42 results

  • Charles Dowding's Garden

    Charles Dowding's Garden

    If you read any of the guff I write you will probably have heard me mention Charles Dowding before. He's a bit of a hero of mine basically because his book 'Organic Gardening - The Natural No Dig Way ... … Read more
  • No Dig Garden Beds

    No Dig Garden Beds

    Put that shovel away! No-dig gardening continues to grow in popularity with home growers and gardeners, but what does it actually involve? Will you need to sell all your garden tools? (Not quite)The ... … Read more
  • Mulching is the key to a healthy garden

    Mulching is the key to a healthy garden

    I have two books which are my vegetable growing bibles. One is Joy Larkcom's 'Grow Your Own Vegetables' and the other is 'Organic Gardening - The Natural No-Dig Way' by Charles Dowding. Both are f ... … Read more
  • Some News On Seeds

    Some News On Seeds

    Just to let you all know that we're in the middle of a project to rebuild our Quickcrop seed range at the moment - as well as providing more comprehensive info on the different varieties. Brexit ... … Read more
  • The Benefits of Cold Pressed Seaweed and Foliar Feeds

    The Benefits of Cold Pressed Seaweed and Foliar Feeds

    As you know, the Quickcrop research team never sleeps. We work tirelessly night and day to improve our product range and bring the best possible products to our shop and, hopefully, to your gar ... … Read more
  • My Vegetable Garden in October

    My Vegetable Garden in October

    I don't think I ever showed you my garden did I? It was originally put together as the shared Quickcrop garden but since the business moved from my house this Spring (it used to be housed in my ba ... … Read more
  • How to Protect Cabbages and Carrots from 2 Common Pests

    How to Protect Cabbages and Carrots from 2 Common Pests

    Firstly, thank you to anyone who replied to last week's mail expressing interest in information on plant feed for container growing. I am a bit tight for time this week and there is a lot to go throu ... … Read more
  • What Is The Best Position For A Polytunnel?

    What Is The Best Position For A Polytunnel?

    Where you position your polytunnel will ultimately depend on the space you have available, but there are some important factors to take into account. Good positioning will increase your chances of g ... … Read more
  • Plant Roots and How They Work

    Plant Roots and How They Work

    As we slip into the cooler weather of October there is very little we can sow now (apart from some cold tolerant Asian salads) so, as per last week's mail, it is mostly about preparing the ... … Read more
  • Getting the season under way

    Getting the season under way

    It is still early days for sowing but there are a few plants that you can start off now, especially if you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse or polytunnel. Sowing times will differ dependin ... … Read more
  • The Spring Vegetable Garden, Looking After Your Soil.

    The Spring Vegetable Garden, Looking After Your Soil.

    You know when you meet someone at a party who you've never met before you have to try quite hard not to ask them what they 'do' to get the conversation going? Similarly it's nigh on impossible not to ... … Read more
  • Healthy Soil for Sustainable Irish Gardens

    Healthy Soil for Sustainable Irish Gardens

    Soil is more than just an inert growing medium. It is home to a complex, interconnected web of soil microbes, fungi, earthworms and underground networks: an underground ecosystem that you can nurtur ... … Read more
  • How To Secure A Polytunnel To the Ground

    How To Secure A Polytunnel To the Ground

    When setting up your polytunnel, it's important to make sure that it's fixed securely to the ground. It's a long-term structure and you want it to be able to withstand all kinds of weather ... … Read more
  • Essential Greenhouse Accessories

    Essential Greenhouse Accessories

    It's one thing to have your greenhouse all set up, installed and ready to go for the new season. However an empty greenhouse is a bit like an empty house; you're best off getting some furnishings fo ... … Read more
  • How to Germinate Seeds Successfully

    How to Germinate Seeds Successfully

    A plant seed is created to grow, and will perform that task admirably once given the opportunity. For successful germination seeds will need:  a suitable growing medium moderate moistu ... … Read more
  • Planting Potatoes in March

    Planting Potatoes in March

    Depending on your location early potatoes are planted in mid March once the days begin to warm. To be fair, the soil is probably warm enough to plant now in most gardens but what you need to be ca ... … Read more
  • Sowing Tomatoes in late February - a guide from Rhys Jaggar

    Sowing Tomatoes in late February - a guide from Rhys Jaggar

    Despite the fact that I am usually busy enough in the polytunnel in late Winter (sowing sweet peas, peppers, broad beans etc....), it is not until I sow my tomatoes that I really feel the season ... … Read more
  • Garden Weeding Tips - Annual and Perennial Weeds

    Garden Weeding Tips - Annual and Perennial Weeds

    If you saw the state of my garden right now you would laugh your head off that I have the cheek to talk about weeding. It has never looked so bad (too much wandering around, not enough work going on ... … Read more
  • How to Grow Broccoli (Calabrese)

    How to Grow Broccoli (Calabrese)

    When most people hear the word 'broccoli' this is the crop that they will see in their mind's eye. The large green heads, made up of tightly packed florets, are popular with beginner gardeners and v ... … Read more
  • How To Grow Sprouting Broccoli

    How To Grow Sprouting Broccoli

    Know Your Broccoli! In Italian the word broccoli means 'little sprouts'. It is part of the Brassica family of vegetables, which also includes cauliflower, cabbages, Brussels sprouts, ... … Read more
  • Succession Cropping - Our 2021 Garden Plan

    Succession Cropping - Our 2021 Garden Plan

    Last week I touched on succession sowing and said I would include my plan for this year and, being very organised these days (new years resolution), I am pleased to include it below. Not all of the p ... … Read more
  • The Vegetable Garden in March

    The Vegetable Garden in March

    March can be a deceptive month. The season is clearly starting to turn with warmer days, grass beginning to grow and buds opening on fruit bushes, yet it is still too early to sow most outdoor ... … Read more
  • How To Rewild Your Garden

    How To Rewild Your Garden

    The rewilding movement has picked up pace and momentum in recent years. In short, the idea behind rewilding is that we humans take a step back and allow nature to reclaim large or small areas of lan ... … Read more
  • How to Grow Climbing Peas and Beans

    How to Grow Climbing Peas and Beans

    Climbing peas and beans are some of my favourite crops in the vegetable garden. They epitomise summer with their attractive flowers and lush growth. There is something 'active' about them with their ... … Read more
  • The Benefits of Mulching in the Garden

    The Benefits of Mulching in the Garden

    Mulching is the practice of covering the soil surface with a layer of material to protect your plants or to insulate or improve your garden soil. It’s a widely used technique in landscaping an ... … Read more
  • Plant feed for Container Growing

    Plant feed for Container Growing

    Hi folks, I hope everyone had a good weekend. I don't know what the weather is like with you but we finally had a beautiful summer weekend with plenty of heat and sunshine. It has been a woefully slo ... … Read more
  • A Guide to Our Favourite Tomato Varieties

    A Guide to Our Favourite Tomato Varieties

    Whatever about sowing onions, broad beans or other early crops in February, it isn't until tomato sowing time that I get properly excited. That is when the season really gets going. It is possible t ... … Read more
  • The Quickcrop Garden in Early June

    The Quickcrop Garden in Early June

    Firstly, thank you to anyone who mailed me last week to let me know you found our most recent article on plant feed for container growing useful. It is always great to hear from anyone out there, wha ... … Read more