Thompson & Morgan Gardening Blog

Our gardening blog covers a wide variety of topics, including fruit, vegetable and tree stories. Read some of the top gardening stories right here.

Propagation, planting out and cultivation posts from writers that know their subjects well.

Win A Bumper Prize Bundle worth £100 from Thompson & Morgan

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Win A Bumper Prize Bundle worth £100 from Thompson & Morgan

Your Chance To Win

  1. 12 packets of new flower and vegetable seeds from our 2024 range – worth £40!
  2. A £50 Thompson & Morgan voucher to spend across our range of plants, bulbs, seeds and garden equipment
  3. 1 Year Free Thompson & Morgan Gardening Club Membership

This trio of prizes includes a fantastic bundle of new flower and vegetable seeds handpicked from our 2024 range. In addition, we’re throwing in a £50 voucher to spend online and 1 Year Free Thompson & Morgan Gardening Club Membership which unlocks 10% OFF EVERY order placed online plus £20 worth of vouchers and much more.

Thanks for entering and good luck. The winner will receive an email from blog@thompson-morgan.com just after the closing date.

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Blueberries masterclass: best expert content

Blueberries overflowing bowl from Thompson & Morgan

A bowl of juicy blueberries, plucked straight from the bush
Image: Blueberry ‘Duke’ from T&M

Packed with antioxidants and bursting with sweetness, blueberries are a fantastic addition to the garden. Find out how to maintain the acidic soil they need to thrive, how to increase yields, and which varieties to try, using advice from our favourite blueberry growing bloggers, Instagrammers and YouTube experts.

Browse our full range of blueberry plants for more inspiration.

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How to grow fig trees

With their lush, exotic-looking leathery foliage and succulent fruits, fig trees create a striking feature in the garden! Thriving in sunny, sheltered positions, figs will grow successfully in large containers or garden borders, with varieties bred to achieve heady heights or petite patio pot perfection.

Where is the best place to plant a fig tree?

Image shows fig 'little miss figgy' growing in a glazed blue ceramic planter in a garden setting. Behind the planter is a white-painted wooden veranda and ballustrade with brick steps.
Figs need to grow in full sun
Image: ‘Little Miss Figgy’

Although figs thrive in the Mediterranean climate, they can happily grow in UK gardens as long as you pick a sheltered and sunny spot.

Growing a fan-trained fig tree against a wall will help produce the most fruits, as your plant will benefit from the heat of the wall during the night. Plus, you won’t need to stake your tree against winds.

How to plant a fig tree in the ground

Image shows a close-up on a fig tree growing in a garden border, with green lobed leaves and two green unripe figs.
Fig trees planted in the ground can become huge specimen trees over time
Image: Pascale Amez on Unsplash

Fig trees can be planted at any time of year when the ground isn’t frozen. Bearing in mind the mature height and spread of your fig tree, pick a sunny, sheltered spot in the garden and dig a planting hole about twice the size and depth of your plant’s nursery pot. Fig trees with restricted roots put more effort into fruit production, so line the planting hole with old paving slabs or rubble. Next, carefully remove your plant from its pot, place hold it in the planting hole and gently spread out the roots whilst refilling the hole and gently firming the soil around it. Make sure your tree is planted to the same depth it was in its nursery pot.

How to plant a fig tree in a container

Image shows a recently potted fig tree in a pot on a wooden bench seat in a garden, with a trowel, metal watering can and a pair of gardening gloves.
Plant figs in containers twice the size of their root ball and place them on a sunny patio
Image: Fig ‘Little Miss Figgy’

Fill a 30cm wide pot with free-draining potting compost such as John Innes no. 3, place you fig tree in the centre and gently firm down the compost around it. Make sure your tree is planted at the same depth it was in its nursery pot. Leave a few centimetres at the top clear of compost to help with watering. Water well and place in a sunny and sheltered area.

How to care for fig trees

Image shows a standard fig tree growing in a terracotta pot. The tree has a lollipop of green foliage on a single tall stem. The pot is stood in a perennial garden border edged with stone walling, with a lawn behind it.
Potted fig trees like this standard form should be moved indoors in winter
Image: Fig ‘Brown Turkey’

Spring – Remove any horticultural fleece and move any indoor plants back outside, Add a mulch of well-rotted compost or manure around your plants every year to keep the soil fertile and to suppress weeds. Pot-on container-grown plants every two or three years and top-dress any plants that are too large to move with fresh compost.

Summer – If grown in a container, your fig tree needs to be kept moist and will benefit from a weekly feed with tomato food as soon as the fruits start to form. You may also feed trees grown in the ground and remember to water them well during dry periods.

Autumn – Monitor container-grown plants for waterlogging and raise them up on feet if necessary. The fig fruits are ready to harvest during August and September each year. Ripe fruits begin to hand downwards and will feel soft.

Winter – Fig trees are hardy in most of the UK but their developing fruits are not. As the budding fruits are held on the plants throughout the coldest months, your plant will appreciate some protection in order to provide a bountiful harvest next summer:

  • If your fig tree has been grown in a container that can be moved, it is advisable to move it to a shed or greenhouse before the first frosts, moving it outdoors again once all risk of frost has passed
  • Larger plants and those grown in the ground should be wrapped in horticultural fleece or draped with a floating film crop cover.

When to prune a fig tree

Fig trees don’t have to be pruned but doing so each year will keep vigorous plants to a more manageable size and improve fruit production. Warning: the sap of figs is an irritant, so wear protective gloves! Prune your plant by removing dead branches in late winter, plus any undesirable and crossing branches. If you plant is becoming too large you can prune it back hard but this will lead to a loss of fruit the following summer.

What are the best fig trees to grow in the UK?

Best fig tree for a patio pot

Image shows a dwarf fig tree growing in a cream-coloured pot on a stone-topped table with black metal legs in a conservatory. The background plants and furniture are blurred.
Dwarf fig trees are perfectly proportioned for patio growing
Image: Fig ‘Little Miss Figgy’

Fig ‘Little Miss Figgy‘ is a naturally dwarf variety and a perfect patio fruit tree. Shortlisted for RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year 2021, this petite plant produces two crops per year on plants reaching 180cm tall and 120cm wide.

Best fig tree for a large container

Image shows a close-up on a ripe fig, which is a deep purple-brown. The fig is growing on a brown branch with the undersides of the leathery green fig leaves in the background.
Larger varieties can be kept at a manageable size by growing them in large pots
Image: Fig ‘Brown Turkey’

Brown Turkey‘ is self-fertile and has been bred to perform in UK gardens. Available as bush or standard trees, this variety is excellent for growing in large containers where it’s mature growth (potentially 3 meters tall and 4 meters wide if unpruned) can be contained.

Best fig tree for a smaller garden

Images shows a close-up of Fig 'Dalmatie', showing light-green unripe figs hanging below green foliage with the sky peeking through the leaves, which is blurred in the background
Mid-sized fig varieties are ideal for borders in small to medium gardens
Image: Fig ‘Dalmatie’

Fig ‘Dalmatie’ is one of the hardiest cultivars that’s highly productive and self fertile, offering some of the largest fruits with rich amber-coloured flesh and a fabulous flavour. With a neat and compact habit, plants reach 250cm tall and 200cm wide, making them the ideal choice for smaller gardens where space is at a premium.

Best fig tree for a large garden

Image shows a close-up on the fabulous fruits of fig tree Panachee. The figs point upwards before they ripen and are bright-green striped with cream, borne on brown branches.
Sensational striped figs make a fabulous specimen tree
Image: Fig ‘Panachee’

Despite its modern look, fig ‘Panachee‘ is a traditional variety dating back to 1668 with very unusual striped green and yellow fruit. Reaching a mature height of 3 meters with a spread of 4 meters, this ‘Tiger Fig’ makes a dramatic feature in the garden – especially when fan trained against a wall.

Now you know how to grow fig trees!

We hope you find our guide to growing your own fig trees helpful. For more information, head over to our fruit tree hub page to find top tips on preventing disease, growing exotic fruit and much more. Share your images with us on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #YourTMGarden.

Acers masterclass: best expert content

Bright red acer leaves drenched rain

Acers are famous for their dazzling leaf colour
Image: Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ from T&M

If you want to fill your garden with striking colours and textures, look no further than acers and Japanese maples. With a palette that includes striking blood red leaves, delicate pink variegation, and acid greens, this diverse group has something for every garden. We asked our favourite bloggers, Instagrammers and YouTubers which varieties they love to grow, as well as their practical tips for planting and caring for these striking trees. Here’s their advice.

Browse our full range of autumn colour trees for inspiration.

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Winter bedding plants masterclass: best expert content

Pink, white and red bellis

Winter bedding brings colour to the garden when you need it most
Image: Bellis ‘Bellisima Mixed’ from T&M

Winter bedding is an easy way to introduce colour to your garden in the coldest months of the year. With so many vibrant colours and forms to choose from, these hardy plants are sure to cheer you up on even the shortest of days. Check out these top tips and tricks from expert bloggers, Instagrammers and YouTube gardeners and fill your outside space with modern, colourful and creative displays. 

Browse our full selection of quality winter bedding plants for more ideas.

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Tulips masterclass: best expert content

Tulip 'Florist's Treat Mixed' from T&M

Tulips come in a huge array of varieties and make excellent cut flowers
Image: Tulip ‘Florist’s Treat Mixed’ from Thompson & Morgan/©Visions BV, Netherlands

Planting tulip bulbs is a fantastic way to introduce colour to your spring garden. Ideal for filling pots and containers, they can also be planted in the ground or added to borders where they’re a real post-winter mood lifter. To help you create a spectacular display, we’ve found a wealth of experienced gardeners who’ve shared their tried-and-tested knowledge. If you want to grow magnificent tulips, here are some of the best articles, Instagram posts and videos to bookmark for reference. 

When you’re ready to pre-order your tulip bulbs visit our online store for inspiration. We have a wide range of blooms ranging from blousy and luminous hybrids to more delicate tulip species for naturalising.

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New Flower Seeds 2024!

Vivacious new varieties to fill your garden with colour in 2024

T&M is proud to launch its fantastic new flower seed range for 2024, including sensational sunflowers and snapdragons, fiery zinnias, exquisite nasturtiums and giant-flowered rudbeckia.

New range highlights 2024

Salt-resistant sunflowers!

Image shows Thompson and Morgan new flower seed range 2024 Sunflower ‘Beaches Mix’ shown as cut flowers in a clear glass vases on an office desk with a blurred background of wooden desktop, notepad and keyboard. Five blooms are shown, in shades of yellow, orange and burgundy, with chocolate-brown eyes.

Sunflower ‘Beaches Mix’

Helianthus deblis
Hardy Annual

Sunflower ‘Beaches Mix’ is ideal for growing in coastal gardens and other challenging locations. Unlike other sunflowers, these bushy plants are fast-growing, spreading by runners to anchor themselves in the ground, with flexible stems help prevent snapping.

This hardy annual helianthus boasts great drought-tolerance, coupled with resistance to salt spray, sea winds and poor, dry soils.

Impressively long flowering season

Tough but graceful, ‘Beaches Mix’ will produce an abundance of showy yellow flowers with dark centres from July to October, with each sunny bloom measuring approximately 7cm in diameter.

Great for wildlife or cutting gardens

A magnet for beneficial pollinators and with elegant, elongated stems, ‘Beaches Mix’ is a wonderful choice for wildlife gardens and makes a superb cut flower for indoor displays.

Image shows Thompson and Morgan new flower seed range 2024 Sunflower ‘Beaches Mix’ shown as plants growing in a garden border, with blooms in shades of yellow, orange and burgundy, with chocolate-brown eyes.

Sow: March to June
Flowers: July to October
Height: 1.5m (5ft)
Spread: 60cm (24in)


Zinnias with marvellous Mexican colour!

Image shows Thompson and Morgan new flower seed range 2024 Zinnia ‘Macarenia’ shown as a single bloom in close up. The large, double blooms are comprised of tens of small pink petals, each with a yellow end, with a central pink disk surrounded with yellow for a bold look.

Zinnia ‘Macarenia’

Zinnia elegans
Half-hardy Annual

Scarlet petals dipped in gold

Zinnias were a favourite flower of the Aztecs and ‘Macarenia’ is a variety that simply sizzles with bold Mexican colour and make fabulously long-lasting cut flowers for the home.

Big, bold blooms!

This Fleuroselect award winner boasts big, fully double blooms measuring up to 7cm across. Its scarlet petals appear dipped in gold, offering a dazzling display from July to October.

Thompson and Morgan new flower seed 2024 - Zinnia Macarenia. image shows about 10 of these flowers in full blooms, growing outdoors, surrounded by mid-green foliage. The blooms are made of tens of tiny golden-yellow petals, with a ring od red petals at the centre.

Sow: April to June
Plant: May to June
Flowers: July to October
Height: 50-75cm (20-29in)
Spread: 50cm (20in)


Up the ante with an improved double Antirrhinum!

Image shows Thompson and Morgan new flower seed range 2024 Antirrhinum ‘Sweet Duet' F1 shown as a blooms growing in a garden planter on a gravel garden path. The planter is made of light-green painted corrugated steel. The large, snapdragon blooms are open in shades of salmon-pink, cream, yellow and burgundy, borne above lush green foliage.

Antirrhinum ‘Sweet Duet’ F1

Snapdragon
Half-hardy Annual

Antirrhinum ‘Sweet Duet’ boasts improved double blooms and flower size compared to other varieties, coupled with a delicate fragrance to delight the senses.

A pretty palette & petite plants

Blooming in a pretty palette of colours, you’ll love the fruity peach, salmon, deep-red and apple blossom-pink flowers borne on vigorous, strongly-branched plants.

Suitable for autumn and spring sowing, grow in borders or patio containers where you can fully appreciate their fragrance and cut some stems for a scented display indoors.

Sow: January to March
Flowers: May to August
Height: 40cm (15in)
Spread: To 35cm (14in)


Soft salmon-coloured flowers on compact plants

Image shows Thompson and Morgan new flower seed range 2024 Nasturtium 'Alaska Salmon' shown in close-up on a plant in full bloom. The flowers are pale salmon-pink to orange with yellow centres and are surrounded by light-green foliage marbled with white. The leaves are almost round in shape.

Nasturtium ‘Alaska Salmon’

Tropaeolum majus
Indian Cress
Half-hardy Annual

Nasturtium ‘Alaska Salmon‘ produces soft salmon-coloured flowers on compact plants, with attractive marbled foliage that offers an eye-catching display even before the flowers emerge.

Dwarf variety perfect for borders or containers

Awarded an RHS Award of Garden Merit for its garden performance, this pretty plant will grow happily in beds, borders and even containers with a non-trailing habit.

Sow: March to May
Flowers: June to September
Height and spread: 40cm (16in)


A giant-flowered rudbeckia from seed!

Image shows Thompson and Morgan new flower seed range 2024 Rudbeckia 'Kokardas' shown in close-up on a single bloom. The large blooms has slender petals radiating out from a central brown eye. Each petal is burnt-orange fading to yellow at the tip.

Rudbeckia ‘Kokardas’

Rudbeckia hirta
Coneflower, Black-eyed Susan
Half-hardy Annual

Ravishing Rudbeckia ‘Kokardas‘ forms short plants reaching just 40cm high, each producing over 20 huge flowers measuring up to 14cm across.

Big, bicolour blooms!

Highly praised in recent RHS garden trials, ‘Kokardas’ produces beautiful bicolour blooms of golden yellow with a brown halo surrounding each dark eye.

Brilliant for beds, borders and containers, this rudbeckia flowers right up until the first frosts and shows excellent weather-tolerance.

Sow: February to May
Flowers: June to October
Height and spread: 40cm (16in)


T&M’s new flower seeds 2024

Check out our ‘new in’ flower seeds for all the recent arrivals to our range.

Growing conifers masterclass: best expert content

Different types of pruned yew conifers

Train yew plants to make fantastic topiary
Image: Taxus baccata from Thompson & Morgan

Conifer plants have so much to offer. Think evergreen foliage, bright berries and excellent drought-resistance for starters. If you want to add all year round structure and interest to your outside space, take a look at these helpful tips from garden bloggers, designers and landscapers. Their excellent advice will help you design the gorgeous garden you’ve always wanted. 

Browse our full range of conifer plants for more inspiration.

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New Fruit & Vegetable Seeds 2024!

Versatile new varieties to fill your plot & plate next year

Thompson & Morgan is proud to launch its fantastic new fruit and vegetable seed range for 2024, including heart-shaped cherry tomatoes, fast-growing chillies, black-coloured peppers, sweeter-tasting broccoli and super-sized basil.

New range highlights 2024

A tasty tomato to steal your heart with its looks & flavour

Closeup of cross section of heart shaped tomatoes

Tomato ‘Heartbreakers Vita’ F1

Tomato ‘Heartbreakers Vita’ F1

Solanum lycopersicum
Bush/Determinate

‘Heartbreakers Vita’ boasts beautiful heart-shaped fruit – a shape that’s fully revealed when the cherry-sized fruits are halved for salads and garnishes.
 
Sweet & juicy
This productive little bush tomato plant variety has excellent vigour, producing masses of juicy fruits with tender skins and a great, sweet taste rating 8 on the Brix scale.
 
Great for patio pots
Reaching a height of just 50cm, this petite plant is perfect for growing in patios, pots, window boxes and in the greenhouse on staging.

Container full of heart shaped tomatoes

Tomato ‘Heartbreakers Vita’ F1

Sow: February to April
Harvest: July to October
Height: 50cm (20in)
Spread: 35cm (14in)

Tomato ‘Heartbreakers Vita’ F1
Code: KF2515
6 Seeds
£3.49


A super-fast maturing & compact chilli

Chilli peppers in container

Chilli Pepper ‘Quick Fire’ F1

Chilli Pepper ‘Quick Fire’ F1

A hot chilli with a Scoville Rating of 40,000 SHU, ‘Quick Fire’ is the fastest UK variety currently available, maturing in as little as 65 days from sowing.
 
Edible & ornamental
 
‘Quick Fire’ is an ornamental variety, bearing conical chillies that grow with an upward habit as they mature from green to red, with fruiting that can continue for up to three months.
 
Compact & perfect for windowsill growing
 
This compact chilli is great for growing in smaller spaces, thriving in containers and even on small windowsills. It’s ideal for year-round growing indoors in a sunny spot or in a heated glasshouse – simply sow successionally from January to June.

Closeup of red chillies 'Quickfire'

Chilli Pepper ‘Quick Fire’ F1

Sow: February to April
Plant: May June
Harvest: July to October
Height and spread: 15cm (6in)

Chilli Pepper ‘Quick Fire’ F1
Code: KF2499
6 Seeds
£3.99


Attractive black fruits ripen to bright red

White container with red and purple chillies

Sweet Pepper ‘Mamba Sweet’
Copyright: Prudac / Visions BV, Netherlands

Sweet Pepper ‘Mamba Sweet’ F1 Seeds

Capsicum annuum

Upright and bushy, pepper ‘Mamba Sweet’ forms attractive plants that are perfect for growing in large containers or in the greenhouse or polytunnel, with unsual black peppers that ripen to bright red.
 
Easy to see and pick, plants produce masses of sweet and crunchy peppers that point downwards when they ripen.
 
Sow: March to April
Harvest: July to October
Height: 80cm (32in)
Spread: 50cm (20in)
 
Sweet Pepper ‘Mamba Sweet’ F1 Seeds
Code: KF2509
6 Seeds
£3.49


A sweeter-tasting cross between calabrese & stem broccoli

Broccoli mixed calabrese against blue sky

Broccoli (Easy Floret) ‘Skytree’ F1

Broccoli (Easy Floret) ‘Skytree’ F1

Brassica oleracea L. convar. botrytis (L.) Alef. var. cymosa Duch.

A cross between calabrese and stem broccoli, ‘Skytree F1’ has a sweeter flavour, with well-segmented heads that are easy to divide into florets in the kitchen.
 
Quick maturing & easy to harvest
 
 ‘Skytree’ is a quick maturing variety, ready to harvest 65-75 days  after sowing. Easy to harvest, a large head rises above a strong, mostly leafless stem for quick picking. Heads are uniform, with minimal yellow halo on the florets compared to other varieties.
 
Sow: March to June
Harvest: July to November
Height and spread: 60cm (24in)
 
Broccoli (Easy Floret) ‘Skytree’ F1
Code: KF2517
15 Seeds
£3.99

 


A super-sized basil with purple leaves!

Hand holding purple basil leaf

Basil (Lettuce Leaved) ‘Sally’
Copyright: Rob Smith’s Allotment

Basil (Lettuce Leaved) ‘Sally’

Ocimum basilicum

Basil ‘Sally’ boasts big leaves with the same soft texture and intense, clove-like flavour as their smaller cousins. Their large size makes them perfect for wrapping around meat, fish or veg before barbecuing or roasting.
 
A highly ornamental edible
 
A lovely addition for the ‘Potager’, herb garden or summer containers, this large ‘lettuce-leaved’ variety produces softly crinkled leaves flushed with dark purple. The fabulously fragrant foliage looks great growing alongside hot-coloured annuals like as Calendula.
 
Sow: February to June
Harvest: June to October
Height: 45cm (18in)
Spread: 30cm (12in)
 
Basil (Lettuce Leaved) ‘Sally’
Code: KF2520
150 Seeds
£1.99


T&M’s new vegetable seeds 2024

Discover new vegetable seeds at Thompson & Morgan including exciting varieties of tomatoes, chillies, brassicas and herbs. With innovative improvements in taste, look and resilience, these new veg seeds will invigorate next season’s harvest.

Growing allium bulbs masterclass: best expert content

White and purple alliums

Allium bulbs bring eye-catching height and structure to the summer border
Image: Allium ‘Big Impact Mixed’ from Thompson & Morgan

The jewel of early summer, allium bulbs deliver height, structure and colour to mark the start of the season. These hardy perennial bulbs are well worth growing for their easy, attractive blooms that get even better as they age. See our collection of articles, YouTube videos and Instagram posts for practical advice on planting alliums. And if you haven’t already ordered a batch, these inspirational garden bloggers are sure to tempt you.

Browse our complete collection of allium bulbs here.

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