Gardening

Rhubarb is an easy plant to grow and if you get the conditions right at the start will grow relatively trouble-free for many years. Rhubarb plants prefer a sunny site with well drained fertile soil but will grow in many places in the garden A couple of weeks before planting, it is wise to mix some organic compost or well-rotted manure into the spot where you are going to plant your rhubarb to get it off to a good start as rhubarb plants need plenty of nutrients.

Rhubarb crowns are established plants that have already been grown for around a year and these will produce a crop in the first harvest following planting. They can be grown from seed, but this will take a year longer.

Rhubarb is usually planted in spring or autumn depending upon the variety. Simply place the crowns around two centimetres below the soil surface in the prepared area, so that the tip sits just above the soil surface. If you intend growing more than one plant, leave at least seventy-five centimetres between plants as once established they need quite a bit of space.

Rhubarb is a delicious, low maintenance vegetable to grow, needing only a little attention every now and then and so is good for children to grow in their own area of the garden.

If you are thinking of building a pond in your garden there is a lot to think about such as where to position the pond and how to construct it. Building a pond is not difficult but there are some basic principles that should be followed.

The style of a pond is the first thing to consider. Do you want something formal or more of a wildlife pond? Garden ponds are a magnet for wildlife so you may want to keep this in mind when designing the pond. For instance, frogs and toads need a slope to be able to get in and out of the pond easily.

There is also the issue of whether to have fish, and if so what type. Fish are interesting in a pond but too many can add to the problem of having a green pond by increasing the nutrient level. Getting the balance right in a pond will ensure clear water.

Waterfalls in ponds are attractive and birds enjoy them too. The sound of the relaxing flow of the water is restful as long as the flow of the water is slow. Constructing a waterfall is easy if done at the same time as digging the pond as it is necessary to make a raised area from which the waterfall can flow downwards. The soil that is dug out can be used to make the raised area then once it is lined with pond liner rocks can be added to make the waterfall.

Using fresh herbs in your cooking has always been popular but rather than buying cut herbs from your local supermarket why not try growing your own? Even if you do not have a garden, herbs can be grown in a window box or on a windowsill, all you need is a suitable container, some soil and either seeds or young plants to begin your herb growing journey.

Having a range of different herbs in your herb garden is the best idea so that you have a variety to use in different recipes, but some herbs are easier to grow than others for instance mint will quickly take over any herb bed, so a single pot of mint is preferable to planting it with other herbs.

Try planting different varieties of the same herb such as flat leaf parsley and curly parsley, large leaf Italian basil and large purple sweet basil as this not only gives you more variety in your cooking but also makes for an attractive display in your herb garden.

One of the easiest herbs to grow are chives which can be used in potato salads or as a garnish for soups. Chives are a particularly rich source of vitamin C and beta carotene making them a healthy alternative to croutons.

Many people cannot wait for the time when they are no longer tied to the nine to five routine and look forward to spending more time in the garden. The problem is that as we get older we sometimes are less able to tackle some of the more strenuous tasks that gardening requires so how can we make our gardens easier to maintain?

Simple raised beds can be built to do away with the need to knee down when planting. They can be constructed using readily available wooden pallets which can often be sourced for little if no cost. The pallets will need to be deconstructed which can be hard work but then the wood can be arranged and screwed together to make a raised bed. By lining the bed with polythene and treating the wood with a preservative it will help to retain moisture and will also protect the wood from rotting.

Another way that garden maintenance can be made easier is by covering large areas of soil with weed matting and forest bark or gravel. Shrubs can be planted in the ground to add interest to the area and once established will look impressive without the need to weed the bed regularly.

Many people enjoy gardening as a hobby but often lack the knowledge that is required to grow plants, trees and shrubs successfully. This is when the internet can be an excellent resource for gardeners who want to find advice, tips and new ideas and with social media it is even easier to share your knowledge or learn from others in gardening groups. It is possible to find all kinds of support online, from planting calendars telling you when best to plant specific vegetables to blogs relating the experiences of other gardeners.

Whether you are starting out as a gardener or you are an experienced gardener the internet can be an invaluable resource. The more experienced gardener may find some new, innovative ideas to try out as scientists and botanists are continually researching new ways to keep pests at bay and make vegetable and fruit plants and trees more productive. Use the internet as a tool to inspire you and to help you come up with that adventurous new flowerbed or intricate new landscaping design.

If you are new to gardening then advice that you may gain from the internet can be crucial as plants that fail to thrive can be frustrating and costly. Forums where you can ask questions of other gardeners are a particularly good way of solving your gardening problems.