Are you stepping out of your comfort zone this year to try something new?
Image source: Tom Gowanlock
Are you looking for fresh inspiration? It’s easy to get stuck in the trap of repeating successful plants, flowers and crops year after year, rather than trying new things.
We caught up with a few gardening bloggers to see what they’re trying differently this summer. And as there’s nothing quite like learning from mistakes, we’ll catch up with them later in the year to find out how things went! In the meantime, check out these pioneering ideas to see if anything takes your fancy…
Know your onions
Try planting in bunches rather than individually
Image: Mark’s Veg Plot
Mark of Mark’s Veg Plot is test-planting onions in bunches of half a dozen, rather than planting them individually, which is what he’s been doing up until now. The advantages? A saving of space, and no fiddly pricking out – but at the potential cost of smaller veg, as they don’t have quite as much room to spread out.
To be properly scientific, Mark’s also growing individual onions so he can compare results. He’s testing out the Ailsa Craig variety, which often grow into large, globe-shaped bulbs, so it’ll be interesting to see how they fare when planted so closely. We’ll find out later in the year!
Starting from scratch
Ronnie’s got plans for her new allotment
Image: hurtledto60.com
Having moved house in 2018, Ronnie’s starting from scratch, and shifting her gardening habits to an allotment plot. It’s early days yet, but this Hurtled to 60 blogger has already established a cottage garden with a small wildlife pond, and is currently inundated with dahlia and sweet pea seedlings!
Determined to cultivate some food as well, she’s decided to set up ‘Christmas lunch beds’, where parsnips, carrots, beans, peas and more are growing. We look forward to catching up with her closer to the time to see how her festive feast shapes up.
Flowers and feasts
Dahlia ‘Black Beauty’ – Sally’s favourite from last year!
Image: Thompson & Morgan
Sally of Sally’s Garden Blog is always looking for new ideas, and her focus for the next season is very clear:
“I will be growing as much food [as I can] for my family and visiting wildlife this year.”
So root-bound fruit trees in pots have been finally planted out, and an old, plastic fish container is now home to dill, chives and marjoram – all perfect for a fish dish!
Much of Sally’s outside space consists of containers in a paved yard, which she moves around for variety. If you’re a container lover, take a tip from her and reorganise the space regularly. One new idea she’s kept from last year, though, is to grow Dahlia ‘Black Beauty’ again – there’s no point changing something you love simply for change’s sake!
Chickpeas and competitions
Chickpeas on their way!
Image: The Veg Grower Podcast
Richard at The Veg Grower Podcast is up for a challenge – and this year, it’s chickpeas! So far, the seeds have germinated, and are “growing into some rather attractive plants” – so he’s got his fingers crossed they’ll soon become something edible.
He’s also entered into a competition with fellow bloggers, Lee, Kirsty and Lucy. The rules are simple. They each have a vegepod, and all have to grow the same plants. The winner will be the gardener who manages to produce the most food – so it’s all down to growing techniques. We’re intrigued to find out what works best.
Are you feeling competitive? Perhaps your local gardening club has something beyond prize marrows to wager your green fingered reputation on…
A word to the wilds
Just for the starlings
Image: Dogwooddays
Nic at Dogwooddays has a new mission on her to-do list this year:
“…adding holes in the fences and a gate for hedgehogs…”
She’s also installed a selection of nest boxes around her garden to help a range of bird species find a good home.
The commitment to supporting wildlife doesn’t end there. She and her family are developing a wildflower area, along with a pond, and log piles for insects to inhabit. They’re even planting brassicas just for the large white, small white and green-veined white butterflies!
Having made the commitment to accommodate as much wildlife as possible, they’ll be surveying the biodiversity in the garden later this year to try and measure the success. You can follow their highs and lows on Nic’s blog, and we look forward to hearing her tips once they’ve had a chance to get everything up and running.
Are you trying something new in your garden or veg plot this year? Drop us a line to let us know at blog@thompson-morgan.com or pop over to our Facebook page.
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