If you’re growing your own for the first time this autumn, or thinking about it, then do have a read of these three invaluable tips…
- Mulch
Applying a thick layer of mulch liberally around the base of autumn veg plants will help in a number of ways; it will suppress weeds making less work for you, it will help keep the soil a little warmer around the roots which will make your plants grow better and it will add nutrients to the soil to help your plants thrive. You can use leaf mould, compost or even the straw from your Rocket Gardens delivery. - Use horticultural fleece blanket
This is so invaluable to autumn and winter growing – simply draping a sheet of fleece across a row of vulnerable plants will help them to keep warm on cold nights. It is cleverly designed to allow light through during the day and will protect against frost. It has the added benefit of protecting cabbages, kales and other leaves from being eaten by rabbits or pigeons. All you need to do is loosely lay it over the top of the plants (leaving them room to grow) and secure it at the edges with stones. You can also use hoops to make it into a tunnel when the plants get bigger so that they’ve got plenty of space. - Choose your veg plants well
Be realistic about how much time and attention you are able and willing to give to your garden over the winter. If you’re not one for spending much time outside on chilly days then you might be better off with low-maintenance plants that don’t crop until spring – spring onions, spring green cabbage and broccoli, for example. Or try the Veg Out Till Spring Collection. If you only have a few pots, then choose plants that are well suited to pots, like corn salad and spinach.