Seed Sowing Guide - When to Sow

When is the best time to sow my seeds and how can I get better germination results?...more

29/08/2009

Three Sisters Planting

A few years ago it became fashionable to plant the 'Three Sisters', a method of inter cropping developed by the Mayan's to produce all three of their staple crops on one plot of land....more

20/04/2009

Crop Rotation reduces the buildup of pests and diseases

One of the most common questions on the forums we see is about crop rotation in the vegetable garden. There seems to be a level of mystery about the correct way to rotate your crops, and even a hint of impending doom if the procedure is not followed to the letter....more

20/04/2009

Organic Fertilizer - Comfrey

How to use Comfrey as a fertilizer....more

23/03/2009

Permaculture not Monoculture

For some time now we at the Gardeners Calendar have been following greener and more environmentally sympathetic lifestyles. ...more

25/02/2009

Biodynamic Agriculture

What is it? Biodynamics, or biodynamic agriculture is an approach to farming developed by Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian scientist...more

24/02/2009

Saving Water - Harvesting rain water for use at home

If you live in the UK you can't have failed to notice the water shortages in the South East of the country. ...more

14/01/2009

Seed Sowing Guide - Types of seeds

All seeds can be divided into categories which describe the plants growing characteristics, here is an explanation of what they mean....more

14/01/2009

Raised Beds - Using a Bed System

As an alternative to digging up a section of lawn and creating a vegetable plot, you could try the 'Bed System' of raised vegetable beds. It provides easy access to crops and a very effective solution if your soil is poor and in need of large quantities of organic matter. It also looks organized if that is what you like in a garden....more

13/01/2009

The Potato Clamp

Storing Potatoes is a simple process, once they have been dug from the ground, and they have been left for an hour or so for the skins to harden, they are ready to be stored.

The main requirements when storing Potatoes is to place them in a cool, dark, frost free environment. This is fine if you have plenty of cool, dark, frost free space to store your Potatoes, but what if you don't? ...more

13/01/2009

Hotbeds an introduction

Hotbeds have been used for many years to bring on delicate plants in cold weather....more

11/01/2009

How to build a wormery

A Wormery is an enclosed bin which uses special types of worms to help break down organic matter. They are available for sale but you can also make your own. ...more

10/01/2009

Compost Bin construction guide

A Compost bin is an essential component for any gardener today. It provides a green solution to disposing of vegetable matter, and recycles it back into the garden. Reducing the need for externally produced compost. This guide describes how to make a moveable wooden compost bin consisting of identical interlocking sections which are stacked on top of each other. If you want to know what to put in your compost bin visit our

Building a Vegetable Plot

Whatever the size of your garden you can set aside and area for vegetables, even if it means growing your plants in containers rather than using 'Raised beds'. Before you start digging up the patio however lets just look at the location you plant to use. ...more

08/01/2009

Composting guide

Composting your organic kitchen and garden waste is probably the single most effective thing you can personally do to reduce the amount of rubbish you throw away. Up to 30% of of what goes into an average dustbin can be composted down to make a useful soil improver....more

08/01/2009

Companion planting guide

Companion planting is a method of planting different plants together so one plant can improve the growth of another. This is achieved by using a plant with strong defenses to boost the weakness found in other plants, or by attracting the pests away form the main crop....more

08/01/2009

An introduction to Permaculture

A brief introduction to the environmentally friendly lifestyle known as 'Permaculture'....more

06/01/2009