Watch as Monty sows kohlrabi for an autumn crop. Learn how to sow the seed and raise the crop, as he explains how to eat this unusual vegetable.
Welcome to Modern Agriculture!
Strawberries are one of the most eagerly anticipated crops of summer, and early varieties of strawberry usually start fruiting in June.
Find out how to grow strawberries with the help of our practical strawberry Grow Guide.
If you can’t wait that long, you can encourage strawberries to flower and fruit six weeks ahead of outdoor plants by potting some up and bringing them into a cool greenhouse or conservatory.
All you need to do is keep them well lit, ventilated and watered to prevent the plants becoming leggy – and then enjoy your early harvest.
Here’s how to get an early crop of strawberries in three simple steps.
Plant two or three strawberry plants in a hanging basket or large pot of multi-purpose compost. Keep them well watered and ventilate the greenhouse on hot days – this will encourage pollinating insects, too.
As strawberries develop, cut off any long runners that grow, as these will divert energy from the crop.
Check pot-grown plants carefully as the fruit develops for signs of slug damage. And it’s worth netting greenhouse doors and vents to stop the birds stealing the fruit as it ripens.
Watch as Monty sows kohlrabi for an autumn crop. Learn how to sow the seed and raise the crop, as he explains how to eat this unusual vegetable.
Chrysanthemums are popular border plants, adding valuable colour in late summer and autumn. However, these vigorous and free-flowering plants tend to wear themselves out quite quickly. The oldest part of the plant, in the centre of the clump, becomes weaker and the stems flop, while the outer shoots remain thick and healthy. It’s easy to propagate chrysanthemums by taking basal cuttings every few years in spring. These will root easily in a cold frame, propagator or on a sunny windowsill. Mo
Watch Monty’s video guide to maintaining a mini-meadow, in which he explains how to show off spring bulbs and wildflowers to best effect. In need of a new mower? We’ve tried and tested the best cordless lawn mowers and have a range of in-depth, individual lawn mower reviews to help you select the best model for you, as well as the best garden shears if you’d prefer to cut your meadow by hand.
The easiest way to trim an established conifer hedge such as Thuja plicata is by using a powered hedge-trimmer to give a regular, even finish. Quick-growing conifers will need about three cuts per year during the growing season, at roughly eight week intervals. Inspect your hedge thoroughly before trimming it to ensure there are no birds nesting within. It’s an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built.