Pippa Greenwood, our resident gardening expert shares
Pippa Greenwood's weekly tips on growing your own at home
Pippa will be keeping us updated with a grow your own tip each week in the run up to the show in 2012 - keep checking back to make sure you don't miss any!
At www.pippagreenwood.com you can get specialist Grow Your Own advice, purchase plants, seeds and herbs at the click of a button and also access quick and easy email solutions to your gardening problems.
Raspberry Canes
Only just over three weeks before The Edible Garden Show, but before you get lost in dreams of all things edible (see you there, I hope!) make sure you tackle your Autumn fruiting raspberry canes.
I like to prune them back as late as possible, because of unexpected late cold spells like we had for the last two winters.
Use really sharp secateurs to cut each cane back to just above ground level. If canes are showing signs of blotching or are obviously totally dead, then cut these as close to the ground as you can, in order to minimise the risk of infection of the new canes which will soon be produced.
Apply a bulky organic mulch, ideally garden compost or well rotted manure around the bases of the canes, but not right up to them....and sit back and dream of the crop to come!
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Feb20
Winter Pruning
This really is the last chance to carry out Winter pruning of apples and pears as the leaves will soon be starting to break.
As you prune these trees make sure that you remove any dead, diseased and damaged spurs and branches and that you keep your eyes open for signs of apple canker infection.
This fungus will attach both apples and pears, causing roughened patches on the bark, often associated with a slight sinking in of the bark. If left unchecked the infection soon spreads and may also girdle infected branches and spurs, so causing dieback. Any infected wood should be binned or burned, not composted of shredded.
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Feb13
Early Sowing
It may be too cold to make many direct sowing of vegetable seeds right now, but make sure you get early sown seed in as soon as possible.
The best way to ensure early sowings are successful is to protect the soil now - by covering it with sheets of polythene, or better still a pull-out fleece or micromesh covered tunnel you can help to ensure that the soil temperature is raised somewhat.
If rainfall is very high then polythene or cloches are the best option as these will also help to allow the soil to dry out a little. Some of my favourite tunnels and cloches are available from www.pippagreenwood.com . In windswept areas, if you're using polythene sheeting, make sure you weigh it down with bricks or peg it with long galvanized steel pegs!
Feb6
Indoor Sowing
Make some indoor sowings of suitable varieties of lettuce, cauliflower and radish. I find that cells, rather than pots, work best for me as each seedling can then develop and grow away well within the cube of compost, and be transplanted into a small pot without having to suffer any root disturbance.
If possible bring your bag of seed and cuttings compost into the greenhouse or porch for a few days before you need it - that bit of extra warmth will help to get things off to a speedier and more comfortable start.
I take it one stage further too, and water in the seeds with tepid water rather than the icy stiff from the water butt!
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Jan30
Fruit Trees
This may not be the time of year that summer fruit is on your mind, but it should be!
Fruit trees, canes and bushes will all benefit from some sulphate of potash or rock potash applied now. If you apply 15-30g /m3 or 1/2-1oz/yd sq that should do the trick, but for best results make sure that you apply it over a good wide area beneath the plant - most of the feed will be taken up by the roots at the edge of the root system and this is generally around the area beneath the outermost spread of the branches.
If the weather is dry, water the potash in well and then it will be taken up and help to encourage more flowering and fruiting in the year ahead.
Jan23
Growing Raspberries
I'd be lost without a good supply of freshly picked home-grown raspberries and this is a good time of year to order in some canes if you'd like to grow some yourself.
They can be planted any time over the next few weeks provided the soil is not frozen solid or awash with excess rain.
On my heavy and alkaline soil, I find that the Summer fruiting varieties really don't last more than a couple of years before they go seriously downhill, so I no longer grow them, but if your soil is better suited to them, then they are a lovely Summer fruit; but for those of us with raspberry unfriendly soil, there are wonderful Autumn fruiters available, so take a look at the catalogues and websites and see what tickles your fancy. One thing I'd say is that they are all delicious!
Jan16
