far apart you need to space your plants and the overall size your plants will be once they reach maturity.
If you’d like to take part and sow-along with me during this gardening series, we’ll be growing some beautifully aromatic, sun loving herbs; basil and mint, along with some peas too.
During the sow-along, we’ll be sowing some of our seeds in temporary pots and transplanting them into larger containers as they mature, but we’ll talk about why we do this and what the benefits are as we progress through the series.
For now, all we need to get started is some multi-purpose compost, a large tub (for our peas), a few small pots, your choice of seed varieties and a watering can with fine holes so we don’t disturb our seeds too much when we water.
Now you have a little background knowledge of the sort of things you need to consider when you’re growing your own, next time we will be getting our hands a little dirty and sowing our chosen seeds; so be sure not to miss the next blog in this gardening series.
