Seedling Care
Ventilate a cloche before sunshine overheats young plants
A cloche can warm seedlings quickly in sunshine. Build ventilation, watering checks and gradual exposure into its daily use rather than leaving it shut.
SOIL · CROPS · FARM PRACTICE
Good growing starts below the surface.
A practical agriculture journal about soil, water and the observations that help growers make better decisions.
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Orchard Basics
Thinning young apples gives the remaining fruit room to develop
An apple tree can set more fruit than it can mature well. Assess the remaining crop after natural drop before thinning selected young fruit.
Seed Starting
Seed scarification is useful only when the seed coat is the barrier
Scarification helps certain hard-coated seeds take up water. Check the species requirements before scratching seeds that may need a different germination treatment.
Vegetable Growing
Earth up potatoes before developing tubers reach the light
Understand why potatoes are earthed up as they grow, and check soil coverage without mistaking a taller mound for a guaranteed larger crop.
Herb Growing
Divide a crowded chive clump to give new growth some room
An established chive clump can be divided into rooted sections. Prepare the new planting places first and give the divisions a gentle recovery period.
Vegetable Growing
Blanching leeks in the garden means keeping light off the stem
In leek growing, blanching means excluding light from the lower stem. Understand earthing up and keep soil out of the leaf folds as plants develop.