by Rebecca Tute | Apr 12, 2013 | Gardening News
Charles Valin at Thompson & Morgan’s plant breeding grounds near Ipswich
Charles Valin, Thompson & Morgan’s plant breeder has been awarded the 2013 Reginald Cory Memorial Cup by the Royal Horticultural Society.
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Rebecca works in the Marketing department as part of the busy web team, focusing on updating the UK news and blog pages and Thompson & Morgan’s international website. Rebecca enjoys gardening and learning about flowers and growing vegetables with her young daughter.
by Rebecca Tute | Apr 10, 2013 | Gardening News, Michael Perry's Gardening Blog, T&M's Giant Pumpkin
Watering in the freshly sown seed
On Monday, our New Product Development Manager, Michael Perry helped to sow Thompson & Morgan’s €200.00 giant pumpkin seed.
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Rebecca works in the Marketing department as part of the busy web team, focusing on updating the UK news and blog pages and Thompson & Morgan’s international website. Rebecca enjoys gardening and learning about flowers and growing vegetables with her young daughter.
by Rebecca Tute | Apr 9, 2013 | Flowers, Vegetables
Grow your own – it’s not too late!
Sow petunias under glass now
Spring may be late this year, but there is still plenty of time to grow your own. In fact, waiting and sowing later when the soil and weather conditions are better means that your seeds will germinate more successfully than in cold wet soil.
With many gardeners wondering how they’re going to get the best from their gardens with such a late start to the season, we asked Sue Sanderson for her expert advice. Here’s what she said:
If the soil is warm enough and the weather conditions are favourable, you can sow hardy annuals direct outside from April, right through to the 1st week of June. If you’re really desperate to get germination underway, you could sow seeds into cell trays under cover and plant them out once the conditions outside improve. There is plenty of time, so don’t panic!
Petunias, ipomoea, nicotiana, dahlia, ageratum, lobelia and sunflowers can be sown up to mid April under glass.
Sow tomato seeds now
Marigolds, zinnias, cosmos and tagetes are the last half-hardy annuals you would sow – these can be sown under glass from April through to early May.
Sow tomatoes and aubergines up to the 3rd week of April.
It’s getting a little late to sow peppers – you’ve only really got until the end of the 2nd week of April to get them going.
Summer brassicas should be sown by now for early harvests, but late summer early autumn harvesting varieties can be sown up to early May.
Wait until the soil has warmed up to sow other vegetable seeds – you’re more likely to get a better crop.
Plant potatoes until mid May
Potatoes, especially maincrops, can be planted up until mid May.
You can give your soil a helping hand in warming with cloches and polytunnels. These will also protect your crops while they’re growing.
So don’t despair, you’ve still got time to create a fabulous display of flowers and grow a decent crop of vegetables to see you through the year.
Rebecca works in the Marketing department as part of the busy web team, focusing on updating the UK news and blog pages and Thompson & Morgan’s international website. Rebecca enjoys gardening and learning about flowers and growing vegetables with her young daughter.
by Rebecca Tute | Apr 8, 2013 | Gardening News
National Gardening Week starts next Monday and focuses on growing wildflowers…
Support wildlife by growing wildflowers
Wildlife in gardens has been on the decline for the last 50 years, mostly because of a reduction of wildflowers in the countryside.
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Rebecca works in the Marketing department as part of the busy web team, focusing on updating the UK news and blog pages and Thompson & Morgan’s international website. Rebecca enjoys gardening and learning about flowers and growing vegetables with her young daughter.
by Rebecca Tute | Apr 5, 2013 | Gardening News
Read the latest gardening news here.
EC fight to help bees goes on
Neonicotinoid debate goes on
Neonicotinoids have been in the news a lot lately, with the EC calling for a 2-year ban on the use of any pesticides containing the chemicals, claiming that they are harmful to bees. Several studies have been done to find out exactly what happens and it seems that opinions are split. Some research shows that bees’ brains are affected by these pesticides, which make them “unable to learn and then remember floral smells associated with a sweet nectar reward – a skill that is essential for bees in search of food.” However, a report published by DEFRA says that there is “no link between bee health and exposure to neonicotinoids.” The EC is to appeal and hopes that a ban will still be put in place from July. (Source: BBC News website).
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UK diets lacking in fruit and veg
Eat more fruit and veg!
Britons are reportedly eating 43% more food than they should each year, but 69% less fruit and 75% less vegetables. That means that many of us aren’t getting anywhere near the recommended 5-a-day. The new study by Weight Watchers suggests that we’re eating more butter, meat, biscuits and cakes than we should. Food prices have risen dramatically and growing your own is becoming more and more popular. It’s the perfect way get more fruit and veg in your diet and you know exactly what’s in it and on it.
Heavy metal band supports garden designer
A Northamptonshire garden designer’s dream came true when Metallica donated thousands of pounds to his Hampton Court Palace Show project. MP Louise Mensch (married to the band’s manager) emailed Arek Luc to ask how much he needed to complete the project. A short time later, a cheque for several thousands of pounds arrived in the post from the band’s New York office!
Rebecca works in the Marketing department as part of the busy web team, focusing on updating the UK news and blog pages and Thompson & Morgan’s international website. Rebecca enjoys gardening and learning about flowers and growing vegetables with her young daughter.
