I’ve got some lovage seeds from a seed swap so am going to give that a go.
Lovage has a celery like taste and has hollow stems apparently which used to be used as flavoursome straws in a bloody mary.
I’ve picked a few borage seeds from a borage plant I’d spotted in a hedge. Hopefully they’ll grow and then I can have my own borage plants for the bees to come and love!

Borage and Lovage are two plants you might have vaguely heard of but never grown yourself. I’m keen on the idea of growing perennials – as they mean you don’t have to resow every year. The borage is a prolific self seeder I hope! The one I spotted got a bit bashed part way through the season so I’m not sure any of the second wave of flowers made it to seed.

Herb Seed – Lovage £1.85
A perennial whose leaves, stems, roots and seeds can all be used in salads, stews and casseroles.

Borage Seeds £1.85
Part of the James Wong Homegrown Revolution Range.Easy to grow. Delicious ornamental. Perfect for the gardener who wants it all. Tastes like: Green melon, cucumber, runner beans.In Britain borages cucumber-flavoured leaves and starry-blue flowers are usually confined to the herb gardens of stately homes. However on the Continent far from being a historical relic, its fresh, delicate taste with hints of green melon, makes it a common supermarket vegetable from Frankfurt to Crete. Delicious, easy to grow and stunningly ornamental, this is the ideal multi-tasking veg for the gardener who wants it all. Sow: August-September. Harvest: October-November.

James Wong’s Homegrown Revolution Book + FREE SEED! £20.00
Buy James’ brand new gardening book today and get 6 packets of seed worth £11.10 from his brand new seed range COMPLETELY FREE!In his new book, James’ shows us a completely new range of fruit and vegetables to grow and eat. It is also packed with tasty recipes that you can make at home with the crops that you grow!

You will learn how to harvest homegrown quinoa, your very own popcorn or plant a mini green tea plantation on your patio. This inspiring new book is great fun and full of plant wisdom. TV presenter and two times RHS medal winner James Wong shows that there’s much more to grow than potatoes and sprouts on your allotment.PLUS to get you going with your own Homegrown Revolution we will also send you 6 packets of seed from the Homegrown Revolution seed range (worth £11.10!) that we have developed with James – 1 packet each of Electric Daisy, Wintergreen, Asparagus Pea, Inca Berries, Cucamelon & Microgreen Herbs (varieties may alter subject to availability).This would make the perfect gift for newbie growers to seasoned allotment veterans – in fact anyone who grows their own will certainly enjoy this fascinating book!

Buy the book and buy the seeds!

Dahlia ‘Yams’ Seeds £1.85

Japanese Beefsteak Plant Seeds £1.85

Electric Daisies Seeds £1.85

Bergamot Seeds £1.85

Wintergreen Seeds £1.85

Queensland Arrowroot Seeds £1.85

Eucalyptus Lemon Bush Seeds £1.85

Callaloo Seeds £1.85

Nasturtium Gem Mix Seeds £1.85

Asparagus Pea Seeds £1.85

Borage Seeds £1.85

Inca Berries Seeds £1.85

Chinese Chives Seeds £1.85

Chop Suey Greens Seeds £1.85

Squash Flower Seeds £1.85

Cucamelon Seeds £1.85

Radish Mooli Seeds £1.85

Goji Berries Seeds £1.85

Sea Kale Seeds £1.85

Musk Melon F1 Emir Seeds £1.85

Purslane Seeds £1.85

Quinoa Seeds £1.85

Popcorn Fiesta Seeds £1.85

Wild White Strawberry Seeds £1.85

Tomatillo Seeds £1.85

Stevia Seeds £1.85

Anise Herb (Anise Hyssop) Seeds £1.85

Microgreen Herbs Seeds £1.85

Radish Rats Tails Seeds £1.85

Salsify Seeds £1.85

New Zealand Yams are growing in popularity.
Keep some of the crop you get to plant again.

New Zealand Yam – 10 tubers £7.99
Also known as the New Zealand Yam, this unusual member of the Oxalis family has long been grown in the Andes for its nutritionally rich tubers with a tangy lemon flavour that becomes nuttier once cooked. ‘ The red skinned tubers have a crisp pale orange or creamy coloured flesh that can be eaten raw in salads or boiled, baked, and fried - just like potatoes. ‘ You can even add the attractive shamrock-like leaves and shoots to salads for a refreshing citrus twist. ‘ Oca makes a particularly attractive crop in the vegetable garden or even in a container on the patio. ‘ Height: 30cm (12"). ‘ Spread: 60cm (24"). ‘

New Zealand Yam – 5 tubers £4.99
Also known as the New Zealand Yam, this unusual member of the Oxalis family has long been grown in the Andes for its nutritionally rich tubers with a tangy lemon flavour that becomes nuttier once cooked. ‘ The red skinned tubers have a crisp pale orange or creamy coloured flesh that can be eaten raw in salads or boiled, baked, and fried - just like potatoes. ‘ You can even add the attractive shamrock-like leaves and shoots to salads for a refreshing citrus twist. ‘ Oca makes a particularly attractive crop in the vegetable garden or even in a container on the patio. ‘ Height: 30cm (12"). ‘ Spread: 60cm (24"). ‘

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I’ve read about people spotting water butts on offer at shops for only £20 … That’s horrible expensive still – there are cheap alternatives out there if you spend some time looking.
If you ever go past anywhere that has IBC containers piled up then stop and ask them if they have any suitable for water for your garden.

These are on our allotment – we’ve had taps put on now – so we can fill a watering can easily. They cost £20 each. The fittings cost a little more and the base was free with salvaged materials. An IBC holds 1000L of water.

You can sometimes get IBC containers free – but check they’ve had nothing nasty in!

Whilst I should be sowing my sprout seeds right now I read about someone who tried to get sprouts to root. Some went mouldy but some put out little roots. So I thought that sounded like a good idea and next time I had sprouts I gave it a go. As not to waste sprouts though I used the bases that get cut off when you’re preparing them.
I also tried it with a savoy cabbage base too.
All of them were put into glass ramikins and stuck on the kitchen windowsill by the sink. The sprouts started first! Little tiny bobbles of sprout. They’re bigger now in this photo and the cabbage is putting out leaf too. The person doing the original experiment has potted hers up. I’ll be doing the same soon!
I’ve also stuck the bases of four leeks in pots of soil. I’d dug them up off the allotment to eat and when I cut the roots off though I’d do something with them too!

Here are the photos of the sprouts and cabbage.

Whether we get any usable growth off the sprouts remains to be seen, but it’s certainly interesting to see things growing. I’m sure we’ve all done the carrot tops in a saucer of water – they grow lots of top growth!

Win a ride on mower worth nearly £2ooo!!

Enter now for your chance to win a MTD 420cc Ride-on Lawn Mower worth £1999.99. Achieve the perfect lawn this spring and give everyone something to talk about. All you have to do is sign up to our newsletters below and you will automatically be entered into our free prize draw. What’s stopping you, sign up now at the range!

Potato Day at Hulme Garden Centre – we went and bought some potatoes

A few of us from our allotment went to Potato Day at the Hulme Garden centre.

There was an excellent display of spuds and a potato expert!

I bought Sarpo – a good all round potato which should be resistant to blight and slugs.
Paru –
and casablanca.

Delicious and wonderful to pick your own. A lady at the allotment site near me grows it and eats it all on the way home!

Asparagus Crown Plants – Gijnlim £29.95
This outstanding variety has been a consistent top performer in recent trials, out-yielding others by up to 25%. It’s early too, giving the first succulent tasty spears in mid to late April and continuing to crop heavily until mid-June. It is an ‘all male’ hybrid, forming no seeds which means all its energies go into spear production and troublesome seedlings in the bed are avoided.We supply one year old crowns, grown in East Anglia, which can be picked as soon as the year after planting. Plants crop for well over 10 years, and established beds can be cut from emergence of the first spears until mid-late June. Crops for up to 15 years.

Asparagus Crowns Purple Passion £29.95
An excellent addition to any asparagus planting, Purple Passion produces a bountiful harvest of very mild, sweet-tasting spears that are a delight to eat. The spears are thicker in diameter than green cultivars, and their sugar content is 20% higher too!We supply one year old crowns, grown in East Anglia, which can be picked as soon as the year after planting. Plants crop for well over 10 years, and established beds can be cut from emergence of the first spears until mid-late June. Crops for up to 15 years.

Asparagus Crowns – Twin Pack £29.95
SAVE £5.95 on this Twin Pack comprising of 20 Crowns (10 of each variety):Gijnlim – This outstanding asparagus has been a consistent top performer in recent trials, out-yielding others by up to 25%. It’s early too, giving the first succulent tasty spears in mid to late April and continuing to crop heavily until mid June. It is an ‘all male’ hybrid, forming no seeds which means all its energies go into spear production and troublesome seedlings in the bed are avoided.Stewarts Purple – An excellent addition to any asparagus planting, Purple Passion produces a bountiful harvest of very mild, sweet-tasting spears that are a delight to eat. The spears are thicker in diameter than green cultivars, and their sugar content is 20% higher too! We supply one year old crowns, grown in East Anglia, which can be picked as soon as the year after planting. Plants crop for well over 10 years, and established beds can be cut from emergence of the first spears until mid-late June.

Asparagus Crown Plants – Gijnlim £17.95
Why pay expensive prices for this luxury item when you can grow your own? Gijnlim is an outstanding asparagus variety that has been a consistent top performer in recent trials, out-yielding others by up to 25%. It’s early too, giving the first succulent tasty spears in mid to late April and continuing to crop heavily until mid June. It is an ‘all male’ hybrid, forming no seeds which means all its energies go into spear production and troublesome seedlings in the bed are avoided.We supply one year old crowns, grown in East Anglia, which can be picked as soon as the year after planting. Plants crop for well over 10 years, and established beds can be cut from emergence of the first spears until mid-late June. Crops for up to 15 years.

Asparagus Crowns Purple Passion £17.95
An excellent addition to any asparagus planting, Purple Passion produces a bountiful harvest of very mild, sweet-tasting spears that are a delight to eat. The spears are thicker in diameter than green cultivars, and their sugar content is 20% higher too!We supply one year old crowns, grown in East Anglia, which can be picked as soon as the year after planting. Plants crop for well over 10 years, and established beds can be cut from emergence of the first spears until mid-late June. Crops for up to 15 years.SAVE £5.95 on pack of 20 crowns!

Asparagus Kit £9.99
Why not enjoy your own early asparagus spears from outside your own back door? Asparagus crowns are supplied with 40 litre green planter bags (tough, re-useable, green woven polyethylene bags with holes for drainage and handles for easy moving, as pictured), making them perfect for growing in small spaces such as patios and balconies. Once established, asparagus grown in planters will crop for up to 3 seasons. We have chosen early-cropping Gijnlim, a top performer in recent trials, out-yielding others by up to 25% BUY 2 GET ONE FREE AND SAVE £9.95!

Every garden should have an apple tree.
Grow your own!

Apple Tree – Redlove £24.99
The culmination of 20 years of one dedicated mans work this is a wonderful gift for any fruit lover! The first apple tree with fruit that has unique and exquisite tasting red flesh, which bears the most beautiful deep pink blossom in the spring. Not only good to eat but great for cooking! Not sure if the garden is big enough this wonderful tree can be grown easily in containers! Supplied as a bare root tree.No matter what size the garden, theres always space for a tree, and many fruit trees can be grown in containers. Its also a unique way to send someone special a memorable Christmas gift which will give years of pleasure.

Apple Tree – Redlove Sirena £24.99
– Uniquely coloured – Rosy-red flesh with a beautiful pattern running through it- Deliciously tasty – Crisp and juicy with a hint of berries- Even better for you – Higher in antioxidants than other apples- Disease resistant – Exceptionally high resistance to scab- Attractive in the garden – Unusual, long-lasting, deep pink spring blossom- Versatile in the kitchen – Delicious eaten raw but also ideal for cooking (it retains its red colour)Grown on M9 rootstock, it will produce an easily managed tree up to approximately 2.5m (8′) tall in the garden, smaller if grown in a large container. Though not self-fertile, it’s easily pollinated by other apple trees, even up to 300m away. Supplied as a top quality 1 year old, single stem, bare root tree, with full growing instructions.Sirena – Fine fleshed with a refreshing, tangy flavour; harvest from late August until early September and eat straight from the tree or store until the end of October.Our trees are held in dormant condition in a cool store, which is why we can still supply at this time. Plant immediately on receipt and keep well watered as they burst into growth. BUY ANY 2 REDLOVE TREES FOR £40.00 (SAVING £9.98!

Apple Tree – Redlove Era £24.99
RedloveR Era – Crisp and fresh with a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavours, harvest early to mid September and eat immediately or store until Christmas.A new eating experience! The world’s first fine-tasting and scab-resistant red-fleshed apple, RedloveRUniquely coloured – Rosy-red flesh with a beautiful pattern running through it.Deliciously tasty – Crisp and juicy with a hint of berries.Even better for you – Higher in antioxidants than other apples.Disease resistant – Exceptionally high resistance to scab.Attractive in the garden – Unusual, long-lasting, deep pink spring blossom.Versatile in the kitchen – Delicious eaten raw but also ideal for cooking.It started twenty years ago with one man’s dream and now Markus Kobelt has turned it into a reality. Taking sweet and firm, disease resistant apple ‘parents’, with years of meticulous cross pollination and selection, he has created this uniqe and exquisite tasting red-fleshed variety that will thrive in the UK climate!RedloveR boasts long-lasting and unusual deep pink blossom, and unique fruit that is dark red, both outside and inside, revealing a beautiful pattern when you slice through it. The juicy, fragrant flesh has a texture that can be likened to a Cox, but with an extra range of subtle cherry fruit flavours. A delicious eater, it is also ideal for cooking (it retains its red colour). Try it in fruit salads (it doesn’t turn brown), pies, puddings and tarts. Or simply enjoy a glass of mouth-watering freshly squeezed juice!Though not self-fertile, it’s easily pollinated by other apple trees, even up to 300m away.RedloveR is a protected trademark belonging to Lubera AG, Switzerland. The Redlove variety that we offer is protected and buyers of the trees are allowed to grow the trees for their private use. Buyers are not allowed to use the trees for commercial purposes (ie to grow for the fruit market or to multiply these trees or to sell fruit of the Redlove varieties under the Redlove trademark nor under another name).BUY ANY 2 REDLOVE TREES FOR £40.00 (SAVING £9.98).

Apple Corer and Wedger £4.50
A marvellous little gadget with sharp, heavy duty blades. Simply slip it over your apple or other fruit to remove the core and divide it into eight segments in one simple motion. Width 18cm (7), maximum apple diameter 9cm (31/2).

Apple Tree – Queen Cox Self Fertile £17.99
Cox apples are justifiably one of the nation’s favourites and this self-fertile clone sets good crops without the need for pollinators, making it particularly easy to grow. The apples are juicy and sweet, with the typical mellow ‘Cox’ taste, although it has a deeper red flush than the usual Cox. Pick from late September, and eat all the way through to January. Supplied as a bare root tree.Britain has the best climate in the world for growing apples of the highest quality, flavour and colour. Our apples are grafted onto an M26 rootstock (unless otherwise stated) which produces an easy-to-control semi-dwarf tree with medium vigour.

Apple Tree – Malini Fresco £21.99
A superb little pillar tree, which is ideal for patios and terraces, boasting all the same great attributes as its sister variety, Dulcessa, but with firm, juicy white flesh and a touch less sweetness. Grown on M26 rootstock. Supplied as a bare root tree.Lubera is a Swiss nursery owned by Markus Kobeit and his wife Magda. The couple have developed the company into what it is today, but it is a business that is definitely in Markus’ blood – his great grandfather placed his first advertisement for trees in a newspaper in 1889, and three generations have been involved in it since!

Apple Tree – Duet £21.99
Not only does it provide something of a ‘wow’ factor to have a tree with two varieties on, it also makes great use of space for those with a limited amount of room available! In spring you can enjoy the contrast of pink and white blossom, followed by the green and red-tinged leaves, and then the red and yellow fruit. Even your taste buds will appreciate the contrasting sweet and acidic flavours of the juicy, firm-fleshed Bionda Patrizia and Redlove apples! The two varieties are high-yielding and scab-resistant, will pollinate each other, and are ready to pick from mid-August to October, storing for up to three months.Britain has the best climate in the world for growing apples of the highest quality, flavour and colour. Our apples are grafted onto an M26 rootstock (unless otherwise stated) which produces an easy-to-control semi-dwarf tree with medium vigour.

Apple Tree – Charles Ross £17.99
A Victorian apple resulting from a cross between Cox’s Orange Pippin and Peasgood Nonsuch. Named after the head gardener in the late 1800s at Welford Park in Berkshire, its taste is sharp with a tang of orange when freshly picked (although it sweetens when it has been stored for a bit). White-fleshed, Charles Ross can also be cooked and, as it’s really juicy, it also makes great cider.Britain has the best climate in the world for growing apples of the highest quality, flavour and colour. Our apples are grafted onto an M26 rootstock (unless otherwise stated) which produces an easy-to-control semi-dwarf tree with medium vigour.

Apple Redlover Offer – Tree, Stake,Tie, Guard, Fertilizer and Gift £24.99
Take advantage of this great apple tree gift set offer This limited time offer includes Potted Redlove Circe Tree Tree Stake Tree Tie Guard Pack of Fertilizer Festive tin of ready to eat marzipan fruits As the Redlove apple tree is potted you can stand it outside and keep until Christmas!

Apple Tree – Discovery £17.99
Probably the best early eating apple with an excellent texture and flavour – crisp, juicy and sweet (it’s a great variety for making juice). The tree’s compact size makes it ideal for smaller gardens. Discovery has an early flowering season and needs to be grown in the company of another pollinator or self-fertile apple for both to fruit.Britain has the best climate in the world for growing apples of the highest quality, flavour and colour. Our apples are grafted onto an M26 rootstock (unless otherwise stated) which produces an easy-to-control semi-dwarf tree with medium vigour.

Apple Tree – Malini LU 72/06 £24.99
This apple variety will produce a superb columnar tree, growing to a maximum height of approximately 2.2m (7′). It’s ideal for growing in a large container on the patio (minimum 30 litre pot), or a small area in the garden, and is scab- and fireblight-resistant too! The tasty sweet-sour fruits are ready to harvest at the end of August.Eating Apples – Britain has the best climate in the world for growing apples of the highest quality, flavour and colour. Our apples are grafted onto an M26 rootstock (unless otherwise stated) which produces an easy-to-control semi-dwarf tree with medium vigour.

Apple Tree – Worcester Pearmain £17.99
Introduced in 1874, this apple variety will produce a good crop of medium to large bright red/orange apples with firm white flesh with a flavour reminiscent of strawberries. It does well in cold spots and is a highly effective pollinator for other apple trees. Grown on M26 rootstock. Eating variety. (An English Heritage fruit variety.)

Apple Tree – Bramley (Clone 20) £17.99
It’s 200 years since this most famous cooking apple was discovered. Our clone 20 is a big improvement on regular Bramley: it’s less vigorous and more controllable in the garden and will also give you a significantly heavier crop. Deservedly renowned for its excellent cooking qualities. Note that it needs at least two other apples in the locality for pollination. Pick October for use throughout winter. Supplied as a bare root tree.Eating Apples – Britain has the best climate in the world for growing apples of the highest quality, flavour and colour. Our apples are grafted onto an M26 rootstock (unless otherwise stated) which produces an easy-to-control semi-dwarf tree with medium vigour.

Apple Tree – Braeburn (Clone Helena) £17.99
Braeburn is one of the best-selling apple varieties in Britain and can now (thanks to this earlier cropping new clone) be grown very successfully in UK gardens. Pick from mid October and store for up to 4 months without losing the superb crisp texture!Britain has the best climate in the world for growing apples of the highest quality, flavour and colour. Our apples are grafted onto an M26 rootstock (unless otherwise stated) which produces an easy-to-control semi-dwarf tree with medium vigour.

Apple Tree – Blenheim Orange £17.99
Introduced in 1740 in Oxfordshire, this is a heavy cropping, disease-resistant russet apple with a crumbly texture and excellent and distinctive nutty flavour. For use October-December. A good attractant and nectar source for bees and other beneficial insects. Requires a pollinator. Grown on M26 rootstock. RHS Award of Garden Merit winner.(An English Heritage fruit variety.)

Apple Tree – Redlove + FREE Tree Support Pack £19.99
The worlds first fine-tasting and scab-resistant red-fleshed apple! Other companies have tried to copy Redlove, but we know from our trials and customer taste tests that ours is unbeatable! – Uniquely coloured – Rosy-red flesh with a beautiful pattern running through it- Deliciously tasty – Crisp and juicy with a hint of berries- Even better for you – Higher in antioxidants than other apples- Disease resistant – Exceptionally high resistance to scab- Attractive in the garden – Unusual, long-lasting, deep pink spring blossom- Versatile in the kitchen – Delicious eaten raw but also ideal for cookingTry fruit fresh from the tree, in fruit salads (it doesnt turn brown), pies, puddings and tarts. Or simply enjoy a glass of mouth-watering freshly squeezed juice! Grown on M9 rootstock, it will produce an easily managed tree up to approximately 2.5m (8′) tall in the garden, smaller if grown in a large container. Though not self-fertile, its easily pollinated by other apple trees. Supplied as a mature 2 year old bare root tree.PLUS FREE – Support stake, tie, fertiliser and tree guard pack: All the necessary items you will need when planting any of our fruit trees. Pack includes one 1.2m (4′) treated timber stake, plastic tie, 100g fruit tree fertiliser sachet and spiral guard to protect the tree from rabbits etc. WORTH £8.99.

Apple Lord Lambourne £17.95
Once assessed by ‘Gardening from Which?’ as the best all-round British garden apple, this is indeed a superb mid-season variety. The crisp, firm fruits are bursting with sweet juice! Ready to pick from September, they will keep well until Christmas!Our apples are grafted onto an M26 rootstock which produces an easy-to-control semi-dwarf tree with medium vigour.

Apple Greensleeves £17.95
This superb apple variety is a cross between Golden Delicious and James Grieve and combines the best of both parents! A prolific cropper, it will sometimes start cropping in its second year, and the tasty apples store well until Christmas and beyond. It shows good disease resistance and is an excellent pollinator.Our apples are grafted onto an M26 rootstock which produces an easy-to-control semi-dwarf tree with medium vigour.

Apple Crab Tree – John Downie £17.99
Not only is this upright apple variety highly ornamental in the garden giving masses of soft pink blossom in spring but it’s an excellent pollinator for other apples. The yellow/orange fruits of John Downie are large for a crab and make the finest, clear crab apple jelly. Delicious eaten with meats and cheeses or just spread on buttery toast!Our apple trees are grafted onto an M26 rootstock which produces an easy-to-control semi-dwarf tree with medium vigour. Supplied as a bare root tree.