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The bulbs are shooting, the daffodils are appearing and Spring is just around the corner. The daylight is increasing and we are about to see the emergence of further shoots to bring our gardens back to life. We have recently had a cold spell here in Wales which has given us an opportunity to start to think about the season ahead.
2022 allowed us to secure our 7th Guinness World Records title for growing Giant Fruit, Flowers, Vegetables and Plants and we are hoping to add to the collection in 2023. The records are getting harder to achieve but with skill and dedication and a combination of the right tools, we are managing to add to our tally.
The Keder Greenhouse has been blown with the BL 700e ePower leaf blower and blasted with the HPS 345 R power washer (both from STIGA) to give us a clean start to the forthcoming season. We will shortly be starting off the Giant Cabbages and Giant Beetroot as well as a handful of peppers and chilies.
We have recently harvested the final chilli plant. This is called a Sugar Rush Peach that was developed by our good Friend Chris Fowler, here in Wales. The harvest was one of the latest ever for us. The chillies will be chopped up and frozen for us to use each time we cook. The remaining tomatoes from the plants at the end of the season were frozen and they are being used in the kitchen. Nothing should be wasted.
Now is the time to start to plan what you are going to grow in the garden, order your seeds and start off a few in a frost-free environment.
Remember that you need space, time and commitment if you are to successfully grow your own. There are lots of seed companies out there with many new varieties for you to try as well as your favourites. Grow with your children, encourage them into the garden and help us all to develop the next generation of gardeners.
We recently visited our local garden centre to hand pick a number of varieties of potatoes. They are currently chitting in the greenhouse. It’s important to make sure that they are frost-free to avoid any damage to the emerging shoots. If you’re also thinking of growing your own onion sets, now is the time to start collecting them. There’s a number of varieties you could choose, from Red Barron to Sturon, both will give you a bumper harvest.
If you’re thinking of growing your own fruit, now is an ideal time to purchase bare-rooted fruit trees and soft fruits. These will be cheaper and will provide you with some valuable exercise digging and planning where to place them.
Over the past few weeks we have been pruning the established fruit trees. They needed to be thinned out and cut back. We used some tools from Felco that have allowed us to prune back the trees ready for the new season. The new orchard that we planted is about to start its second season. The fruit trees will take a few years to establish but they will provide endless supplies over the coming years. Pruning apple trees is an easy task.
Pruning apple trees is a relatively easy task and regular pruning helps to keep the plant healthy.
Initially start by removing dead, diseased or weak growth and cut back any branches that are crossing.
Reduce the length of main branches by about a third. Cut to a good, outward-facing bud, make a diagonal cut to prevent moisture going into the cut.
Keep an eye out for fruit buds and keep as many as possible on the tree.
This season our Laurel hedges needed to be reduced in height and now is the ideal time to start to prune them ahead of the new growth emerging. Laurels are fairly resilient and can be cut back quite hard in the Winter. We had a few trips to the recycling area of the garden some of these will be rooted to produce even more hedges.
Remember to keep your tools sharp and to clean down your secateurs and cutting equipment. This will help to ensure that the tools last for many years to come. Using a lubricant will help to keep your tools in good working order and speed up your gardening tasks.
There’s a number of tulips still to plant and these should put a fantastic display in the garden. The colours always amaze me each year. If you would like to add some colour and can find a few tulips of tete-a-tete daffodils, put some into a pot for a colourful early display. The bulbs planted last season are slowly starting to emerge. I'm hoping to plan a visit over to Holland to see the amazing tulip fields in the coming months.
I enjoyed seeing STIGA at the Garden Press Event in London on the 21st Feb. STIGA's new autonomous robots and their battery technologies impressed the visitors. They’ve continued to impress me in the garden too.
Another exciting development is that the team at Hampton Court Palace are growing a selection of Giant Vegetables and rare chillies this season and we are very much looking forward to linking up with the gardening team in a few weeks time.
What are you most looking forward to in the 2023 season?
To get you off to a head start, check out the range of products on offer at STIGA. Once you have a STIGA in your hands, you’ll not be disappointed
