Growing
How To Start An Allotment: The Beginners Guide With Secrets From Expert Gardeners
IN THIS GUIDE How To Get An Allotment Know What You’re Allowed To Do How To Start Your Allotment Maintaining Your Allotment What Time Of Year Should You Start? References Picture this: it’s a lovely summer’s evening, and you’re sat with a cup of tea in the shade of an apple tree. You’re looking out onto several rows of plump, juicy vegetables, all of which you planted yourself. A sweet smell fills the air, and the sound of traffic is so distant as to be barely noticeable. Sounds idyllic, right? With an allotment, this vision can be made into a reality. Peaceful, tranquil, and productive Technically speaking, an allotment is just a plot of land made available for non-commercial gardening by your local authority. According to the National Allotment Society though, “allotmenteering is a way of life – not a plot of land.” And we’re inclined to agree. “We are really lucky to have a large allotment which means we can grow a fabulous variety of fruits and vegetables,” shares Joe Harrison, known online as ‘Grow With Joe’. “This allows us to grow lots of different things throughout the year.” Your allotment is an opportunity to create an oasis of calm away from the stresses of modern life, metaphorically and literally. It’s a space where you can shed the hustle and bustle and go back to your roots; where you can see the fruits of your labour bloom in real-time. “I have an allotment in the Cotswolds which is used to grow my own food, as I am trying to live as sustainable and organic as I can,” shares Chris from The Bearded Growers. “Getting the kids involved is great as we are teaching them how to grow your own and it also gets them outside in the fresh air.” His Radio Co-Host JJ also discusses his allotment: “I’ve had mine for 3 years and it’s been a steep learning curve, but nothing beats growing your own fruit and veg. It’s my happy place and my escape from the real world. “Much like Chris, I grow organic and sustainably. If the feed is not natural and if it’s full of chemicals you can’t pronounce, then it’s coming nowhere near my allotment.” How To Get An Allotment The first step is to get in touch with your local authority. The Gov.uk website has a page that will point you in the right direction.1 In rare cases you’ll get an allotment straight away, however most of the time you’ll be added to a waiting list. In some boroughs, these are notoriously long (and only seem to be getting longer!) so prepare yourself for a long wait. The application process and the subsequent waiting period can sometimes be tougher than actually starting the allotment! Know What You’re Allowed To Do Allotments are covered by their own laws, and as such, allotments come with legally defined restrictions.2 Ownership of an allotment comes with expectations and requirements, and failing to meet these can result in losing your plot.3 The exact wording of your terms and conditions will vary between councils, but the core themes are as follows: Keeping the allotment weed-free and in good condition. Not using the allotment for any business activities. Not causing nuisance or annoyance to other allotment owners, or obstructing paths on and between allotments. Not building any structures without written consent. These rules can feel stifling, especially the one about not building structures, but it’s important to understand that they are designed to make allotment ownership accessible for everyone. If and when you move on from your allotment, future owners deserve to be greeted with the same blank slate that you were, rather than spending time or money removing buildings. How To Start Your Allotment Once you’ve got your allotment, the fun can begin. Remember that there’s no definitive right or wrong when starting out: it will depend on your skill set, what you want to achieve, the size of the plot, the condition it’s in, and various other factors. “I have been gardening for about thirty years and am lucky enough to have a medium-sized garden and an allotment,” shares Molly Hollman, Garden Photographer. “I have a good-sized flower bed and I grow the flowers and plants I love to photograph, especially wildflowers and plants to encourage pollinators.” The tips in this section are intended to guide you in the right direction. As you become familiar with your allotment and the work it requires, it’s very likely you’ll deviate from these points and decide how best to structure your time. 1) Make A Plan A good first step is to outline what you want to achieve with your allotment: Are you going to grow common veggies to save a bit of money on your shopping, or do you fancy growing something a bit more exotic? Or maybe you’re only interested in growing fruit? And do you want a year-round harvest, or would you rather have minimal involvement over winter? Ask yourself questions about what you want to grow and when you want to harvest it, then research accordingly. If you know what you want to grow, write down the times you’ll need to sow and harvest. If you know when you want to be at your allotment, research plants and seeds that fit your preferred schedule. A sowing calendar might be helpful at this stage A good plan will provide a structure for you to work towards. It should include: What needs to be planted and when. What needs to be harvested and when. General workdays for things like weeding and clearing. 2) Be Realistic An allotment can feel like a blank slate, ready to be filled with all sorts of wonderful things, but remember that it’s you that has to make them happen! It’s important to stay realistic with your plans and to not overwhelm yourself, especially in the early stages. “I am quite selective about what I grow on my allotment because of space,” says Val Bourne, a Garden Writer. “Luckily, I have a garden too, so I can grow vegetables in that.” There’s nothing worse than getting demotivated because your wildly ambitious planting plans aren’t coming to fruition. “Our allotment is roughly the size of a doubles tennis court, and when we took it over, it was an extremely overgrown, unkempt mess which took years to get in order,” shares Joe. “Once all the weeds, grass, bushes, tree stumps and rubbish was removed we were left with an incredibly large blank canvas to try and manage. “After a few years, we realised that trying to maintain and plant in such a large area really wasn’t sustainable, so we added some raised beds which really helped.” Here’s what to keep in mind: How much help can you get? The amount of manpower you can draw on will determine what you can achieve. Some allotments have management teams who can help with initial clearance, for example. And what about friends and family: will you be able to count on their help in exchange for a share of the harvest? How much time can you devote to your allotment? Gardening can be hard work. A session of 1-2 hours will feel like a good workout, especially if you do multiple sessions each week. Try to understand how long each task will take, and plan accordingly. What condition is your allotment in? If you’ve inherited a plot in poor condition – with weeds and so on – you’ll need to allocate more time to make it more workable. If you did inherit lots of weeds, don’t despair. They’re a sign that the soil in your allotment is fertile: definitely a silver lining! “The big problem with allotments is that they are full of pests and diseases,” shares Val. “My allotment is also quite dry and I can’t grow brassicas on it because they just go down with cabbage white butterflies. “Having an allotment is brilliant, but you might have to limit what you grow there.” You should expect it to take a year or even more for the whole plot to be usable, so setting expectations early – and giving yourself an honest idea of what you’re up against – can help to tackle despair and frustration later on. Remember: allotmenting is a way of life and not just a plot of land, and you will notice a return on the time you invest in the early stages. 3) Organic Or Non-Organic? It’s good to make this decision early on, as certain gardening practices will be out of bounds if you decide to go for organic. Organic gardeners believe that you should work with a garden rather than trying to exert control over it. Practices that support and encourage natural processes are used, rather than man-made solutions like pesticides and artificial fertilisers. If you value things like recycling, renewable energy, reducing pollution, avoiding waste, and similar, then organic gardening could be for you. “If you are an organic gardener, growing your own produce is very important to you,” shares Val. “I try to grow as much food as I can an my allotment because I don’t want to have chemicals on our food.” The benefits: Reduces the number of chemicals going into the ground and, by extension, into your crops. Effective in managing pests, weeds and disease. Effective in maintaining soil nutrients. And the potential drawbacks: Certain tasks may take longer: erecting netting is slower than spraying pesticide, for example. There will likely be a bit more damage to your crops. “I got my allotment about 25 years ago when I first started gardening,” explains Janice Shipp, a Garden Writer. “I think I just wanted to grow vegetables in a natural way without any chemical sprays and I wanted to eat things when they were really fresh. “I’m not sure I thought about it being ‘organic’ because I didn’t know much about it then, but I wanted some control over how my food was grown.” Whatever you decide, bear in mind that owners of nearby allotments may follow organic processes, and may feel compelled to say something if you’re spraying powerful chemical pesticides all over the place. 4) Make A Map Once you’ve got a plan, and you’ve made the decision of what type of allotment you’ll be growing, you can decide what it will look like. A physical map of your space is a useful reference point when starting an allotment. It will help you to visualise what the space will eventually look like, which can be motivating in the early days when you’re faced with an overgrown patch of weeds. It’s also a great way of making sure the design flows together before you pick up any tools. To make a map as useful as possible, include beds, paths, and structures. Marking the rough boundaries of different crops is a good way to keep track of what you’re growing, and to visualise crop rotation patterns (more on this later!). The more detailed the map, the more useful it will be: Where will the compost bin go? And the water butts? What about an area to sit with a cup of tea and a sandwich after a long session? Including shade and sunlight areas on the map is helpful when planning which plants will go where. Drawing a compass bearing on your map can help with this, as can lightly marking the shadows of structures and trees. Diligence at this stage will pay dividends later. If you don’t fancy making a map, you should at least have a mental image of what you’re aiming for. 5) Clear Your Allotment Now comes the physical stuff. Getting rid of everything you don’t want is a cathartic process, and can often cement the feeling that the allotment is yours rather than borrowed. It’s an opportunity to look for another silver lining, too: although it’s hard work, you’re preparing a space to be filled only by the things you have chosen. Rubbish can be removed easily, just take it away in bags to your bins at home, or to a dump. Unwanted plants can be cut down and either composted or removed. This takes a little longer. Shrubs and bushes should be cut back to ground level. Consider borrowing a strimmer if you don’t fancy trimming entire bushes back with secateurs! Then comes the weeding, which is potentially the longest job. So much so that we’ve dedicated a section to it… 6) Clear The Weeds! Depending on how severe the weeds are you can either remove them by hand or cover them with sheeting to starve them of sunlight. “No-dig gardening is increasingly popular because it both avoids the effort of digging and protects soil structure and fungi,” shares Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “Just start with a thick layer of compost mulch and plant straight into it. “Charles Dowding is the go-to-market gardener who has done much to promote this growing technique.” Removing them by hand will involve spending a lot of time on your knees, rummaging around in the dirt. It’s hard work and slow progress, but seeing a freshly weeded bed is very satisfying. “When starting your allotment, don’t get overwhelmed,” says Chris. “A plot full of weeds is a daunting task. Break it down into smaller chunks and when you have weeded and turned over a small area, make sure you plant something. “Nobody wants to just weed and dig for weeks on end, so seeing something grow can really keep you motivated.” One thing to remember: don’t throw perennial weeds or weeds that have gone to seed in the compost! They’ll just infest your pile. If you go for a sheet, you can throw it over the top and forget about it until next year (or at least the end of the next growing season). The weeds will die slowly as they are starved of sunlight, leaving a nice fresh bed for next season. Weigh down the corners and sides with stones to prevent the sheet from blowing away when it’s windy. Also consider a sheet that water can run through: the weeds will take a bit longer to die off, but it’ll be easier to work with wet ground when it’s time to plant things. 7) Prepare The Soil With all the weeds removed, you can prepare your soil for planting. Breaking up the soil will make it easier to plant into, and mixing in compost or other organic matter will help to replenish any nutrients that may be missing. If you’re feeling especially diligent you can do a PH test to find out the condition of the soil. This will give a clearer picture of what nutrients – if any – need to be restored. 8) Plant Something! Finally, the reason you got an allotment in the first place! After lots of planning and preparation, you should now have beds of fresh, healthy soil to plant into. Refer back to your plan to see what needs planting and when. “At the moment, my allotment is really full of life and I’ve been harvesting garlic, potatoes, peas and beetroots recently,” shares Garden Podcaster Shannon Keary. “My absolute favourites have to be melons, sweetcorn and pumpkins.” We really recommend not waiting for the whole plot to be cleared before planting begins: you can plant in each bed as it becomes ready. This gives you the motivational boost of knowing that things are growing, even though there’s still work to be done. “I’m growing all my favourites this year – sweetcorn, tomatoes, courgettes, squash, onions, climbing french beans and lots of brassicas, but the slugs have been at those and I’m not sure what will survive,” says Janice. “Anything is fair game for growing and soft fruits, courgettes, beans and squashes all feature annually in my allotment,” says Chris. “I grow the same as Chris, but I also like to experiment, so this year I’ve tried growing watermelon with limited success, but growing your own is all about trial and error, so all you can do is try again next year,” JJ adds. The majority of seed packets have instructions on how and when to plant, so we won’t give instructions for every plant. What we will say is that it’s important to take heed of these, especially the recommended distances between seeds. They may seem ridiculously big considering the seed size, but you’ll be surprised how big your crops might grow. 9) Crop Rotation This is a long-term investment, but having an awareness of the concept is useful when starting out. As your plants grow, they’ll take certain nutrients from the soil. Different plants take different nutrients, meaning that the soil can become depleted over time. (If you did a PH test earlier and noticed any issues, this is one possible reason why.) Crop rotation is an organic gardening method designed to overcome soil depletion by rotating plants between beds over growing seasons. The idea is to alternate which nutrient is depleted each year, allowing the others to replenish and for the soil to stay balanced. The groups usually used in crop rotation are: Potatoes. Brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli). Legumes (peas and beans). Root vegetables (carrots, parsnips). You may decide to plant potatoes in a bed one year, then brassicas the next, then legumes, then roots. In a neighbouring bed you would plant roots first, then potatoes, then brassicas, then legumes. In the next bed: legumes, roots, potatoes, brassicas. And in the final bed: brassicas, legumes, roots, potatoes. At the end of four years, each bed will have been used to grow each crop once and – in theory – the soil in all four beds should be full of nutrients. Maintaining Your Allotment It’s good to get into the habit of visiting your allotment often. Even if there’s not a big list of tasks to be done, regular contact with the space helps you keep an eye on things, and nip problems in the bud. As we mentioned earlier, try to get help from friends and family. You could organise regular work days where people can drop in and out, offering tea and biscuits in exchange for their hard work. The rules and regulations often state that you must not let your plot run to seed. If it becomes too overgrown, or if landlords have any reason to suspect that you are not taking proper care to maintain it, you risk losing ownership. What Time Of Year Should You Start? Each month brings different considerations in allotment ownership. Spring is all about planting. Autumn is harvest time. Winter is for maintenance and making sure crops are protected. If you’re wondering what jobs to do in your allotment in a particular month, we recommend the monthly jobs section of the National Allotment Society website.4 “Enjoy it once you’ve done the work!” concludes JJ. “I know that sounds simple, but when you have finished a session on the plot, take 10 minutes to sit and give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done. “You need to enjoy what you are doing otherwise you will be more inclined to avoid the hard work – and allotments are definitely hard work!” Happy allotmenting! References 1. Government Digital Service. (2012, May 2). Apply for an allotment. GOV.UK. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.gov.uk/apply-allotment 2. Allotments law and community growing. (n.d.). Department for Communities and Local Governments. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.farmgarden.org.uk/system/files/allotlawandcommgrowing.pdf 3. Allotments Management. (n.d.). National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Ltd. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.nsalg.org.uk/allotment-info/allotments-management/ 4. Monthly jobs. (n.d.). National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Ltd. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.nsalg.org.uk/growing-advice/monthly-advice/
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Master Horticulturist's Guide To Taking And Propagating Plant Cuttings
IN THIS GUIDE What Are Plant Cuttings? What Are They Used For? How To Grow Plant Cuttings 1) Take Your Cutting 2) Remove Any Excess Foliage 3) Situate Your Cuttings Using An Aeroponic Propagator Planting In Compost Growing In Standing Water How Long Do Cuttings Take To Root? Which Plants Can You Take Cuttings From? When Should You Take Cuttings? There You Have It… References Cuttings are a simple way to get new plants without seeds. It’s hard not to be impressed by the natural elegance of the cutting process: just snip off part of your plant, take proper care of it, and soon you’ll have an entirely new one. This new plant is a clone of its mother plant, which is truly remarkable. “Learning how to take cuttings is a useful skill that will help you multiply your plants and swap them with other gardeners,” shares Sally Flatman from Our Plant Stories. “It can be expensive if you’re constantly trying to grow plants and buy them all, so this is a great way of saving you some pennies.” We’ve written this guide to equip you with the knowledge you need to successfully take and grow cuttings. What Are Plant Cuttings? A cutting is a section of a plant deliberately removed for the purpose of propagation. Done right, you can grow a whole new plant without any seed. The word “cutting” refers to the removed section of the plant, as well as the act of removing it. When taking a cutting, there are a few things to bear in mind to make sure it will grow. But before we get into that, a bit about why people take cuttings. What Are They Used For? You can use cuttings to get more plants, either from one you own, from somebody else’s plant, or from something growing in the wild. Taking a cutting from your own plants is useful if you’re moving house and can’t take your garden with you, or if you just want to have more. Taking cuttings from someone else’s plant is a great way to share and enhance each other’s collection. Taking a cutting from the wild allows you to bring nature into your home without uprooting or harming any plants. “When taking cuttings from plants in the wild, care should be taken to ensure the plant is not in a protected area (such as a Site of Special Scientific Interest), the plant does not itself have special protection under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (such as the English Bluebell) or the plant is not an invasive non-native species (such as Himalayan Balsam) under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, otherwise a criminal offence could be committed,” explains Roy Nicol, a Master Horticulturist.1 “It should be borne in mind the owner’s permission is required to take cuttings from someone else’s garden, a public park or garden.” The beauty of cuttings is being able to borrow plants from nature, friends’ houses, and even plant nurseries (with permission), all without damaging the mother plant. How To Grow Plant Cuttings I’ve recently grown a Syngonium Wendlandii (Goose Foot) houseplant from an unrooted cutting bought online. To help illustrate the process of growing this plant from a cutting, the steps and imagery below showcase how this was taken from a simple cutting into a thriving, healthy houseplant. 1) Take Your Cutting Cuttings are available online from suppliers and are commonly much cheaper than purchasing a fully grown plant. If you’re looking at taking your own cuttings, make sure you have a pair of very sharp, freshly sterilised secateurs or a horticultural knife. This is very important as it helps to prevent the introduction of root rot, which can ultimately damage or even kill plants grown via cuttings. “There are several types of cuttings, including softwood where the stem is new green growth, semi-ripe and ripe cuttings where the stem has started to become firm before it becomes woody, and hardwood where the stem is woody,” adds Roy. “Along this progression, stems have decreasing amounts of hormones to assist new roots being formed, so take longer to root but require less close care such as keeping a moist environment.” You’ll want to cut the plant just below the node: the part where the leaf joins the stem. Cut just under the node, very close to the stem, so that the node remains on the cutting. The node contains the highest concentration of rooting hormones that will give the cutting the best chance of taking root. For softwood, aim to take a cutting of about ten centimetres: enough that you can plant it in the soil with the leaves still a good distance above. 2) Remove Any Excess Foliage On this occasion my Syngonium cutting had only one leaf, but for other cuttings, to maximise the chances of rooting, you should look to remove all leaves except for the top few. You want some foliage so that the plant can photosynthesise, but not too many that this process competes with the plant’s resources to make new roots. Here’s an example with some photographs of a buddleja cutting I took to illustrate this: 3) Situate Your Cuttings If you’re not planting straight away, transport your cutting in a sealed plastic bag with a couple of drops of water. This will keep the moisture in and prevent the cutting from drying out. Put a label on the bag so you know what you’ve got, as identifying plants just from the leaves can be difficult. There are three typical options for growing cuttings, with each of these covered below: Using An Aeroponic Propagator For my Goose Foot plant, I decided to put my aeroponic propagator through its paces. This is essentially a sealed propagator which provides the ideal conditions for new cuttings to thrive: Water sprayer which ensures roots are constantly given enough water, without them being left in standing water (a common cause of root rot) Grow lights to support plant growth Water heater to ensure an optimum water temperature of 20-22°C Sealed lid to maintain humid conditions The cuttings are placed in small foam plugs which help to keep them in place. The 24/7 spraying of water ensures that the roots receive a constant supply of water nutrients and oxygen. Some choose to add additional nutrients to the water, but I’ve always had extremely positive results using water alone. Once the cutting was placed in the aeroponic propagator on day 1, it was simply a case of letting it sit for a few weeks to allow the rooting process to take place. The hardest part was resisting the temptation to remove it and take a look! On day 14 I removed the foam plug from the propagator and was pleasantly rewarded with the very early beginnings of new root growth. Notice the slight white bump where a new root is forming: You can see from these pictures that the plant also spent some energy putting out a new leaf which, while not ideal (we want the plant to focus all its energy on rooting in the early days) was still a sign of healthy growth. At roughly day 28, I was highly satisfied with the size of the roots, which had grown to around a few inches in length and were close to reaching the pool of water below plug tray. I removed the cutting from the propagator and used a sharp cutting knife to remove any brown matter, which should help to prevent root rot taking hold. I then potted it up in a mix of bark, worm castings, perlite, coco coir, charcoal and sphagnum moss. To help the transition from the propagator, I kept the plant in a warm location, watered it regularly and misted it to replicate humid conditions. From here, the plant can be treated like any other, being kept in a bright location with regular watering. Planting In Compost Another option for those that don’t have access to an aeroponic propagator is simply to plant your cuttings in compost. When it comes to potting, seed and cutting compost is the best option for cuttings as it has the consistency and nutrient balance to encourage new root growth. Cuttings should be planted into moist compost so they have water available straight away. Once planted, be vigilant and ensure the compost stays moist – the growth process is strenuous, so it’s important that cuttings have everything they need. Use a dibber to make a hole in the soil (this can be a pencil, pen, or anything long and thin), then poke the cuttings gently into the holes. Use your fingers to gently push the compost back against the plant. Before planting the cutting, you can dip the root in hormone rooting medium (water or powder) to boost its chances of growing. Then cover the pot with plastic film to seal in the moisture, tight enough that condensation forms inside but not too tight that air can’t get in. “I find clear freezer bags work well for this stage, with a small stick in the centre of the pot to keep the bag from collapsing onto the cutting,” says Roy. “It’s best to keep the cuttings out of direct sunlight while waiting for them to form roots as they can overheat.” You may want to label the pot to help you remember what’s growing inside. Growing In Standing Water The third (and probably the simplest) option is simply to place your cuttings in standing water. A test tube propagator is ideal for this purpose, and can be easily filled and placed on a windowsill. This is a process I recently undertook with a mint cutting and it was very successful, as you can see in the images below: The water should be replaced at least every few days to prevent any root rot caused by the roots sitting in standing water. After a while, the plant will begin to take root. Timings are covered in the next section. When the cutting is rooted it’s time to plant it out. Harden it for a couple of weeks (grow it somewhere with a breeze and sunlight to simulate outdoor growing conditions), then plant cuttings individually in pots. From this stage, they can be treated as regular plants. How Long Do Cuttings Take To Root? This will depend on the type of plant and rooting method used, as well as the type of cutting, as softwood cuttings root the soonest and ripe cuttings later. Some begin to root within a week of being cut from the mother plant, while others – succulents, for example – can take much longer. You should expect the process to take anywhere from two to ten weeks. In my experience, an aeroponic propagator can significantly speed up the process! If growing in compost it can be tempting to try and get a look at how well your cutting is rooting, but resist this temptation! You’ll be able to tell by seeing whether the cutting is still alive and well after a couple of weeks of being planted. “The easiest way to see that a cutting has rooted is when it produces new growth,” explains Roy. “This shows the plant is taking up water from the roots, photosynthesising and using the energy this produces to grow.” If so, it’s probably taking root well. If not, keep an eye on it, and remove it if it begins to dry out. Which Plants Can You Take Cuttings From? Plants that are showing new growth will be best for cuttings, as they’ll have the highest concentration of growth-stimulating hormones. If you have an old plant, you can prune it back to stimulate new growth, then take a cutting from this section. Healthy plants should be chosen for cuttings, ones showing good growth and no pests. Shoots that aren’t flowering will take root more easily. Herbs are very easy to grow from cuttings – and this is a great place to start if you’re a beginner trying to get a feel for the process. Mint, coriander, rosemary, sage, and all sorts of other herbs can be grown without any soil at all. Just place a cutting in a jar of water so that the leaves are a couple of inches above the surface, place in a well-lit area, and watch the roots begin to appear. Top up the water when it begins to get low, and you’re good to go. Here are some other plants that lend themselves well to cutting: Softwood cuttings, from perennials like petunia, geranium, pelargonium, biden, and more. Deciduous shrubs like hydrangeas, buddleja, lavender, and fuchsia. Succulents, although expect these to take a bit longer to go to root. Berry bushes: these are semi-ripe cuttings rather than softwood. When Should You Take Cuttings? It’s best to take a cutting in the morning, as this is when the plant material will be full of water. The best time of year to take a softwood cutting is in spring or early summer, as this is when plants are in the most suitable stage of their growth cycle. Semi-ripe and ripe cuttings are taken from late spring to mid-summer. There You Have It… Cuttings are a simple and elegant way of getting new plants. Providing you take care throughout the process, a cutting can grow into a strong and healthy plant surprisingly quickly. This guide has introduced cuttings and given basic instructions on how to propagate a plant cutting into a new plant. Time to go out and take some of your own cuttings! With cuttings, practice makes perfect. Try not to be disheartened if your first cuttings don’t take properly: you’ll get there! Happy gardening. References 1. What are the laws that protect wild plants? (n.d.). Lancashire Constabulary. Retrieved July 3, 2023, from https://www.lancashire.police.uk/faqs/wildlife-crime/what-are-the-laws-that-protect-wild-plants/
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Mulching Can Be The Ace Up A Gardener's Sleeve: Here's How To Use It Effectively
IN THIS GUIDE What Is Mulch? Mulching Benefits Types Of Mulch How To Mulch Your Garden Mulching Disadvantages Many gardeners aren’t aware of the myriad benefits mulching can bring to your garden. If you’re looking for healthier soil, fewer pests, stronger plants, and a more attractive garden, then mulch could very well be the answer. After reading you’ll be equipped with the information you need to find and prepare the right mulch for your garden. What Is Mulch? Mulch is a soil covering designed to improve the quality of the soil beneath. It is layered onto soil or compost: the act of mulching. There are many types of mulch, each with its own properties, benefits, and potential drawbacks. The type you choose will depend on your gardening goals. Mulching Benefits Broadly speaking, mulch strengthens the soil around your plants. Most mulch types keep moisture in your soil and help to reduce the amount of weed growth. It also protects the roots of your plants during winter, by reducing the frequency and severity of freeze-thaw cycles. “My top tip for any garden is to take care of the soil,” shares Author and Gardener Naomi Slade. “Increase the organic matter by mulching heavily, as this will help the soil absorb and retain water which mitigates both flooding and drought.” Some types of mulch give nutrients to the soil, which can be useful in replenishing lost nutrients and improving soil fertility, while other types are helpful in discouraging pests. “Moving forwards in this climate, mulching and maintaining soil moisture is getting increasingly important and academics are starting to focus on it more,” says Sara Venn, the Founder of Edible Bristol. “Healthy soil helps carbon sequestration, so mulching and making your own compost has many benefits.” In general, mulched gardens grow healthier than those without mulch. Mulching your garden also saves time spent watering and weeding: two of the main time-sinks in garden or allotment maintenance. “Keeping the soil as covered and undisturbed as you can not only helps encourage a good balance of wildlife in a garden but also helps mitigate nutrient loss, allowing for healthier and more vigorous plants,” shares Horticulturist Sam Hickmott. Depending on the type you choose, it can also make your garden look neater. Types Of Mulch Here’s a list of some common mulch materials: Grass clippings Garden compost Chopped leaves Spent mushroom compost Spent hops Wood chip Processed bark Manure Straw Seaweed Slate Pebbles Chipped stone Aggregates Gravel Seashells River rock Glass Sheets of fabric As you can see, they fit into two broad buckets: organic and inorganic. These two categories overlap broadly with biodegradable and non-biodegradable mulches, with a few exceptions (like seashells which are organic but non-biodegradable). For gardening purposes, it’s most helpful to split mulches out by whether they are biodegradable or non-biodegradable. Biodegradable Mulch These mulches will break down over time and release their nutrients back into the soil. This means they’re great for replenishing soil nutrition and boosting fertility. “Look around to find things you can mulch with,” says Sara. “We’re using fleece at Edible Bristol at the moment, which has kindly been donated to us by a farmer.” Biodegradable mulches are good for keeping moisture locked into soil, and for reducing weed levels. They’re less effective at deterring pests, though. Non-Biodegradable Mulch Because these mulches don’t break down, they won’t have an impact on the nutrition or health of the soil. They are still able to help with the weeds and moisture levels. One of the main draws of mulches from this category is that they can be used decoratively, to great effect. Choosing a mulch based on how it looks rather than how it will benefit your soil opens up a whole new layer of landscape design considerations. Sheeting may not seem like mulch in the traditional sense, but technically it is. Draping a sheet over a new or overgrown flower bed is a great way to nuke the weeds: you can cut holes in the sheet for planting, and cover it with other mulch materials if you find it unsightly. How To Mulch Your Garden Applying mulch is quite a simple job. You just need to spread it out onto the soil in a layer between two and three inches thick, whilst being careful to avoid: Covering small plants entirely, as this can smother or suffocate them. Piling too much mulch against plants, as they can struggle to grow. Mulching too close to trees: you should not mulch right up to the tree. Before mulching, pull out any weeds right down to the root – this will stop them from growing underneath the mulch. If you’re using a biodegradable mulch, you’ll need to replace or relayer every year as it begins to break down. Doing this will ensure that your garden continues to feel the benefits of mulching. Whack the old stuff in the compost if you have one. Then: Put mulch out in small piles initially, over the whole area you’re planning to cover. This makes it easier to gauge how much you’ll need. Rake the piles once they’re out to create even coverage. Once this is done, water the top layer gently. Enough to dampen it but not so much that you create any puddles, which can damage the mulch and reduce its effectiveness. Make sure you give everything the space it needs to thrive Mulching will deliver the most benefits if done between mid-spring and autumn. This is when soil is warm and moist, giving plenty of temperature and moisture for the mulch to lock-in. Grass Adding mulch to grass is a great way of reusing waste, whether it’s grass cuttings or fallen leaves. This is beneficial for your garden, and for reducing pressure on landfill sites. If the soil under your grass is at least 6°C, then grass or leaf mulch will break down and boost the health of your lawn. Newly Planted Trees A mulch with medium texture is best for trees. Fine mulch can compact too tightly and starve the tree of oxygen, whereas coarse mulch does not hold enough water in. Be aware that mulching too close to a tree can be harmful, as can laying mulch too thickly. Both of these things can starve the roots of oxygen and stunt the growth of the tree over time. Perennials Organic mulch is best for perennials, as it replenishes the soil with the nutrients that they demand year on year. Other plants can be rotated, or the soil replenished by turning in compost, but the best way for perennials to get this nutrition is from mulch. A layer of two to three inches deep works best. Vegetables If you’re mulching veg, this can be done in winter after planting out. You’ll want four to six inches of mulch. Sawdust is popular for vegetable gardens, as are straw and wood chips – these mulches offer good all-round protection for veggies. “Wood chip makes a fantastic mulch,” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “Although it used to be thought of as a risk for locking up nitrogen in the soil, this is only the case if it gets dug into the soil. “On the surface, it will rot down quite rapidly into the soil, as anyone who has laid it as a path will tell you. “It preserves moisture, adds nutrients over time and creates ideal conditions for plant-supporting fungi.” Some vegetables are better suited to different types of mulch – tomatoes and other heat-loving plants may want something thicker, for example – so it’s good to understand the needs of your crops. Mulching Disadvantages There are a few potential disadvantages to mulching in general, and some individual mulch types have specific disadvantages. Laying mulch too close to tree stems can make them vulnerable to disease, but following the steps above should ensure this doesn’t happen. Some mulch mixes can bring weeds into your garden rather than protecting against them. To avoid this happening, make sure you choose high-quality mulch. As we said earlier, organic mulches won’t protect against pests, and non-biodegradable mulches won’t contribute to soil quality. It’s worth evaluating the suitability of the type of mulch you’re planning to use, to make sure it’s suitable for your needs. “Everybody mulches and knows about the benefits of it, but it comes in plastic, it gets to garden centres in a diesel truck, so it already has had a huge environmental footprint,” shares Doug Stewart, a Sustainable Horticulturist. “If I grew some plants in the corner of my garden then shredded that up at the end of the month, I’ve managed to avoid this by making my own garden mulch. This is one of the basic things we can start to do to tread more carefully in our gardens.”
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