How to Start Broccoli from Seed

We bought an old house and have been working extra hard on a self-build extension and house renovation for the last seven months. We have installed a big fixed window pane with the idea of looking out on to a lovely green back garden, but at the moment it is just a mound of earth, derived from the dig to get foundations done. What can I place here that will green quickly and also be bee and bird friendly and give us some nice colours and view for this summer? Would a wild flower meadow be the way to go until we figure out what to do with space or what can you recommend that is eco and purse friendly? RH, Co Dublin

So the next time you spot a mushroom growing in the wild, and get confused on whether its name starts with A, or C or D – well, it can be from M!

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.

How to Grow Coral Bells Coral bells bring colorful foliage and airy blossoms to any garden! Here's how to grow them. Add coral bells to your garden!

Growing broccoli in your home garden is a wonderful way to enjoy this fresh, cool-weather vegetable.

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.

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.

Although snowdrops are all but over, hellebores are still making a big statement in the garden and it could be easy to overlook other signs of early spring. I haven’t made a point of featuring hellebores in  a post this season, not yet anyhow, but thought I would begin my post that links with Jim’s Six on Saturday meme at Garden Ruminations with H ‘Glenda’s Gloss’, to show off her intriguing blooms – you don’t need to be able to look Glenda in the face to see how beautiful she is.

Coneflowers (Echinacea species) are a favorite perennial of millions of gardeners, and growing Echinacea from seed is fun and easy, if you follow the strategies I’m about to share. In this article I’ll introduce 3 methods of planting Echinacea seeds and the correct timing for each technique. With a little patience and forethought, you can grow hundreds of coneflower plants for the price of a single packet of seeds.

Growing peas in your home garden is an easy way to enjoy fresh produce earlier than most other vegetables.

How to Grow Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) from Seed

How to Grow Parsley from Seed