Growing
Tomatoes Don't Always Need Pruning - But These Steps Can Really Help Improve Airflow
IN THIS GUIDE Do You Need To Prune Tomatoes? Understanding Tomato Types When To Prune Tomatoes Pruning Side Shoots On Cordon Tomatoes Removing Lower Foliage For Air Flow Pruning To Encourage Tomatoes To Ripen References Tomatoes are not too challenging a crop to grow, but there are some things that are important to consider when growing them in order to achieve the best possible results. Pruning tomato plants is one thing to consider. You might not always have to prune tomato plants but there are a number of reasons why, for certain types at least, you might wish to do so. Here are some basic things you should consider when thinking about how to prune tomatoes growing in your garden: Do You Need To Prune Tomatoes? Tomatoes do not necessarily have to be pruned at all. However, there are a number of reasons why, for certain types of tomatoes and at certain times, pruning can be beneficial. Pruning can help make sure that plants have adequate airflow and are not overcrowded.1 It can ensure good quality fruits, keep your plants healthy and it may help you increase your yield of ripe fruits towards the end of the growing season. Whether or not you will prune your side shoots will depend on which type of tomato you are growing. Understanding Tomato Types There are two main types of tomatoes that you might grow and which of these categories your tomato falls into will determine whether or not you should remove side shoots from your plants. The first type of tomato is the indeterminate type, also known as vining, or cordon-type tomatoes. These are tomatoes that grow on long vines, and continue to grow and produce tomatoes over a longer period. The second type of tomato is the determinate type, also known as bush tomatoes. This type grows to a certain, smaller size and then produces its fruit over a shorter time period before tailing off in production. Whether or not you prune side shoots from the plant will depend on which of these two options you are growing. Cordon tomatoes should be pruned regularly, and side shoots should be removed whenever these form. Bush tomatoes, on the other hand, should not have the side shoots removed and should largely be left unpruned, except, perhaps, for the removal of some lower leaves. When To Prune Tomatoes When you will prune your tomatoes will depend on a range of factors, but these are the key times to think about pruning. During the growing period, side shoots should regularly be removed when these appear on cordon-type tomato plants. These may grow and be nipped out any time from around May/June when tomatoes are planted out until you approach the end of the growing season. From around late July and through August, blight is a serious fungal issue that can attack tomato plants. You can reduce the chances of this disease taking hold by pruning lower foliage from tomato plants around this time. In September, as the end of the season approaches, you might also consider pruning lower foliage and removing flowers and very immature fruits to give remaining green tomatoes the chance to ripen. Pruning Side Shoots On Cordon Tomatoes Side shoots or suckers appear where a leaf stem or branch meets the main stem. If allowed to do so these will grow into new fruit-bearing branches, but allowing these side shoots to grow can weaken the plant, cause overcrowding and airflow problems, and reduce the quality of fruits on cordon tomatoes. So whenever you see these small side shoots appear, you should nip these out with a finger and thumb before they grow too much larger. “Tomatoes are surprisingly easy to grow from cuttings,” shares Master Horticulturist Peter Lickorish. “Side shoots that are removed early in the season can be placed in a pot of free-draining peat-free compost under a propagator and usually root within a couple of weeks. “If not a propagator, a transparent plastic bag, with a few holes, will do the trick.” Your goal with this type of tomato is to keep them growing as a single stem up your supports. This will mean there is almost a right angle between the main stem and any fruiting stems or leaves. I like to check for side shoots whenever I walk past my tomatoes, to stay on top of this – since if you miss one, it can grow quickly and cause problems if it gets too large. Removing Lower Foliage For Air Flow Removing the lower foliage on cordon tomatoes, and sometimes on bush tomatoes too, can also be beneficial, especially as summer wears on and the blight season arrives. Cutting off the lower leaves or simply pulling these from the plant carefully by hand can ensure that there is adequate airflow around the plants which can reduce the chances of various diseases taking hold. Fungal spores can splash up onto lower leaves from the soil, spreading disease, so removing lower leaves can reduce this problem. Pruning To Encourage Tomatoes To Ripen Finally, you might also like to consider, on cordon types, removing lower leaves, flowers and immature fruits that definitely won’t have time to ripen before the end of the growing season in late summer or very early autumn. This can help ensure that the plant puts its energy into ripening remaining fruit, and could slightly increase the number of ripe tomatoes that you are able to harvest before colder weather arrives. While not strictly essential, this last pruning phase might slightly increase yields and give you fewer green tomatoes to use up or ripen indoors at the end of the gardening season. References 1. Tomatoes. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables/tomatoes/grow-your-own
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Don't Forget To Feed And Mulch Your Hungry Tomato Plants For A Bumper Yield
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Mulching When Planting Out 2) Mulching When Plant Begins To Set Fruit 3) Companion Planting 4) Feeding With An Organic Liquid Feed References Tomatoes are a popular crop for those who love to grow their own at home. They can grow outside in much of the UK in summer, but will often do best in a greenhouse or polytunnel. When growing tomatoes, there is a lot to think about to ensure a good yield, but one important consideration is feeding. Tomato plants are relatively ‘hungry’ plants, so you need to make sure that you provide optimal nutrition for these plants throughout the growing season. Feeding tomatoes comes down to three key ideas in an organic garden: Providing a healthy soil or growing medium through adding organic matter as mulch. For optimal yields, there are a few different mulches to consider. Companion planting to provide nutrients to growing tomato plants and to keep them as healthy as possible. And providing plants with a boost by using an organic liquid plant feed during the flowering and fruiting period. 1) Mulching When Planting Out In a healthy organic garden, everything comes back to the soil or growing medium. When planting out tomatoes in the soil, it is best to ensure that the location already has soil that is as healthy and fertile as possible. Ensuring a healthy soil in your garden beds and growing areas means thinking about protecting the fragile web of life that healthy soil contains. The no-dig method is beneficial because it allows the soil to flourish without too much disturbance.1 This approach involves minimising any digging or tilling, keeping a living root in your soil as much as possible, and regularly adding a top dressing to the surface of the soil to protect it. So – feeding tomatoes begins with building healthy soil, or choosing a fertile growing medium when growing in containers. Early in the season, when you plant out your tomato plants, they need a balanced mulch that can provide slow release fertility, as well as conserving soil moisture and reducing weed growth. I recommend adding a homemade compost or well-rotted manure around the plants upon planting. 2) Mulching When Plant Begins To Set Fruit When tomatoes flower and begin to form fruits, I also like to add an additional mulch around the plants (surrounding but not touching the stems). At this stage of their growth, tomato plants need plenty of potassium.2 You can add this with a mulch of the leaves of plants (like comfrey or Chenopodium album, for example) that are good at accumulating potassium in their tissues. These leaves will break down on the soil surface or growing medium and return their nutrients to your garden. Depending on the composition of your soil or growing medium, you might also like to add additional things to this mulch, to provide other nutrients and micro-nutrients. Calcium deficiency can cause blossom end rot in tomatoes, so to counter this, add calcium-rich plant matter to the mulch you prepare. 3) Companion Planting Another thing to think about for healthy tomato plants is other plants you might grow alongside tomatoes that might aid them – through improving environmental conditions, adding fertility, and helping with organic pest control. Planting legumes or other nitrogen-fixing plants close to tomatoes early in their growth can be beneficial. Some of the nitrogen fixed by these plants is used by the plants themselves, but some may be made available in the soil for the uptake of other plants close by. You might also simply plant tomatoes in an area recently vacated by a winter/spring legume crop, such as peas or broad beans, for example. While not strictly for adding fertility, but rather for ensuring healthy tomato plants in general, other companion planting is important too. For example, consider adding basil or borage, and garlic or spring onions around tomato plants. 4) Feeding With An Organic Liquid Feed During flowering and fruiting, especially when growing tomatoes in containers, it can also be helpful to ensure potassium levels by feeding tomatoes with a potassium-rich organic liquid feed, which will deliver nutrients more quickly than a mulch and give plants a boost. It is important not to feed with a liquid feed that is too high in nitrogen, as this can encourage leafy growth at the expense of flowers and fruit. Instead, choose a commercial organic tomato feed, which has been specially formulated. “I recommend formulations that include seaweed extract for the best results,” shares Horticulturist and Consultant Dan Ori. “You can also use tomato feed on most other flowering plants, so you won’t be wasting a bottle if you only have a few tomato plants.” Or, ideally, make your own organic potassium-rich liquid plant feed using comfrey or other dynamic accumulator plants that are good at gathering potassium from the soil. Steeping these plants in water will allow you to make a liquid feed to give your tomato plants a boost. You can feed tomatoes with a comfrey tea or similar every couple of weeks or so through the fruiting and harvesting period. References 1. What kind of plot? The no dig plot. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/allotments/allotment-styles/no-dig-alternatives 2. Qihou, H., Weijie, J., Hongjun, Y., & Ming, W. (n.d.). Effects of potash applied at different growth phases on tomato yield and quality in greenhouse. International Society for Horticultural Science. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.actahort.org/books/944/944_5.htm
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Is Distilled Water Good For Plants? It's Complicated - There's No Scientific Consensus
IN THIS GUIDE What Is Distilled Water? Can You Distill Water At Home? Understanding Your Water Source Is Your Tap Water Harming Your Plants? Is Rainwater Harming Your Plants? Would Your Plants Benefit From Distilled Water? References Many gardeners overlook one of the most important things for good plant health – fresh water. Could using distilled water be the answer? Some people say that using distilled water to water your plants is the best option and sometimes, that may indeed be the case. However, while using distilled water may sometimes improve plant health and growth in very specific circumstances, it may not always be the best thing. Which type of water you should use when watering your plants very much depends on where your water comes from and the properties it has. It also depends on which plants you are growing, and where they are being grown. Let’s delve a little deeper to help you understand the best options when it comes to watering your plants. What Is Distilled Water? Distilled water is water which has been purified by being boiled. As it boils, the water evaporates. In the distilling process, this evaporation is condensed on a cold surface and collected to give something that is very close to pure H2O.1 During this process, impurities such as heavy metals, chemicals like chlorine, parasitic organisms and other contaminants are removed.2 However, minerals required for plant growth are also removed and so where plants cannot obtain these from the growing medium instead of the water, plant growth could actually suffer. There is no scientific consensus on whether distilled water really is better for your plants. However, some scientists suggest that it could improve plant performance in certain situations.3 In particular, distilled water is said to be good for some houseplants and other plants grown indoors in containers. This is because plants grown in containers do not obtain the benefits of natural soil filtration, and chemicals and other contaminants found in tap water are not diluted by natural rainfall, so where tap water is used, this can become more of an issue. Can You Distill Water At Home? It is possible to distil your own water at home, using a water distiller that has been purchased for the purpose, or by making a make-shift distiller using a pan, a bowl, a lid and some ice. However, this is a time-consuming process and you will only ever be able to make a small amount of distilled water at a time. What’s more, distilling water on a hob is likely not a very sustainable choice. It requires a lot of energy, which, especially when this energy is not entirely from renewable sources, hardly seems worthwhile. It may negate the benefits to the environment you gain from growing your plants in the first place. The other option, of course, is to purchase distilled water, but since distilled water is usually purchased in plastic containers, this also raises thorny issues when it comes to trying to grow in a sustainable and eco-friendly way.4 Understanding Your Water Source When trying to work out what to use to water your plants, understanding your own water and where it comes from is key. Sometimes tap water will be perfectly suitable and indeed even better for watering than distilled water because of the minerals it contains. If possible, you should always seek to understand your tap water, where it comes from and how it might be treated before you use it on any of your plants. Not all water sources were created equal and some will be much more problematic when watering plants than others. Is Your Tap Water Harming Your Plants? We are fortunate here in the UK to have one of the best municipal water supplies in the world.5 The water coming out of our taps has usually been treated to a high level, and levels of chlorine are much lower than they are in many other countries. However, the quality of tap water varies greatly from region to region, and impurities can enter your supply even from the individual pipes leading to your home. From micro-plastic pollution to heavy metals, most tap water will have some impurities in its supplies. While impurities may be worrying for a range of reasons, many of the plants you grow may have no issues if you have to water with tap water where you live. Understanding where your water comes from and how it reaches your home is important, since it can help you to understand the properties of that water, and how it might affect your plants. Some plants are particularly sensitive to the chlorine and other chemicals and impurities that might be present in the water supply to your home. Some plants may also be sensitive to the low pH, or calcium and magnesium content of the tap water in hard water areas. “For example, ericaceous plants such as camellias and rhododendrons prefer lower pH water which is free of calcium,” says Master Horticulturist Roy Nicol. Even if you do not live in a hard water area, tap water isn’t the best thing to use on your plants, regardless of where you live. It is always better to use natural rainfall where possible to water indoor plants, as well as relying on it for plants growing outdoors. Is Rainwater Harming Your Plants? “We’ve got to be less wasteful and even as gardeners, we are guilty of that,” says Danny Clarke, TV Personality & Garden Designer. “One of the things that I think we can do is conserve running water from the mains, as this can be very wasteful and a lot of it goes to plants that don’t really need it. “A great way of conserving water is to install water butts in our gardens.” As Danny says, harvesting rainwater to water your plants is almost always the best solution. If at all possible, affix water collection vessels to guttering to collect water that falls on roofs, or make ponds or other bodies of water to store water in your garden.6 Think about finding ways to catch rainwater on your property and keep it around. Even leaving a bucket on a balcony or hanging from a window could help you if you are growing plants indoors. Rainwater is naturally mildly acidic, which most plants will love.7 It contains nitrates and small amounts of organic matter which provides other plant nutrients and it is a free resource that you should be taking advantage of. “Over time, the water in water butts can start to smell as the organic matter breaks down,” says Roy. “To counter this, it might be worthwhile to use an organic water butt treatment.” However, it is important to think about where you live. In some areas, such as homes below flight paths or in city centres where there is a lot of air pollution from traffic, rainwater will likely not be as pure and natural as you might think it is.8 It may be contaminated with pollutants of various kinds and may be far more acidic than usual. “It’s best to avoid using rainwater for seedlings as the possible pathogen content can lead to the fungal problem of damping off,” explains Roy. Would Your Plants Benefit From Distilled Water? In most cases, as mentioned above, your container plants will be happiest with rainwater and many can cope fine with tap water where harvesting rainwater is not possible. However, in a few very specific cases, for particularly fussy plants grown in containers indoors, the neutral pH and purity of distilled water may make for healthier and happier plants. “As minerals have been removed from distilled water, it’s advisable to supplement these with a balanced organic plant feed,” adds Roy. Just remember that distilled water is, in the majority of cases, not really required, and most plants will always be happiest with natural rainfall. References 1. Blades, N. (2019, July 17). Distilled Water. WebMD. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.webmd.com/diet/distilled-water-overview 2. Drinking Water Treatment: Distillation. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/html/g1493/build/g1493.htm 3. Alwan, N. T., Shcheklein, S. E., & Ali, O. M. (2021). Evaluation of distilled water quality and production costs from a modified solar still integrated with an outdoor solar water heater. Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, 27, 101216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csite.2021.101216 4. Reasons to Avoid Bottled Water. (2013, November 13). Sustainability at Harvard. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://green.harvard.edu/tools-resources/green-tip/reasons-avoid-bottled-water 5. Water and health. (n.d.). Water UK. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.water.org.uk/advice-for-customers/water-and-health/ 6. Taylor, A. (2012, April 25). What’s the best way to store rainwater? BBC News. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17839818 7. Water: collecting, storing and re-using. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-jobs/water-collecting-storing-and-using 8. Air pollution. (2017, February 3). Met Office. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/guides/air-quality
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8 Ideas From Horticulturists To Support Climbing Plants As They Grow
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Living Plant Supports 2) Stakes And Canes 3) Trellises For Climbing Plants 4) Horizontal Wires On Walls Or Fences 5) Cordon Wires & Frames 6) Cage Supports 7) Pillars And Obelisks 8) Arches, Arbours And Pergolas References Supporting climbing plants as they grow is important – but there are a huge range of different ways to do so. Think outside the box and you can find many amazing and unusual solutions for your garden. Finding innovative ways to support climbing plants or vines in your garden can help you create a garden which really makes the most of the space available. Seeking out interesting support solutions means that you can take your garden into the vertical, as well as the horizontal, and really make the most of every inch. What’s more, by finding new and interesting ways of supporting climbing plants in your garden, you can integrate these plants more holistically into any design and you can create a beautiful garden which is attractive and unique. Supporting the plants in your garden does not involve a large investment. In fact, if you take a DIY approach, you can create bespoke support options for any situation using natural resources or items that would otherwise have been thrown away. This is often the most sustainable approach too. By using natural or reclaimed materials for plant support, you will not only save money but will also be doing the right thing for the planet. To help you understand the variety of options you could consider for supporting climbing plants as they grow, we’ve come up with a range of categories, with suggestions within each category for the different supports that you could consider. So, read on to get some inspiration for supporting the plants you are growing or wish to grow in your garden: 1) Living Plant Supports The first category to consider is supporting climbing plants with other plants. For example, many climbers and vines can be grown up mature trees. Large mature trees can support even vigorous vines, while even smaller trees can provide support for smaller climbers. They might also be grown up or through shrubs or hedgerows. Many vines like honeysuckle and clematis, to give two obvious examples, look wonderful when spreading along a wild hedgerow at the edge of a garden. Annual climbers and vines can also be supported by other plants. One of the best-known examples of this is when corn is grown alongside climbing beans (and also squash) in the ‘three sisters’ companion planting plan.1 In this polyculture, the corn is considered the ‘supporting sister’, providing support for the beans in return for the nitrogen fixation that the beans can provide. Other tall plants, like amaranth or Jerusalem artichokes, can also provide support for climbing beans and other annual climbers or vines in your vegetable beds. Sunflowers are also often used in some areas as support for climbers like cucumbers – but caution is advised as sunflowers can stunt the growth of certain other plants grown close by, so yields of certain crops may be affected. It is not recommended, for this reason, to use sunflowers as support for climbing beans. Another thing to consider is that when planted closely, plants like peas may not require as much support and may, at least in part, hold themselves up, working together. Wide rows of peas are sometimes planted, sometimes with just a string around the sides of the row to stop them from flopping over. 2) Stakes And Canes Sometimes, more complicated and larger support solutions are not required and all that is needed is a simple stake or cane. “When pruning in winter, keep an eye out for material that can be used for staking,” shares Horticultural Consultant Colin Skelly. “Beware of using material from plants that will root, such as willow. “My ideal stakes are coppiced hazel because they are long, straight, strong and look great too.” Individual plants can often be supported with bamboo canes, natural branches or twiggy sticks (like peas, for instance). Often, it will be possible to source materials for these simple supports from elsewhere in your garden, so be sure to look around before you buy anything new. 3) Trellises For Climbing Plants Another category involves creating trellises suitable for a wide range of both perennial and annual climbing plants. Trellises come in many shapes and sizes and can be made from a huge range of different materials. Trellises may be: Fences or other garden boundaries which double as trellises Structures placed against a wall or fence Vertical, free-standing structures A-frame structures V-shaped structures There are, of course, plenty of trellis panels that you can simply buy, but making your own means you can create a tailor-made solution for your garden and for the plants you wish to grow. They can also be made using organic materials from your garden. You can use bamboo or you can make a range of different trellis designs using natural branches pruned or coppiced from the trees and shrubs in your garden. Canes or branches might be held together with screws or tied together with twine. One interesting thing to note is that you might not even have to buy twine for the purpose. Plants like stinging nettles can be used to make your own natural rustic twine for garden purposes.2 You might even be able to create a wattle trellis without any fixings at all. To create a sturdy wattle trellis you will need strong stiff branches to use as upright posts, and flexible branches to weave between these uprights. You can create a dense screen with this technique, or create a trellis with a more open structure. A range of trellis structures can also be made using reclaimed materials. For example, you can make a trellis using: Reclaimed wood/wood pallets Old doors/windows Old plumbing pipes Cattle panels Reclaimed rebar Old fencing/chicken wire Reused fishing nets The structure from an old metal bed or an old headboard Spring structures from an old mattress The railing from an old cot or a piece of balustrade Old wooden handled garden tools An old garden gate These are just a few ideas and there are also plenty of other old items and materials that can be put to good use. It is always a good idea to think about what you might already have lying around before you buy any new support structures for your garden. 4) Horizontal Wires On Walls Or Fences If you have existing walls or fences up which you wish to grow climbing plants on then you might not need to add a trellis at all. Some climbers are self-clinging, of course, and will not need any support as they grow, but for those plants which do require some support, you might simply have to add a series of horizontal wires across a solid wall or fence to tie plants into as they grow. It is important to make sure that both the existing structure and the wires are strong enough to support the plants that you wish to grow, as some climbers are much heavier and more vigorous than others. You also need to make sure that the wires are tensioned so they do not sag over time. If you get these things right, this can be an unobtrusive way to support climbers or wall shrubs against an existing garden boundary. 5) Cordon Wires & Frames Unlike a typical trellis, cordon wires and frames do not have a consistent lattice in the structure. Instead, a frame is used to support trailing wires or strings up which cordon plants like tomatoes can be grown. The frames can support the wires or strings only at the top, and the strings can be secured at the base with tent pegs, or looped below the root balls of the plants when they are planted. Plants are then tied into these vertical wires or strings as they grow. As with typical trellis supports, the frames for cordoning wires or strings can be made with a range of different materials, including natural branches from your garden, or reclaimed materials. As above, the frames can be simple vertical rectangles, A-frames, or a range of other shapes. Since you will have wires or strings hanging down from this frame, you will only need to worry about making the outline of the frame, not a complete lattice structure. If you are cordoning plants within an undercover growing structure like a polytunnel, you may not need to worry about making a frame at all for cordon plants. You may be able to run a taut wire between the crop bars, and suspend the wires or strings for cordoning from that. 6) Cage Supports Another group of ideas involves creating a cage-like structure around your climbers and vines to support them as they grow. This is another idea which could work well for tomatoes which are not cordoned, or other edible climbers and vines, to prevent them from sprawling out too much. Cage supports can be made from old fencing or chicken wire, woven wood or latticed wood structures, for example. There are also a range of other inventive reuse solutions to consider. 7) Pillars And Obelisks Especially in smaller gardens, support structures in the shape of pillars or obelisks can help you make a stand-out feature of climbing plants without taking up a lot of space. These can be very decorative features as well as functional supports for your plants. Of course, there are plenty of options that you can simply buy, but you can also make your own support structures of this type relatively easily. For example, people have used: Bamboo canes or natural branches Woven willow art structures Reclaimed wood Old stepladders Old plumbing pipes The structure from an old garden parasol/umbrella Old bicycle wheels Golf clubs Stacked wicker baskets Stacked reclaimed wire cages 8) Arches, Arbours And Pergolas This next category involves larger decorative structures which can be used to support climbing plants in your garden. Arches are extremely popular for a quaint cottage garden or English garden look. Buying or creating arches over pathways over which roses and other flowering climbers can be grown is a great way to define the entrance to a particular garden space, or to mark the way through from one garden room to the next. Arches can also be created across the top of a raised bed, for example, to grow annual climbers and vines, or between two garden beds to create a walkway between them. Arbours (covered areas with seating below) or larger pergola structures, are much larger DIY projects, but could also be considered if you have some DIY skills. Growing fruiting vines like grapes for produce or fragrant climbers to enrich outdoor living spaces can be a great idea, and these sorts of structures can be good ways to support them. Again, as with other support structures, many reclaimed materials can be used to make your bigger garden projects like these more sustainable and eco-friendly. References 1. Growing Your Own | The three sisters. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/features/three-sisters 2. Family activity: how to make string from nettles. (2020, June 24). Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.bbowt.org.uk/blog/claire-mcclafferty/family-activity-how-make-string-nettles
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'Secure But Loose' - Master Horticulturist On Supporting Sunflowers As They Grow
IN THIS GUIDE When To Support Sunflowers 1) Supporting Sunflowers 2) Tying In References Sunflowers are a wonderful annual flower to grow as they bring a joyful injection of colour to the garden for weeks on end and can be grown in borders, containers or a flower patch. Whether you grow the smaller multi-stemmed varieties or gigantic single-head plants, all but the very dwarf cultivars will benefit from staking to support them as they mature. Supporting sunflowers is a straight-forward process and should be undertaken whilst the plants are still small, as this will make the task much easier. This process is explained in more depth below: When To Support Sunflowers Sunflowers are widely grown here in the UK and should be supported from an early age to encourage straight stems and to prevent them from bending, breaking or falling over. Grown as an annual, sunflowers can be sown or planted out once all risk of frost has passed, which is typically around late May to June, depending on your location in the UK. Sunflower plants can either be supported at the time of sowing or planting or shortly afterwards, but certainly before they grow too tall and start producing heavy flower heads. Difficulty Easy Equipment Required Stakes, posts or canes, gloves, mallet, twine or wire. When To Stake May, June, July 1) Supporting Sunflowers ‘Ms Mars’ Sunflower Sunflowers are best grown in full sun and in a sheltered spot to help prevent any wind damage, as some varieties can grow more than 3m tall. Whether grown individually or in clumps, sunflowers benefit from being supported either by using prefabricated metal pole rings, wooden or bamboo stakes or simply tied in along a fence. To support sunflowers grown individually, a single stake or sturdy cane can be driven deep into the ground beside the plant, either into a preformed hole or using a mallet and then tied in. The stake’s height is dependent on the mature size of the sunflower grown and will need at least an extra 30-50cm to go below the soil’s surface. To avoid staking, sunflowers can simply be planted at the back of a border along a sunny fence, trellis or wall and tied in at regular intervals using vine eyes and string. However, if you are growing sunflowers on a larger scale, such as in a cut flower patch, supporting individual plants can become a lot of work, so a homemade cage support may be warranted. A sunflower cage, similar to those used for supporting dahlias, can be formed by using 1.8-2m wooden posts or stakes installed securely around the plants and a lattice of twine or canes laid between them at various heights, for the stems to grow up amongst. Sunflower stakes need to be strong and secure, as the larger varieties’ blooms can be of considerable weight and rock in even the lightest of breezes.1 “Thick stemmed sunflowers will typically withstand all but the worst winds, but lattice support allows the sunflowers to move together and support each other as they sway,” shares Horticultural Consultant Colin Skelly. “If one falls, it will typically be held upright and avoid taking others with it as it would if unsupported.” Tall wooden fence posts and metal rebar are often used and readily available or, for a more sustainable approach, coppiced hazel poles can be used. 2) Tying In Individually grown sunflowers need tying in from an early age and as the season progresses. Flexible rubber-coated wire or twine can be used to loosely tie in the stems so they remain straight as the plants mature, but not too tight as the stems can reach a sizeable thickness over time. If a sturdy lattice cage is installed, this may suffice and the sunflowers may not need tying in further, unless they are grown on an exposed site, or start leaning towards the light as they grow taller. References 1. Helianthus annuus | common sunflower. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/105515/helianthus-annuus/details
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How To Plant And Grow An Olive Tree, In Collaboration With Paul And Antonia Smith
IN THIS GUIDE Overview Olive Varieties Planting Olive Trees Olive Tree Care Propagation Harvesting & Storage References Olive trees can instantly add a Mediterranean feel to any garden aesthetic. Despite their roots in warmer climes, they tolerate the British weather remarkably well – provided they’re given pride of place in terms of sun and shelter. In this guide, we’ve collaborated with The Norfolk Olive Tree Company, which is run by Paul and Antonia Smith. “The Olive Tree provides yearlong colour and interest and produce flowers in spring that are beneficial to wildlife – the bees love them,” says Paul. “It is a small, slow-growing tree so it is ideal for small gardens and border displays”. Although they’re less likely to produce a plentiful harvest in the UK, it is possible to coax a small yield from these slender and stylish trees – just don’t expect to be pressing your own olive oil any time soon. In any case, even if you don’t manage to get your olive tree to actually produce olives, it’ll still be an elegant addition to any garden display. With silvery, leather-like foliage and compact, upright architecture, smaller varieties are ideal for locations where space is at a premium. Overview Botanical Name Olea europaea Common Name(s) Olive Tree Plant Type Evergreen Tree Native Area Mediterranean Hardiness Rating H4 Foliage Bushy evergreen foliage with leathery leaves growing on opposite sides of the branch Flowers Small white panicles When To Plant March, April, May, June, July, August, September Flowering Months May, June, July, August When To Prune April, May Did you know that olive trees are capable of surviving for millennia? In fact, the oldest known specimens of this Mediterranean stalwart are believed to be between 2,000 and 3,000 years old.1 It’s little surprise, then, that they were favoured by the empires of both Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.2 It’s for that reason that they’re virtually synonymous with the sultry climes and laid-back lifestyle of a holiday overseas, and planting one in your garden can replicate that inviting atmosphere. Though they are demanding in terms of the sunlight and shelter they receive and the drainage of their soil, they’re largely resilient plants which don’t require too much in the way of TLC otherwise. That, and their aptitude for container cultivation, make them an increasingly common sight in sunny spots around the UK. Olive Varieties There aren’t massive discrepancies in the growing habits and maintenance requirements of different olive tree cultivars, but there are certain varieties which can fruit more reliably or tolerate cold more effectively than others.3 As such, it’s a good idea to tailor your selection to your particular regional climate and the purposes for which you want the tree in the first place. “If you’re planning to grow fruit, we recommend the Arbequina” explains Paul Smith. “Otherwise, we favour the Leccino Olive Tree, which can grow up to 30 feet. “However, they are not self-fertile and will need a pollinator to grow fruit”. Paul and Antonia also express a fondness for the Picual Olive Tree, as they are good for overwintering in the UK and are particularly resistant to pests and diseases. Here’s a little more info on the more common varieties found in the UK: Olea europaea ‘Arbequina’ This Catalan variety hails from the east of Spain and is particularly suited to areas prone to frost or poor soil quality. It’s on the smaller side, growing up to 6m, but can be quite vigorous in its development. O. europaea ‘Frantoio’ This classic specimen is native of Tuscany in central Italy and is perhaps the number one choice for those looking to reap a decent fruit harvest from their tree. It’s very easy to cultivate in the UK, too. O. europaea ‘Pendolino’ With compact dimensions and a weeping structure, this Tuscan alternative is excellent for smaller spaces. However, it will need to be planted alongside other olive varieties in order to have any chance of producing fruit. Planting Olive Trees When planting an olive tree in the ground, dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and enhance the quality of the soil with mycorrhizal fungi or another organic aid, which will facilitate rapid root establishment. Spread the roots out when planting and tamp down the soil. Drainage is key, regardless of how you plant your olive tree, as Paul explains: “Olive trees are not fussy about soil type, but it must be free draining. “So, if you have clay soil break it up with grit and sand and test it before planting, making sure that water will drain”. It’s also advisable to stake plants for the first several seasons to allow their roots and trunk to develop. Where To Plant Olive trees love sunlight, so choose the sunniest and most sheltered spot in your garden.4 “I recommend growing an olive in a pot against a sheltered sunny brick wall for the best chance of ripened olives,” says Master Horticulturist Dan Ori. Olive Tree Care Olive trees are famously drought resistant – but that doesn’t mean they will thrive without regular watering and feeding. Here’s a rundown of their main demands: Preferred Sunlight & Temperature Ideally, olive trees prefer the warm climes of their native Mediterranean. However, several cultivars are more tolerant of cold than others. Generally speaking, they’ll do best when summer temperatures reach 20°C or more, while in winter, they can survive anything as low as -10°C for a short period of time. In terms of sunlight, more is invariably better. That’s why it’s important to position your olive tree in a position where it is likely to receive as much exposure to the sun’s rays as possible. Watering Though olive trees will survive periods of drought, their flowering and fruiting habits will definitely be negatively impacted without water. For that reason, it’s advisable to keep them well irrigated. Younger trees are more susceptible to becoming parched, but even mature varieties will feel the impacts in excessively long dry periods. The former will require occasional watering in winter, while the latter does not demand any during the colder months. Having said that, no olive tree withstands waterlogged roots for any stretch of time. That’s why it’s imperative that the soil the tree is planted in enjoys good drainage, regardless of whether it’s a pot or the ground. Feeding Use liquid fertiliser once a month from mid-spring until late summer to encourage maximum growth and an optimal yield of olives. During this time period, the best results will be witnessed when feeding lightly but regularly. In early spring, you can set it up for the growing season ahead with bonemeal, blood and fish feed, while mulching it with plenty of organic matter once every two years is advisable for a healthy, happy tree. For potted specimens, Paul Smith recommends a regular feed from March to October and notes that any feed that is seaweed based, such as tomato fertilisers, are the best choice. Common Problems & Pests Generally speaking, olive trees don’t suffer too badly from diseases or blights. However, if your tree is allowed to become excessively wet, it may be susceptible to phytophthora root and verticillium wilt.5 Honey fungus and olive scab are other occasional problems to watch out for. In terms of pests, the humble mealybug is chief among your worries. They can suck the sap out of the branches and secrete honeydew onto leaves, causing them to turn black with mould. Deal with them using an organic pesticide where applicable. Winter Protection Trees grown in the ground should be protected with horticultural fleece or hessian in parts of the country susceptible to extreme cold during winter. Spreading a layer of mulch over the root systems is a good way to insulate them from the cold as well. For potted varieties, moving them to an unheated conservatory or greenhouse will suffice to keep them safe during winter. If that’s not an option, use fleece or bubble wrap to insulate the container and protect the roots. “Olives will easily tolerate our UK winter temperatures and they will fruit better if exposed to a few cold months,” says Dan. “What they don’t like is cold and wet or exposed sites, so if you have soil that becomes waterlogged in the winter I recommend growing in a pot. “Wrapping your olive in horticultural fleece can be beneficial during the first and late frosts. If you are concerned about it surviving the winter where you are you can move it into an unheated conservatory or greenhouse.” Propagation It’s possible to propagate olive trees and achieve a relative degree of accuracy between the parent tree and the offshoot. Do so by taking semi-ripe cuttings (young branches less than one-year-old) in summer or hardwood cuttings in winter. Take the cutting just below a leaf node and strip all leaves from near the base, leaving at least four near its tip to retain moisture. Dip the base in rooting hormone, then plant it firmly in the rooting mixture and tamp down the compost around it. Both the soil and the cutting will need to be kept warm (around 20°C) and moist for the first few months after planting. After the roots have established, it can be transplanted outside or into a pot. Harvesting & Storage Olive trees begin producing fruit when three to five years old and should be harvested in autumn. Those favouring green olives should strip them from the tree when they reach full ripeness, though they must be soaked in salt water for a few days to make them tasty. On the other hand, if you prefer black olives, allow them to remain on the plant until they firm up and darken in colour. Once black, remove them from the tree and dry-cure them in salt for a few weeks to dehydrate them. Regardless of which type of olive you harvest, they should be stored in either brine or olive oil to retain their freshness for as long as possible.6 References 1. Raezer, D. (2022, October 11). World’s Oldest Olive Tree. Approach Guides. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://approachguides.com/blog/oldest-monumental-olive-tree-vouves-crete/ 2. Cartwright, M. (2016, September 9). The Olive in the Ancient Mediterranean. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.worldhistory.org/article/947/the-olive-in-the-ancient-mediterranean/ 3. Olea europaea (F) | common olive. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/11735/olea-europaea-(f)/details 4. Koubouris, G., Kavroulakis, N., Metzidakis, I., & Sofo, A. (2015, March). Ultraviolet-B radiation or heat cause changes in photosynthesis, antioxidant enzyme activities and pollen. . . ResearchGate. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273696243_Ultraviolet-B_radiation_or_heat_cause_changes_in_photosynthesis_antioxidant_enzyme_activities_and_pollen_performance_in_olive_tree 5. Verticillium wilt. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/verticillium-wilt 6. Demaio, P. (2021, February 26). It’s a keeper: how to preserve your own olives at home. The Guardian. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/feb/27/its-a-keeper-how-to-preserve-your-own-olives-at-home
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Compost vs Humus: What Are The Differences You Should Know?
IN THIS GUIDE What Is Compost? What Is Humus? Decomposition In The Creation Of Compost & Humus Adding Compost To Create A Humus-Rich Soil References Compost and humus are both substances which involve organic matter, but it is important to understand that they are not the same thing. In organic gardening, the health of the soil is one of the most important things, and knowing the difference between compost and humus can help us understand how soil is formed, and how to manage and care for it in our gardens most effectively. What Is Compost? Compost is a natural material formed as organic materials (fruit and vegetable scraps, garden trimmings and other compostable materials) start to break down.1 It can be created in nature, and also through our own agency, in a compost heap or bin. Composting begins with organic material – which begins to break down through the agency of micro-organisms, earthworms and other soil life. The quality of compost will depend very much on the materials which have gone into making it, and the speed at which the decomposition in home composting takes place will depend on the process that is used. A compost is typically said to be ‘finished’ when it is brown, with an earthy smell and few remaining signs of the original organic materials.2 But this material is far from stable and it is important to understand that a finished compost will break down further in the right conditions, releasing nutrients for the uptake of plants growing nearby as well as providing food for soil life. What Is Humus? Confusion arises because the term humus is used in different contexts to mean slightly different things. Sometimes, humus is used to refer to mature natural compost which has formed without human intervention, such as on a forest floor.3 It is therefore distinguished from compost by the source of the material. However, this is a looser use of the term and scientists will usually define humus more precisely. In agriculture and horticulture, the term humus is often used to refer to the ultimate result of natural decomposition.4 The term humus is also used to describe a topsoil horizon (soil layer) which contains soil organic matter. Humus is a stable component of healthy soil. The most important thing to understand is that humus, strictly speaking, is a later stage in the decomposition process, so all organic matter and composts can ultimately become humus over a longer period of time. Compost, in simple terms, is a work in process, while humus is the (often chemically stable) soil component that results from a further decomposition process. Humus will often remain in the soil for many years or will break down only very slowly, depending on the conditions.5 Compost can become humus, but this process can take a very long time. Decomposition In The Creation Of Compost & Humus Compost is a substance which is formed when organic materials begin to break down.6 Usually, this breakdown occurs aerobically. In other words, the materials break down in the presence of oxygen, with the aid of the micro-organisms which require oxygen to survive.7 Humus, a dark brownish organic material, forms in soil when plant or animal-derived matter (including your aerobic homemade compost) breaks down further. When we talk about a ‘finished’ compost, this is a rather misleading term, because the brown, friable, moist compost that we use in containers or as a soil amendment still contains a lot of material that remains to be broken down. “Compost is the beginning of the process of humus creation,” explains Colin Skelly, a Master Horticulturist. “Adding compost to your soil as mulch annually means that the humification process is ongoing and that soil health is optimised. Over time, this will ensure that plant nutrients are in good supply and that moisture holding and drainage are improved.” There is typically still plenty of ‘food’ for microorganisms and nutrients for plants. The process for making both compost and humus begins with micro-organisms and other soil life which break down organic matter into minerals that the roots of plants can absorb as nutrients. This process, called mineralisation, takes place in composting and continues when compost is added to the soil.8 However, in certain conditions, a proportion of the organic matter does not mineralise and instead transforms into a series of stable organic polymers. The further breakdown of these materials through the agency of soil life over time is called humification.9 The humification process takes place in various stages, as different organic compounds decompose through a range of processes, involving a number of organisms. Once humification has occurred, microorganisms no longer affect the material, and this stable substance may be integrated into the structure of the soil, sequestering carbon within the soil ecosystem. However, while scientists have learned a lot about the nature of humus in recent years, the substance is still surprisingly little understood. Science is divided about exactly how stable soil organic carbon is in soil humus, and its complex composition makes analysis a challenge.10 It is clear, however, that humus is a crucial component in a healthy soil, often dubbed the ‘life force’ of the soil. Adding Compost To Create A Humus-Rich Soil Adding compost to the soil in your garden (by top dressing as a mulch in a no-dig garden) we are mimicking nature and allowing the materials to break down further through a range of natural processes. Eventually, humus will build in the soil, bringing a wide range of benefits. A healthy soil should contain organic material at different stages of decomposition, as well as all the organisms that work to keep cycles turning as they should. By adding organic mulches and compost to the soil, we provide the raw ingredients for the formation of a healthy humus-rich soil, which sequesters carbon, maintains healthy soil life populations, retains moisture, and increases the ability of the soil to store nutrients. Building healthy soil takes time, and creating a humus-rich soil is our goal. Using compost, along with other organic materials like well-rotted manures and chopped and dropped plant materials, helps us create the right environment for humification and other soil processes to take place. And, as all organic home growers should remember – healthy soil equals healthy plants. References 1. Composting. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/soil-composts-mulches/composting 2. Making compost. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/videos/advice/Making-compost 3. Organic matter: how to use in the garden. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/soil-composts-mulches/organic-matter-how-to-use-in-garden 4. Organic matter: what is it? (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/soil-composts-mulches/what-is-organic-matter 5. Fowler, A. (2022, August 15). Provide shade, make compost and leave the weeds: six ways to heatproof your garden. The Guardian. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/aug/15/six-ways-heatproof-garden-provide-shade-make-compost-leave-weeds 6. Making compost. (2010, July 29). BBC Gardening. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/soil_makecompost1.shtml 7. Making Compost. (n.d.). RHS Masterclass. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/about-the-rhs/publications/the-garden/the-garden-back-issues/2014-issues/February/compost-masterclass.pdf 8. Ashwanden, C. (2017, August 11). Soil Mineralisation Part 1: What Do We Need To Add To Our Soils And Why? The Permaculture Research Institute. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.permaculturenews.org/2017/08/11/soil-mineralisation-part-1-need-add-soils/ 9. RHS Level 3 Question – Carbon Cycle. (2020, September 7). Edinburgh Garden School. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.edinburghgardenschool.com/2016/05/rhs-level-3-question-carbon-cycle/ 10. Dynamic Stability of Soil Carbon: Reassessing the “Permanence” of Soil Carbon Sequestration. (n.d.). Frontiers. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2020.514701/full
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Container Grown Pansies Are Wonderful For Filling Gaps In The Gardening Calendar
IN THIS GUIDE Can You Grow Pansies In Pots? Choosing Pansies For Containers Choosing A Container Choosing Your Growing Medium Potting Up Pansies Companion Plants Potted Pansy Care Pansies, otherwise known as Viola x wittrockiana, are extremely popular plants to grow here in the UK. These cheerful and easy flowers are wonderful for filling gaps in the gardening calendar and for making sure that you have blooms throughout as much of the year as possible. Often they can be grown in a wide range of different settings – in the ground, or in containers. Can You Grow Pansies In Pots? Pansies are, of course, a great choice for those growing in containers, as well as for those growing in raised beds or in the ground. They can be grown simply in pots but they can also be grown in more elaborate containers – in hanging baskets or even vertical garden structures. If you choose the right cultivars, you can potentially grow pansies in pots all year round. You can grow your own pansies from seed, or purchase plugs or bedding plants if you do not have the time or energy to do so. One of the first decisions that you will have to make if you want to grow pansies in pots in which specific pansies you would like to grow. Choosing Pansies For Containers When choosing pansies, you can think about whether you want them to bloom in the spring/summer, or in the autumn/winter months. You can also think about the size and colour of the flowers, as pansies bloom in a wide range of vibrant hues. There are, of course, a wide range of options to choose from. There are typical clumping plants and also trailing types that you might want to consider if you are growing in hanging baskets or other containers up off the ground. Choosing A Container There are not only many pansies to choose from, but also many different container options to consider. With this in mind, pansies can be planted into containers of a range of different sizes, depending on your goals and how much space you have available in your garden or outside space. One great thing about pansies is that they have fairly shallow roots, soo they don’t need a particularly deep container. An important thing to remember when choosing a container is that pansies need moist yet free-draining conditions. Make sure that the container you choose retains some moisture, but that it has holes at the base to allow excess water to drain away freely. Since pansies can be eaten by slugs and other pests, growing them up off the ground in containers against a vertical surface, in a planting tower, or in hanging containers can be a good idea. Thinking about vertical gardening can also help you make the most of a smaller space. Choosing Your Growing Medium Any general multi-purpose peat-free compost, either one you buy or one you make yourself at home, should be absolutely fine for growing pansies. As long as the mix is moderately fertile and moist yet free-draining, you cannot go too far wrong, as these are extremely happy-go-lucky and tolerant plants that are quite flexible about their growing conditions. Potting Up Pansies When potting up pansies in whichever container you choose, whether you have grown them yourself from seed or purchased them from a garden centre or plant nursery, make sure that you plant them so they sit at the same level in the growing medium that they sat at in their previous pot. Place a little of your growing medium into your chosen container, place your pansies, then fill in the growing medium around their roots, firming it gently into place. How Many Can You Plant Per Pot? As a general rule, pansies should be placed around 15cm apart. However, pansies don’t mind a little crowding so spacing is not as important for them as it is for many other plants. They are generally clump-forming rather than spreading, making them a great choice for mixed containers as they will ‘play well’ with other plants, mingling happily with a range of different companions. “Often pansies will self-seed when the odd bit of deadheading has been missed and a seed pod forms, they will pop up in unexpected places such as gaps in paving or previously used containers as free bonus plants,” shares Roy Nicol, a Master Horticulturist. How many pansies you should plant in a given container will of course depend on the size of that container, and which other plants (if any) will be placed within it. Companion Plants Pansies pair well in containers with a wide range of different plants. When choosing companion plants for your pansies, think about when the pansies you have chosen will be in flower and choose companions that will bloom during the same period for attractive seasonal displays. For example, pansies that flower in winter/spring can work well planted with a range of spring bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils, or grape hyacinths. In mixed containers, you might also think about combining plants with different growth habits and forms, to ring the changes and add some variety in your container garden. Combine trailing pansies (spillers) with fillers and thrillers in a hanging container display, for example, or use other pansies as fillers, depending on their characteristics. Pansies can bring in pollinators and help protect your crops against pests, making them a great choice for home growers to place in mixed containers in a small-space kitchen garden alongside a huge range of fruits, vegetables and herbs. Potted Pansy Care Pansies are very easy to care for – even when growing in containers. The main thing to think about is making sure that they receive enough water through any dry periods. To do this: Place containers with pansies in full sun to partial/dappled shade. Though pansies are unfussy in general when it comes to conditions, they will not typically bloom well in deeper shade. A sheltered position is best, and when growing in winter, frost pockets should be avoided. Water well during any dry spells, especially when growing in summer. Remember that plants growing in containers will typically have to be watered more frequently than those growing in the ground. The larger the container, the less frequently you will need to water, as a general rule. Try to water from below by watering the growing medium and not the leaves, as avoiding wetting the foliage reduces the incidence of fungal problems taking hold. You can, if you wish, feed pansies in containers every couple of weeks with a liquid, organic fertilizer from spring to autumn. A potassium-rich feed such as comfrey tea to promote good flowering can be ideal. Avoid excess nitrogen fertilisation and non-organic options, as too much nitrogen can encourage leafy growth at the expense of flowers.
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10 Broad Bean Varieties Selected For Taste, Productiveness And Hardiness
IN THIS GUIDE 1) V. faba ‘The Sutton’ 2) V. faba ‘Monica’ 3) V. faba ‘Witkiem’ 4) V. faba ‘Eleonora’ 5) V. faba ‘Bunyards Exhibition’ 6) V. faba ‘Super Aquadulce’ 7) V. faba ‘Aquadulce Claudia’ 8) V. faba ‘Meteor’ 9) V. faba ‘Masterpiece Green Longpod’ 10) V. faba ‘Crimson Flowered’ References Broad Beans are not only widely-grown and consumed around the world, they are among the easiest vegetables to grow in home veg gardens – they do not even need regular watering let alone fertilising. Underneath we present an initial five varieties that are selected for taste, productivity, and easy sowing and growing in spring: 1) V. faba ‘The Sutton’ An Old-English dwarf variety, ‘The Sutton’ is one of the best varieties on several counts for hobbyist gardeners. As the plants grow to only about 40cm with a similar spread, they need less space than other varieties, as Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly explains: “The short stature of this broad bean makes it ideal for growing on a windy site. “Whilst taller cultivars may be vulnerable to wind damage, ‘The Sutton’ can be grown without staking. “Its small size also makes it the perfect option for a small garden.” Yet they are very productive and their numerous pods are 12-14cm in length with each having typically six tasty beans. It even bears among the most fragrant and prettiest flowers of all Broad Beans. Recipient of the RHS’s Award of Garden Merit.1 2) V. faba ‘Monica’ Three huge draws make this variety well worth growing. From a spring sowing it is possibly the fastest to producing pods; at least it is one of the fastest – and it is also very productive. Finally, it is ideally-suited to spring and summer sowing; pods have 5-6 fat, juicy beans. Young beans are especially tender and well-suited for adding uncooked to salads and such. 3) V. faba ‘Witkiem’ This variety is one of the hardiest ones and tolerates freezing conditions so it is perfect for sowing as early as February to be rewarded with fresh beans in spring.2 It is a productive variety as well. Each of its rather short, chunky pods contain, usually, five white beans which are more plump than most and also tasty. Recipient of the RHS’s Award of Garden Merit. 4) V. faba ‘Eleonora’ This is a spanking new variety and an excellent one – it is fairly fast-growing. The plants are on the short side and are sturdier and more erect than most which makes them well suited for windswept locations. Each pod has about five biggish white beans, which are remarkably flavourful. This variety also stores well and can be home-frozen for winter. 5) V. faba ‘Bunyards Exhibition’ That this heritage variety is still with us after being developed in the Victorian times is a tribute to its merits. It is especially fuss-free to grow and is sought-after in kitchens that need the finest-quality Broad Beans, known to be sweetish. Each pod has 6-7 beans. The plants are tall, growing up to 1.2m. Underneath we present a further five varieties; these are primarily selected for hardiness and for a couple of different and distinctive attractions. 6) V. faba ‘Super Aquadulce’ If you live in a cold region and/or want to sow seeds outdoors in autumn or in February, this heritage variety ought to be your top choice. It is possibly the hardiest Broad Bean – besides being hardy it is also very productive. The plant is on the tall side and can grow to about 1m. 7) V. faba ‘Aquadulce Claudia’ Another very hardy variety and related to the preceding one, it is ideal for cold regions. Like its sibling variety it bears pods about 25cm long with each one containing about 6 beans. The beans are tastier than most. The plant is quite tall, growing from 1-1.5m. Recipient of the RHS’s Award of Garden Merit. 8) V. faba ‘Meteor’ Though not a great variety for the best-tasting mature beans, it is probably the quickest to produce pods from a spring sowing (hence the name). It is also comparatively hardy so it can be sown in March and in autumn as well. As for the quality, if pods are harvested early and the beans are eaten young, then they are tender and tasty. Another recipient of the RHS’s Award of Garden Merit. 9) V. faba ‘Masterpiece Green Longpod’ Can’t be beaten for the length of the ‘longpod’ or the number of beans as each pod is usually packed with 6, sometimes 7, green beans. The pods are long but thin so the beans too are thin but are tender. A great choice for home-freezing Broad Beans to have in the dark days of winter. RHS’s Award of Garden Merit. 10) V. faba ‘Crimson Flowered’ To go all in on the ornamental value of the flower you could opt for this heritage variety. The blossoms are a deep magenta-crimson that add splashes of intense colour to a veg garden – or any garden. The beans are just as good as any variety, though, so no worries there. This is a tallish variety that will grow over 90cm and can approach a full 1m. References 1. Vicia faba “The Suttons.” (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/107295/vicia-faba-the-sutton/details 2. Vicia faba “Witkiem” – Manita. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/142926/vicia-faba-witkiem-manita/details
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