Celebrate National Gardening Week next week 15th – 21st April

National Gardening Week was launched by the RHS to get the Nation Growing.

The benefits of gardening are felt by people of all ages and abilities and from all backgrounds, gardens promote a sense of purpose, and an escape from daily routine as well as providing valuable habitat and food for our wildlife and insects and of course good, home-grown, healthy fruit and vegetables for our table.

Throughout next week there are lots of Gardening events across the country organised by communities and groups as well as the RHS have a look at the RHS website for events near where you live.

It has been said that Britain is a nation of gardeners and I couldn’t agree more so what better way to celebrate gardening by getting involved with community groups, young peoples organisations e.g. Cubs, Brownies and with Schools and share your passion, experience and knowledge of this truly amazing pastime.

Dust off your trowel, put on your warm wellies and a good pair of gardening gloves and get gardening.

Gill

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When do you plant seed potatoes?

I have had an ‘Ask the expert enquiry ‘from Ceri Sawyer in Cumbria and one of the questions that she has asked is

What time of the year should you plant a seed potato?

I thought that I would share my reply with you -

There are three types of seed potatoes

First Earlies

Plant in late March to early April – you can expect to harvest these approx. 10 weeks after planting.

Second Earlies

Plant early to mid April – you can expect to harvest these approx. 13 weeks after planting.  

Maincrop

Plant in mid to late April – you can expect to harvest these approx. 15-20 weeks after planting.

These planting dates are a guide, if you live in the south you may be able to plant a week or two earlier or if you live in the north a couple of weeks later it also depends on our unpredictable weather which at the moment is predictably very cold, even if the ground is not frozen it is still very cold and crops simply will not grow.

Seed potatoes can be planted now in potato growing bags filled with vegetable compost and placed in a greenhouse or polytunnel where they will be protected from the weather otherwise cover your vegetable beds with black plastic or cloches to warm the soil up until there is an improvement in the weather.

When you get your ‘seed’ potatoes put them into egg boxes/seed trays with the ‘rose’ end upwards this is where you might see tiny shoots or the ‘belly button’ end facing downwards and place them in a cool, frost-free and light (not sunny) position. This is called chitting and helps the potato to produce strong buds which speeds up growing once they are planted, all seed potatoes especially first and second earlies benefit from chitting. When the shoots are about 2-3cm they are ready to plant, don’t leave it too late to buy your seed potatoes, once the weather warms up the demand will be high and your choice may be limited.

My seed potatoes are sat patiently in their egg boxes.

Gill

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Get organised for a busy gardening Easter Weekend

Before the growing season gets into full swing get organised, make plans and prepare for a busy Easter Weekend and a productive year ahead in your garden.  

Tools   Check, clean, oil and replace any that are damaged or worn, make sure that you have the right tools for all your jobs this year.

Propagators   These will soon be in full use, test yours early to check it is working properly and give it a good clean, hygiene is very important when sowing seeds. Now is an ideal time to buy one, it will be invaluable throughout the year and in years to come.

Pots, Trays and Compost   Organise your Greenhouse/Potting Shed sort through your pots and trays throw away any broken ones, give the rest a good clean as well as your potting tray, order new Seed Compost and Vegetable Compost, last year’s opened bags may not be suitable for starting off your new seeds and plants.

Watering Cans & Water Butts   Drain and clean out, check the rose on your watering can and replace if necessary, don’t be caught out by the weather invest in a Water Butt, remember the drought we had in Spring 2012.

Store your seeds in a Seed Tin

Seeds   Take stock of your seeds, discard any that are opened and out of date and order more while stocks are still available, store in a suitable Seed Tin to protect them from Mice, Pests and moisture.

Plan   Sit down with a nice cup of tea and draw a plan of your garden/vegetable patch make notes on crops that did/did not do well and where your crops where grown last year, make a new planting plan for this year rotating your crops to get the best results and to avoid problems.

 

Read   Gardening books are invaluable for reference, ideals, hints and tips for your garden/vegetable plots.

Order Early   If you need any gardening products order early whilst products are available to make sure that you have everything you need.

Make your plans and preparations now, Easter is early and it’s the busiest gardening weekend of the year, let’s hope it’s warm and dry.

Gill

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Give your birds a new home for Valentines Day

Open Birch Log Nest Box

Birds come in all shapes, sizes and colours and each one is as particular about where they live as we are. Every bird finds or builds a nest that is as unique as they are, but sometimes it is not always that simple, due to redevelopment and intensive farming many birds are losing their natural habits, making it harder for them to breed and leading to a decline in many species.

Robin & Wren Nest Box

To mark National Nest Box Week 14^th – 21^st February 2013 the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) are inviting individuals, families, schools, and community groups to put up Nest Boxes in their gardens or in their local area and provide a home for our birds.

Pembroke Nest Box

If you haven’t got a Nest Box in your garden now is the ideal time to put one up although you can put up a nest box at any time of the year.

Open Fronted Ceramic Teapot Bird Nester

Nest boxes come in all shapes, sizes and colours too to cater for the needs of different birds, they can be bought ready built or why not build your own with a ‘Build your own Nest Box Kit’ this is a lovely thing to do with children and a great half term activity, Nest Boxes also make an unusual and wildlife friendly gift for any occasion so why not treat the birds in your garden this Valentines Day and show them that you care.

Build Your Own Nest Box Kit

Why not put up a House Martin Nest Box ready for the arrival of these delightful Summer Visitors.

House Martin Nest Box

Gill

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Gardening on a Budget?

We have got just the thing…

hot out of our warehouse this Spring is our new range of

Thrifty Raised Beds

At the Recycleworks we have been thinking about how to Grow your Own vegetables and fruit as easily and economically as possible whilst still getting the maximum yield from a wide range of crops, so we have developed a range of budget Raised Beds which will appeal to everyone:

• Families – the family budget is being pinched, now is the time to Grow your Own and reap the benefits
• The first time gardener – perfect starter beds and entry into Grow Your Own
• The accomplished gardener – a great product to extend your growing area
• Schools – affordable and well within the budget
• Community Groups – great for getting people involved in gardening, socialising and working together.

The beds are available in 3 sizes:

1. The Thrifty Classic – 80cm x 80cm
2. The Thrifty Long – 80cm x 105cm
3. The Thrifty Big Square – 105cm x 105cm

with a choice of three heights for each size: 14cm, 28cm, and 42cm and a choice of two colours : Chestnut or Green.

Assembly instructions are supplied with each Raised Bed.

To help you grow the maximum yield and to remove the guesswork if you are new to Grow Your Own each raised bed also comes with a growing/planting guide including ideas and tips on suggested crops, planting, positioning, watering and feeding.

To warm up the soil before planting why not add a Compost Duvet or a Raised Bed Watering Kit to make watering easier and more economical in the long summer months.

Prices start from £15.55 making them very affordable to everyone.

You will surprised at how much you can grow in such a small space – you can’t beat the taste, texture and smell of freshly picked produce.

Gill

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Take part in the world’s largest wildlife survey

This weekend Saturday 26^th and Sunday 27^th January is the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch it is the world’s largest wildlife survey, and is free and open to everyone to join in – families, individuals and schools.

To take part all you need to do is to watch the birds in your garden for one hour and record the highest number of birds of each species that you see at any one time, don’t count the total that you see during the hour as you may be including the same birds that have visited more than once, only include birds that actually land in your garden not the ones that fly over.

Jupiter Peanut Feeder

Get prepared now by putting out lots of different types of bird food to encourage as many birds as you can, the more choice you provide the more species you may attract, don’t forget to put out some fresh water too.

Giant Fat Ball and Feeder

Have a look at the RSPB’s website for lots more information and also an identification chart for the birds that you may see in your garden, with the weather being cold you may attract some unusual birds that have come looking for food.

Hanging Square Bird Table

We will be taking part, we usually do a survey at home and one at my parents house, their house backs on to open fields and they have different birds visiting their garden.

Don’t forget to continue putting out bird food after the survey, the birds really do need our help.

Have fun!

Gill

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Look after our feathered friends during the cold weather

Winter is finally here with sub-zero temperatures and a covering of snow in many parts with yet more forecast. The fall in temperatures will come as quite a shock to our wildlife they have endured a relatively mild winter up to now, but we as a nation of wildlife lovers can really help. The birds in our garden are struggling to find any food as their natural food sources are depleted or frozen in the ground, fresh unfrozen water too will be hard to find, High Calorie/Energy foods with a High Fat Content are the most beneficial to put out for the birds :

Seed Mixes are prepared using top quality high calorie ingredients and have been developed to appeal to, and benefit a wide variety of bird species all year round and include High Energy Bird Mix, Bird Feeder Seed, Table Seed Mix, Gourmet Robin Food as well as Nyjer Seed and Sunflower Heart Seeds.

Table Seed Mix

High Fat content Bird Foods are also high in calories and include Peanut Cakes, Fat Balls, Fat filled Coconuts, Peanut Cake Bells and Suet Pellets with Insects and are excellent winter food.

High calorie Peanut Cakes

Live Mealworms are a natural food and relished by Robins, Blue Tits and other insect eating birds and should be provided when fresh.

Live Mealworms are loved by Blue Tits

Clean water is important for the birds both for drinking and also bathing this is essential to keep their feathers in good condition. To prevent the water from freezing add a lightweight ball which will move in the breeze or pour on hot water to melt the ice.

Ceramic Hanging Bird Bath / Water Dish

Have a look at our range of Bird Food, Bird Feeders, Bird Tables, Bird Baths and treat the birds in your garden.

Gill

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Congratulations to our September/October Competition winners

The September/October School Zone Competition was to find 10 Hedgehog related words in our Hedgehog Wordsearch, the first correct winning entry pulled out of the hat was by Alex Courtman from Dane Ghyll County Primary School, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and their fabulous prize is a Hogitat Hedgehog House, a Hedgehog Guide, a Hedgehog Snack Feeding Bowl and some Hedgehog Food – well done to them.

The September/October Family/Kids Zone Competition was a ‘Who am I? Wildlife Quiz’ the correct answers were  Q1 Ladybird,  Q2 Dragonfly,  Q3 Butterfly,  Q4 Toad,  Q5 Moth,  Q6 Hedgehog,  Q7 Bee,  Q8 Spider,  Q9 Bat,  Q10 Frog.

The first correct entry to be pulled out of the hat was from Taylor and Holly Rees from Gosport, Hampshire and they will receive a Mini Bug Bug Box, a Mini Bug Ladybird Tower and a Minibeast Guide – well done to them.

Thank you to everyone who entered these competitions, why not have a go at our

New Christmas Competitions

To enter our School Zone Competition all you need to do is to design a Christmas Card featuring a ‘Christmas’ Robin, it can be painted, crayoned, drawn in pencil/coloured pencil or could even be a collage. Our favourite card will win

• a Square Ground Bird Table
• a Discovery Seed Feeder
• a Discovery Window Seed Feeder
• a bag of Table Seed Mix (6 litre)
• a bag of Bird feeder Seed (6 litre)

To enter our Family/ Kids Zone Competition all you need to do is to send in a picture of a Christmas Robin that you have drawn, it can be painted, crayoned, drawn in pencil/coloured pencil or could even be a collage and our favourite picture will win

• a Discovery Seed Feeder
• a Discovery Window Seed Feeder
• a bag of Table Seed Mix (6 litre)
• a whole fat filled Coconut Feeder
• a Peanut Cake Bell

Have a look at the competitions pages for full details and an entry form, the closing date for both competitions is 31^st December 2012.

Good Luck

Gill

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Make delicious Mini Halloween Pumpkin Cakes

If you have grown your own pumpkins this year now is the time to put them to good use and turn them into fantastic Halloween Lanterns, don’t throw away the lovely orange flesh, use it to make some delicious Mini Halloween Pumpkin Cakes.

Mini Halloween Pumpkin Cakes

• 250g Pumpkin Flesh (peeled weight)
• 150g Self-Raising Flour
• 150g Light Brown Sugar
• 100g Butter/Margarine
• 90g Sultanas
• 1 teaspoon Orange Juice
• zest of ½ Orange
• 2 Eggs beaten
• 2 teaspoons Mixed Spice
• 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Line a 12 hole cake tin with paper cases.
3. Grate the pumpkin flesh.
4. Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together.
5. Melt the butter/margarine in the microwave and then beat in the eggs.
6. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix together.
7. Add the orange juice, orange zest, sultanas and the grated pumpkin and stir well.
8. Spoon the mixture into the bun cases.
9. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and springy. 

The Topping

• 75g (3oz) Butter/Margarine, softened
• 2 tbsp Milk
• 225g (8oz) Icing Sugar, sifted
• Few drops of food colouring red/green

Beat together the butter, milk, food colouring and half the sugar to combine, then add the remaining sugar and beat until fluffy.

1. When the cakes are cool, generously spread them with the topping.
2. For ‘Snake Stew Cakes’ keep the topping messy and press jelly snakes into it or for
3. ‘Spooky Spider Cakes’ smooth the topping and add 2 round sweets for eyes and Liquorice Strips or Strawberry Laces for legs.

These cakes make an unusual alternative to sweets for your visiting trick or treaters.

Let’s hope that we have a moonlit, dry and crisp Halloween night, as being a soggy ghost, witch or skeleton isn’t much fun.

Happy Halloween.

Gill

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Make your own Halloween Decorations

Halloween is nearly here and the shops are full of scarey and wonderful Halloween costumes, masks and decorations, I am sure that there are lots of excited children all over the country, Thomas is very excited and so am I!

Every Halloween we trim up the front of our house, each year adding new decorations; these are either home-made or bought in the post Halloween sales the previous year. Making your own decorations is great fun and a great way to spend a cold afternoon, here is a crafty idea for this year.

Egg Box Spiders and Bats

You will need:

• Egg Boxes
• String
• Pipe Cleaners
• Paper
• Felt tips/Crayons
• Glue
• Paint
• Glitter
• Scissors

1. To make the Spiders cut up the egg box into its six cups, paint or decorate the outside as you wish and allow to dry.
2. Ask a grown up to make 8 small holes around the bottom edges of the cups and one at the top.
3. Carefully thread each pipe cleaner (4 per spider) through a hole at one side and out of the hole at the other side.
4. Thread a piece of string through the top hole and tie a knot.
5. Draw some eyes onto a piece of paper, cut them out and stick them on.

1. To make the Bats cut your egg box into 2 strips of three cups.
2. Cut out the front of the left and right cups slightly, and on their backs cut them out to leave a ‘V’ shape (as shown above).
3. Paint or decorate the outside as you wish and allow to dry.
4. Make a hole in the top of the middle cup and thread a piece of string through and tie a knot.
5. Draw some eyes and teeth onto a piece of paper, cut them out and stick them on.

Have fun.

Gill

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