Growing your own food, gives you many advantages over those who are limited to getting their food from the supermarket.  Not only do you have a greater choice of fruits and vegetable varieties but you can harvest them when everything is at just the right stage of maturity for eating, canning, freezing, drying or underground storage.

Winter is a period when many fresh ingredients are at their most expensive and many are less readily available. This, of course, is the best time to enjoy all the fruits of your labours – both the growing and the preserving parts.

There are a variety of ways to store food for consumption days or months later.  In these days of instant everything, many of us yearn for the results of more traditional ways of preserving food such as pickling, bottling and canning, curing, smoking and drying.

As preserving techniques evolved, people were able to utilize the abundance of a good harvest, deal with animals killed a long way from home and bring together the elements of different cultures to enjoy products as varied as pastrami, marmalade, salt herring, piccalilli, salsa, beef jerky, chutneys, pickles, cured meats, etc., etc.

Although traditionally, the end of summer/early autumn was the time for preserving what had grown during the summer, today we have the advantage of being able to utilize fruits, vegetables, meats etc. that are cheap and in abundance at any time of the year.  We can make sausages, gravadlax, pickled herring, Limóncello, jams and jellies, flavoured vinegars, compotes, fruit butters, fruit leathers and fruit syrups whenever we have the time.

As the growing year proceeds to harvest time (and at other times as well), we will be bringing you posts on canning, freezing, and drying whatever is in season, plus recipes that use what’s available and what you may have a glut of as well as discussing the jobs that need doing in the garden.

Starting annuals and vegetables from seed can be rewarding or disastrous depending upon the outcome.

Many people start seeds too early and then try to hold the seedlings  back until it is warm enough to plant them outdoors.  Starting them too early can  result in either yellow seedlings that are short and hard and grow very slowly or spindly ones that grow too tall and topple over.  Neither will do well when planted outdoors.

Conditions: Seeds require certain conditions to germinate and grow properly.  These include temperature, light and humidity.  Also, good sanitary practices must be followed so as to reduce problems with diseases.

Germination media:  Soil mixtures such as a 3-2-1 or 2-1-1 or even a 1-1-1 (soil, peat and sand) can be used to start seeds.  However the mix must be treated to reduce disease problems.  Treatment can be with heat or the chemical methyl bromide.  On a smaller scale, heating a 2-3 inch layer of mix in a preheated oven at 180ºF (82ºC) for one hour will pasteurize it.  To avoid using chemicals or heat, purchase an appropriate ready mixed compost designed specially for seeds.

Containers:  Anything that will hold about 2″ (5cm) of the media, with drainage holes in the bottom can be used to start seeds.  Fill the containers with the moistened mix, firm down lightly and label.

Seeds:  Use only the best seeds.  Old seeds or those that have not be stored properly may not germinate.  If extra seeds are to be stored from one year to the next, keep them at 40-50ºF (5-10ºC) in an air tight container such as a coffee jar. The humidity should also be kept below 50%, an average home fridge will do the job.

Many people tend to sow seeds too thickly.  Home gardeners should sow seeds about ¼ inch (0.6cm) apart and in rows.  Cover large seeds lightly with  the soil mix, washed sand or vermiculite.  Leave small seeds uncovered.  If seeds are sown too thickly, tall spindly seedlings may result.

Water and humidity:  After sowing and covering, water the seeds well.  Do this with a fine mist or sub-irrigation so that the seeds will not be washed away. After watering try to keep the humidity at 80% or higher.  This will reduce water loss from the germinating media.

Some growers cover the seed flats with wet burlap, clear plastic, or newspapers.  Home gardeners may slip the seed flats into large clear plastic bags.  Place in light but not direct sunlight.  Do not let the temperature in the plastic bag go above 85ºF (29ºC).  Check the flats daily to make sure the  surface of the soil is moist. As soon as seedlings emerge, remove the plastic bag.

Temperature:  This is one of the most critical factors in starting seeds.  Temperature that is too low or too high will reduce or stop germination.  Bottom heat from electric cables, hot pipes or radiators may assist in maintaining proper temperature.  The temperature required is of the growing media not the air.

Light:  Some annual and vegetable seeds require light to germinate.  Place seed flats where some light is available.  After seedlings emerge, provide full sunlight or, if not possible, use fluorescent lights and supply about 27 lamp watts per square foot.  Containers with the seedlings should be placed 8 inches  (20cm) below the lamps.  A 14 hour day should be provided, usually 8am to10pm. Transplant seedlings when the true leaves appear.

Hardening-off:  About 7-10 days before plants are to be planted outside, the plants may be hardened-off.  This is done by lowering the temperature by moving them outside during the day and back in again at night or withholding water.  During this period the plants should be in full sunlight. Do not harden off cucumbers, melons or squash.

Ensuring you get the best from the plants you buy

Plants for containers and bedding as well as vegetables and fruits are readily available during the spring and summer.  Many can be obtained in your local garden centres or by mail order and over the Internet.  They come in various stages of growth and sizes and the cost will depend on how much time and effort the grower has put into the plant prior to you buying it.

Take a bit of time once you get your new plants home to re-pot or plant them out.  With care and attention to watering, feeding and pest control, newly purchased plants will give you pleasure for this season, and depending on the plant, perhaps many more to come.

Potting
Particularly for summer hanging baskets or window boxes, use good quality compost for potting up newly purchased plants. Soil-less composts, while light and easy to handle, will dry out quickly and plants that are fast-growing, like fuchsias, will quickly be short of the nutrients they require.

Another important factor is the stability of the plant. For reliable results choose a compost (such as John Innes No.1) that is at least partially soil-based.  This will also reduce the consequences of over-watering.  To ensure the plant remains upright, use a small (3.5 inch /9cm) pot, and  lightly firm the compost. For the first time, water the plant thoroughly to settle the compost. Place the plant in a light, cool place to help it recover quickly from being transplanted and new growth should begin quite soon.

Growing On
As your plants develop a good root ball, they can be moved to their final positions, whether that is a container, basket or open ground. To check on root growth, carefully remove the plant from the pot, the white roots should fill the pot evenly. Using a similar compost such as John Innes No.2, and plant it out or plant in a pot.

Watering
During the growing season, watering is your most important task. Two basic rules apply – never allow the plant to stand in waterlogged conditions and never allow the plants to dry out completely. Water standing in a tray or plant saucer for a  short period will not create any problems, however significant over-watering can often result in leaves and flowers dropping. The best time to water is in the evening, be sure to moisten the soil evenly. An overhead spray can be beneficial to plants in very hot weather.

Pests & Diseases
Many plants such as Fuchsias actually suffer relatively infrequently from diseases although the most likely pests are aphids – greenfly and whitefly.  However with regular inspection, and spraying if necessary, these insects can easily be kept at bay.  Insect sprays for aphids are readily available from garden centres. Avoid treating plants during the middle of the day or in bright sunlight. Always read the label and use garden chemicals accordingly.

With fuchsias, the two main diseases to look out for are botrytis or grey mould and rust. Be careful about watering, feeding and growing conditions and inspect your plants regularly for any of the telltale signs of disease. If you see indications and treatment is required, use one of proprietary products that are widely available.

In case you like roses, try to grow them organically – it is cheap and easy. The real secret of a successful organic rose garden is a quick look at how the natural world works. Once you understand this, then looking after your own organic rose garden will be a piece of cake.

The first thing you need to do is to plan, plan, and plan. Start with where you wish to see your roses grow, what colors and hues they must sport and envisage what they will look like when they are fully grown. Evaluate the other colors in your garden or your window will, see the colors of the walls, the other flowers, etc.

Contrast works very well with roses. Brighter shades look nice in front of darker walls, and roses must set your walls or your house in sharp profile. Don’t even begin to think of large size, award winning organic roses.

Naturally grown roses don’t grow so big. But they are safe, they are healthy, and they don’t pollute your environment which is saying a lot! A yard full of organically grown roses, setting off the house that it encloses, aah, that is the home one dreams of coming back from work to. Don’t you agree?

There are several precautionary measures you can adopt to protect your precious roses.

Unusual weather conditions.  Unfortunately there is nothing you can actually do about the weather and short of erecting a greenhouse, you can’t protect your roses from extreme temperatures or weather events. You can keep an eye on the weather reports and if extreme weather is promised or approaching, take precautionary measures like covering your roses with a tarpaulin to prevent damage from wind and rain.  If extremely cold weather is predicted, wrap the roses in fleece or bubblewrap to reduce the effects of such very low temperatures.

Cleanliness. Keeping your rose beds free of dead leaves, particularly those infected with black spot will help to reduce re-infection.  Either burn or completely remove all infected leaves and other rose debris from your garden.  Do not put this vegetation onto your compost heap – black spot can lie dormant for some time and contaminated compost used around roses, will re-infect them.

Hygiene.  Make sure all clippings, stems and dead leaves are completely removed. Burn or dispose of them in the rubbish bin.

Regular Pruning. Pruning needs to take place on both the outside and inside of rose bushes.  The purpose of pruning is not only to make the bush look nice but also to allow air to circulate throughout the bush. Good air circulation can really help to reduce the spread of rose diseases such as powdery mildew.  When cutting roses for the house, think about your bush and use that opportunity to prune and shape rather than just cutting the flowers.

Seal the Cuts. When you prune, you expose the inner layers of the stems, opening them to air-borne infection and insects. Seal them up with a special plant sealant to reduce the incidence of disease and insects gaining entry to the rose’s delicate inner parts.

Roses are some of the most beautiful flowers in the garden and with regular attention, they will give you years of pleasure.

The north side of your garden, with some shade from a tree is an ideal location. If there is no partly or moderately shady area available, you can use white paint or shade cloth on the inside ceiling to regulate the amount of sunlight that comes into the interior of  your greenhouse.

If you will be using the greenhouse for young transplants or growing plants on to maturity and fruiting, your greenhouse should be put up in an area with the highest sun exposure available in your garden. Also, situate it where there is good air flow and reasonable water drainage. Do not construct your greenhouse in low lying areas surrounded by tall buildings or woods.  When deciding where to put the greenhouse be sure to consider how convenient the access to water and electricity is going to be.

Take into consideration the time you have for working in your greenhouse when choosing the kind of greenhouse you want and how big it is going to be. Although it’s not true that a greenhouse requires continuous attention, don’t be overly ambitious and buy something that will be more than you want to handle.  New owners of greenhouses often think they will spend far more time there than they actually can or that the greenhouse will not require as much maintenance as they do.

The greenhouse environment can be sustained often with minimal maintenance if using automated controls that operate the ventilation, heating, humidity, artificial lighting and watering. If, however, you don’t want (or can’t afford) to install an automated control system, begin with plants that don’t require specialist care.

There are many prefabricated greenhouses on the market or you can build one by using simple frames. For safety sake, make sure that a certified plumber and electrician installs any automated systems.

Greenhouse kits are widely available in various materials, styles and price ranges. Be sure to check with the local planning department if the greenhouse you choose requires planning consent.  Most won’t, but a really large one situated next to your neighbour’s kitchen window just might. Better safe than sorry.

If you are an avid DIY’er, your new greenhouse can be constructed for a relatively small outlay of cash.  A lean-to greenhouse can be built against a garage or a house, thereby taking advantage of the existing wall, but don’t forget to consider head room and sitting space.

There are some major advantages to purchasing a greenhouse kit. Details like humidity, ventilation and leakage have already been dealt with in the design. Whereas someone constructing the greenhouse from scratch must remember to consider all elements just to avoid problems in the future that could result in the greenhouse not functioning as it should.

Here are some tips to help you design and build your own small greenhouse:

1.  Begin with a design that uses materials that are readily available. Attractive greenhouses can be constructed using recycled materials such single glazed windows or reused lumber.

2.  Adapt the design to accommodate the climate in your area so you won’t have to make further adjustments later.

3. Use a design that makes use of standard-sized building materials. Specialist sizes always cost more.

4.  When planning the design of your greenhouse, take into account the type of gardening you enjoy and plan to do.  Growing rare specimen plants or hydroponic gardening is very different from growing the run of the mill vegetables and flowers for the garden.

5.  Considering the climate in your area, plan into the design any timers and thermostats needed to regulate the precise levels of heat or light you want for the plants you will be growing.

6.  Design and implement a back-up arrangement for operating heating or lighting equipment in case of power failures or extreme weather conditions.

7.  If you are building a wooden greenhouse, you can use cedar, redwood or cypress, but remember that you will have to regularly treat or paint the wood. For cost-effectiveness and economy, use pressure treated wood for the framing.

8.  Greenhouses often have glass panes installed, but polycarbonate plastic, fiberglass, plastic film or acrylic panes or sheets can also be used.

Greenhouses have come a long way over the past ten years both in terms of price and materials used.  A greenhouse is vital to a keen gardener for extending the growing season and the types of plants they can grow.

Here are some of the basics that every gardener should have regardless of whether you are a novice or a professional gardener.

Gloves – You should have at least one good pair of waterproof gloves that fit well. Gloves with long cuffs are handy when pruning prickly plants or digging deep holes. There are now so many different types available that you should be able to find some that will protect your hands regardless of what you are doing, from digging, to turning compost, to pruning roses to pulling up nettles.

Sun hat – A hat with a wide brim that will provide adequate protection from the sun is a must. A drawstring cord will make sure your hat doesn’t go flying over the neighbour’s hedge when the winds blow.

Hand trowels – used for making planting holes and for lifting small plants from amongst other plants, especially in tight spaces such as rockeries.  Mine gets used for things like thinning plants, transplanting, mixing compost and filling pots with soil, etc., etc.

Hand cultivators – used for breaking up compacted soil in confined spaces such as a veg. plot, loosening soil from between close planting especially in places like rock gardens.  Also great for adding compost or sreading fertiliser in tightly packed areas.

Daisy grubbers – these are great for digging out weeds like dandelions and other long rooted weeds from a lawn without making enormous holes in the lawn.  Bulbs and other plants can be carefully removed from wherever they are with this hand tool.

Canvas apron – A short apron with pockets that will carry small hands tools as well as safely hold your phone is the one to buy.  Unless of course, like me, carrying a phone around while gardening is the last thing you want to do!

A trug or basket - rather than carry your tools in an apron, a trug or wide, shallow basket works well for carrying the hand tools, ties, labels, etc. you need to move from place to place while gardening.

Five-gallon bucket – This is another way to tote around your tools as you make your way around the flower beds. Or use it to toss weeds into as you go!

A plastic container with handles – for weeding.  These come in a variety of sizes and colours and are extemely useful.  I use a small one when ankle deep in a flower bed and when it’s full, it gets dumped into a much larger one that gets emptied onto the compost heap when full.

Spade – This is an extremely important tool to have.  These days spades come in several sizes, I have one called a lady’s spade (also called a border spade or rabbiting spade) which is square but smaller than many.  It is just the right size for digging up and dividing clumps of well established plants or getting into tight spaces where a bigger spade wouldn’t work.  And, yes, it is also good for cutting a nice straight edge along a path or drive.   A good idea I saw recently was to put brightly-colored sticky tape on the handle so, if put down in amongst tall grass, you can find it again.

Pruners – Two different sizes are required for the jobs in my garden – loppers for thick-ish branches and secateurs for cutting smaller stems, flower heads, etc.  A good sharpener is also necessary to ensure a clean cut that minimizes injury to plant tissue.

Hand rake, fork or claw – This is a handy tool for fluffing up mulch or turning over the top 6 inches (1.5 cm) of soil and general weeding as well as uprooting stubborn young weeds.  It also works to smooth small patches of freshly dug soil in preparation for planting, thinning out small plants and transplanting as well.

Kneeling pad - a plastic covered, padded kneeling pad is great for keeping knees dry when weeding or planting.  It’s also great for avoiding small stones or even paving slabs digging into your knees when you’re kneelling for a long time.

There are so many more really useful tools that a keen gardener needs but I’ve run out of time and space.  More from me later.

In order to get the best results from your home-based hydroponics garden, find a south- facing window to give the plants the best natural light.  If this isn’t possible, you can  purchase special lights that are specifically designed for plants.  Instead of using a  fluorescent light, buy what is known as a discharge light.  This imitates the light the  plants would naturally get from the sun and will produce healthier and hardier plants.

The water that the root system is growing in needs to be healthy water full of nutrients  and this can be determined by checking the pH level (it should be a pH level of 6).  The  pH level should be checked on a regular basis to ensure it is not too acidic or alkaline.  If  the reading is too high, add small amounts of vinegar and keep re-testing until you can  the reading you want.  If the water reading has a pH level that is too low, use the same  procedure to raise the pH level except use baking soda instead of vinegar.

By growing your plants with hydroponics, you will see faster and more abundant growth.   The method that the plants get their nutrients is more efficient and results in robust and  prolific plants – whether they are houseplants, vegetable plants, or herbs.

Here are some of my reasons for making and utlising composting. So, once you’ve read all of them, please think about, and then actually start, making your own compost.

The first reason I find composting worthwhile is the fact that the raw materials needed are free and readily available. Compare that with the ever rising costs of commercial fertilizers and other gardening products. All you really need to do is find some materials with which to build a containment structure for your compost pile, after that everything that goes into it is free.

The second one is that compost provides the same nutrients and minerals needed by my plants as commercial organic or synthetic fertilizers. The overall effect of good compost lasts longer than commercial fertilizers. Plus, depending on what ingredients you put into it, you can get quite a large range of nutrients back out for your plants. It’s free and it works just as well, if not better - who can argue with that?

Another good reason is the benefits of using compost for the soil structure. When applied to the soil, compost can help reduce erosion, improve water retention, and in heavy soil like clay, compost will lighten the soil and reduce soil compaction. Using your own compost can also make the soil easier to till.

The right composting process can kill troublesome weeds as well as pests and disease-causing organisms present in the vegetable matter being composted.  Although the technique I’m talking about here is high temperature composting and this is a technique regularly used on an industrial scale rather than what we normally do on the backgarden level, I think this actually adds to the reasons for making our own compost.

There have been studies that indicate the use of compost can suppress the incidence of diseases in crops. Other studies have shown that crops grown in compost-rich soil are more resistent to pest/insect attacks. Likewise, some field trials have shown crops grown using compost produce fruits and vegetables that store better.  Those are pretty good reasons for me.

For the environmentalists and conservationists in the group, compost has a lot going for them. Using compost with soil can actually build soil carbon which will eventually reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. While, to have a truely positive effect on current greenhouse gases, it will require quite a lot of people using composting regularly,  it’s useful to know we all can still have a global impact.

Using compost also helps soil that has become toxic with agricultural chemicals. It’s been found that the use of compost can result in soil acidity levels coming back into balance and for farmers wanting to go organic after years of using synthetic agricultural chemicals, it can shorten the time necessary to acquire true organic status.

The widespread use of recycling our vegetable/kitchen waste through the use of a compost heap would mean that without all of the biological waste going into landfills, they would no longer fill up as quickly, and as a society we could use fewer chemcials thereby making the whole environment safer for all living creatures.  These are only two very good reasons for regularly using composting for dealing with garden and kitchen waste.

Vegetables generally require at least 6 hours of light each day, with some needing 8 hours. Some quick growing veg like lettuce and radishes can be grown between the rows of other planting, like beetroot or corn, which take longer to mature. This way you make better use of the growing area you have available.

Throughout dry periods, vegetable gardens will need extra watering. Depending on what you are growing, most vegetables benefit from at least an inch of water each week, especially when they are fruiting.

It’s always necessary to watch out for insect pests. The earlier you discover a bug problem, the easier it will be to deal with it, but be careful about using pesticides when the vegetable are close to harvest unless it’s absolutely necessary and always read the label.

Organic gardening, using natural remedies rather than chemicals, and is often the healthier and more environmentally-friendly option. Part of the organic cycle is, of course, recycling the vegetable waste onto the compost pile once you’ve harvested your crop.

It is important to protect your vegetable garden from animals looking for a tasty meal. Surrounding your garden with a fence can keep out dogs and some other animals – birds, rabbits, moles and mice are another matter. Other types of protection for your crops will have to be devised to thwart these critters.  The damage done by animals during one growing season can equal the cost of a fence and other protective devices. And, of course, a fence can serve a second purpose as a frame supporting peas, beans, tomatoes, and any other plants that need support.

Careful planning, choosing the right plants for your conditions, installing the right protection for your plants and keeping a vigilent eye on yoru plants as they grow will all add to improving the yield from your vegetable garden.  Yes, it can be hard work but the dividends can be very tasty.