Seeds Ideas, Tips & Guides

From the lone Irish yew tree, first discovered growing in Co Fermanagh in the 18th century, whose countless offspring now flourish in gardens all over the world, to the great Irish gardeners, garden makers, planthunters and plantspeople who have made valuable contributions to the world of horticulture, we have many reasons to be proud of our unique gardening tradition. Here are some suitably horticultural ways to celebrate Ireland’s “40 shades of green”.

The fragrant blooms of sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) give this flower its name. This cool-season annual is known for its profusion of white flowers. There are also lavender, pink, and purple blooming varieties available. It pairs well with other spring flowers like pansies, violas, dianthus, snapdragons, etc.

Though you may find it hard to believe, but there are weeds that have a similar apperance to that of a tree! Don’t be in awe! Find the below!

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As we bid adieu to the frosty winter, March arrives with a burst of color and a tantalising promise of warmer days. It’s the perfect time to dust off those gardening gloves and let your inner green thumb run wild (if you haven’t already).

Many children in my programs at the South Carolina Botanical Garden know an enormous amount about non-native honeybees. However, they are astonished to discover the vast diversity of native bees and their immense importance and efficiency as pollinators. In the United States, there are over 4000 native bee species. They range in size from the tiniest fairy bees (Perdita spp.) (found out west) to the giant carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp.). Here are some suggestions to increase children’s (and your) knowledge about our local native bees.

Poppies (Papaver spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9) are one of the most beloved and desirable garden flowers, but they aren’t as easy to please as many sources make them out to be. While there are those who will claim that they are the easiest flowers to grow since they often self-seed around the garden with abandon, poppies—especially the annual species—remain challenging to grow for many gardeners. Below I’ll go over some common annual and perennial poppy species, some recommended varieties of each, and how to make them thrive in your garden.

When garden space is at a premium, growing beets in containers is an easy way to cultivate this favorite vegetable. By adding beets to your garden-vegetable list, you’re getting a double harvest: Both beet leaves and beetroots are nutritious and easy to prepare. Beets can tolerate frosts as well as warmer weather, giving you a container-gardening crop throughout the seasons. Whether you prefer to start your beets indoors or to direct sow them, you can grow them out in a pot in just 2 months or less after germination. In this article, you’ll read about why and how to grow beets in containers, from beet seeds and seeding to potting mix and fertilizing.

The first day of spring (March 19) is quickly approaching, and with that comes time for spring cleaning, spring gardening, spring weather, and spring pollinators.

How to Grow Five Spot Flowers Nemophila maculata

What if we told you that there are plants you can grow once, and then multiply for years to come with free seeds? Sounds tempting? Well, these options will put a smile on your face!

Sowing a seed directly into the ground, nurturing it, and reaping the rewards is one of the easiest gardening activities you can do—yet many gardeners don’t. There are many reasons to direct sow. Often, you’ll have earlier harvests because the seeds will germinate when it’s the perfect time to grow, and stronger seedlings because transplant shock isn’t an issue. Planting seeds in general (instead of buying transplants) gives you more varietal options, and you can also save a lot of money (1 packet of 30 to 150 seeds often costs less than a 6-pack of plants). And then there is the personal satisfaction factor. Ask any child who has planted a sunflower seed how they feel when that flower towers over their head, and you’ll understand what I mean.

A wildflower meadow is a nature-friendly feature that can replace a lawn or take up part of a lawn, to the benefit of many pollinators and other wildlife. In the UK, traditional wildflower meadows have declined by more than 97 per cent since the 1930’s, so by creating a wildflower meadow at home, no matter how small, you can make a huge difference to declining species.

A weed is often described as ‘a plant growing in the wrong place’. But with growing awareness of the many benefits of ‘weeds’ to wildlife, along with the increasing popularity of naturalistic planting styles, the concept of a ‘weed’ is becoming looser, and can vary from one gardener to another.

Common Burdock Learn how to identify and control common burdock weed. Common burdock (Arctium minus) What does common burdock look like?

How to Grow Beardtongue (Penstemon) Penstemon spp.

Tips for Growing Cayenne Peppers Capsicum annuum ‘Cayenne’

For gardeners who love to raise their plants from seed, the beginning of March is not unlike the build-up to Christmas. There’s lots of hustle and bustle, with flurries of intriguing parcels from favourite suppliers arriving in the post, accompanied by the making of wish lists and enthusiastic sorting of essential tools and equipment.

It is so satisfying snipping fresh greens from a garden for a salad. And it’s fun to add flavors to different salads beyond your standard lettuce varieties. Certain greens, like mustard and arugula, can add a spicy kick to salads, sandwiches, pizzas, stir fries, and other recipes. In this article, I’m going to share some tips on growing mustard greens from seed.

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How to Identify and Manage Soft Rot in Lettuce

Genetic purity cannot be guaranteed with a species that has been bred and cultivated for centuries. The above Aquilegia flabellata is an alpine species found in Japan and the Kurile Islands. (Flabellata means fan-shaped)

Tips for Growing Saskatoon Serviceberries Amelanchier alnifolia

If you will get the details of watermelon growing stages, you will cultivate it better while avoiding the mistakes, which will result in a guaranteed juicy and bigger fruits!

Zinnia flowers are some of the most beautiful, vibrant, and captivating blooms around. They’re bold. They’re cheerful. They’re resilient. They add bursts of color to any garden or landscape and come in various shapes, sizes, and colors from reds, oranges, and pinks to yellows and whites—and their double-layered petals are exceptional. Plus, they attract important pollinators like butterflies and bees.

Perfect for picking, fragrant sweet peas are easy to grow and come in a range of beautiful colours. You can grow them in pots or in the ground, training them up a frame for a beautiful display. Plant sweet peas near a seating area so you can smell them as you sit and relax in the garden. Or pick some for the vase – even a small amount can fill a room with fragrance.

If you were looking for a trick to stimulate seed germination, this is it. There are certain seeds that need smoke to germinate better and quickly, learn how to do this below!

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Knowing how often to water seedlings is an important skill to learn when starting seeds indoors. Too little water can affect germination or cause small seedlings to wilt. Too much water deprives plants of oxygen, encourages fungus gnats, and may prompt issues like damping off. The frequency of watering depends on factors like the size of the seedlings, the growing mix, and the types of containers you’re using. In this article you’ll learn how often to water seedlings grown in cell packs, pots, soil cubes, and more, and how to do it right.

If you don’t like the invasiveness of dandelions but love their yellow blooms, well, these are your best options!

This is a purposeful moment in the vegetable garden. Spring is in the air and I’m gearing up for the busiest time of year. You can start sowing hardy crops such as broad beans, chard, beetroot, lettuce and carrots. But the weather and soil can still be cold in March, so only sow seeds outdoors if you are feeling confident it is warm enough. Alternatively – and, I think, preferably – you can start sowing these crops under cover, either germinating them indoors and growing them on in a cold frame, or in a greenhouse. Sowing seeds in trays and modules gives you more control, as you can plant them out as seedlings rather than taking the risk of leaving them to germinate in the ground. A compromise is to sow seeds in raised troughs, where the soil will be warmer and you can cover them with cloches or panes of glass to protect them further. However, onion sets and garlic can be planted straight out in the garden now.

They say that you can tell a surprising amount about a gardener by the kind of potatoes they grow. Some of us, for example, are traditionalists who’ll plump for the floury, fluffy ‘British Queen’ (colloquially known as ‘Queens’) every time. Others are passionate foodies who prefer the firm, waxy, flavoursome, yellow flesh of a salad potato such as ‘Charlotte’, or the heirloom ‘La Ratte’. Individualists, meanwhile, often like to seek out unusual kinds, such as the dark magenta-fleshed ‘Vitanoire’, or the knobbly ‘Pink Fir Apple’, the heritage variety famed for its more-ishness.

How to Identify and Treat 5 Common Arugula Diseases

March unfolds, garden enthusiasts eagerly prepare to breathe life into their outdoor spaces. This month marks the beginning of a vibrant gardening season, filled with promise and potential. The earth starts to awaken from its winter slumber, making it the perfect time to sow the seeds for a spectacular garden. Among the many choices, carefully selecting the right plants in March is crucial for a thriving and colourful garden.

Britain is famously a nation of wildlife lovers. But with a 68% drop in wild animal populations since 1970, it’s more important than ever to look out for the natural world.

Your spice rack is for more than making lip smacking dishes! Believe it or not, they can  can also work wonders in nourishing your green friends, combating pests, and even preventing diseases!