Garden And Gardener

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Archive for June, 2015

Artichokes

Friday, June 26th, 2015

Globe artichoke

About 10 days ago IU ate my first globe artichoke of the season. I took it into the kitchen, took a photo, and then chopped out the delicious heart. I nuked it for a few seconds and then ate it. It was lovely!

Dehydrating rhubarb

Friday, June 26th, 2015

I’d acquired a dehydrator earlier in the year and this is the first time I’ve used it.
I picked some very thin stems and bought them in as well as a bigger fatter stem. I tried to get all pink stems. Washed and sliced thinly they were laid out on the trays and the machine was switched on. I left it for about 6 hours. The pieces were all dry apart from some much fatter pieces I’d left deliberately larger. These were very soft on the outside and juicy and reminded me of a caterpillar to be honest. They wouldn’t store long. Unlike the small pieces that were dried rock solid.
It is like eating flavoured bark. It does soften after a moment and exuded the intense taste of rhubarb.
I will try it early spring with forced rhubarb which will be more tender and sweet.
dehydrated rhubarb

Collect water on your allotment

Wednesday, June 17th, 2015

Everyone who ever uses a watering can on an allotment site should collect water on their plot. There’s no excuse for having a shed or greenhouse and not collecting the rain water from it.
Proper water barrels can be expensive. Some supermarkets like Aldi sell them – watch out for them being on sale as they start to think about clearing summer stock out.
Find places that sell old barrels and IBCs. These make great water collectors. Make sure they’ve had nothing nasty in them though.

To not collect water is just silly. The advantages of a rain barrel on your plot means that you have nice soft rainwater for your plants, you reduce the impact of your allotment on the local water resources (Assuming you have mains water to your site), the water is nicer for the plants than tap water, and you have less far to get water.

Some useful ideas to help you water more effectively and with less effort:


H2go Water
 £10.95
Dont Struggle And Strain Without A Hosepipe When You Can Simply Fit This H2go Bag Anti-slide Bag Into Your Barrow And Easily Wheel 80 Litres Anywhere You Need Water.garden Answers Magazine Best Innovation Award Winner 2008the Uniquely Designed Spout Of The H2go Bag Makes Filling And Pouring Easy Whilst It Has The Added Benefit Of Folding Away For Another Day. Most Ingenious! a Way Of Transporting Up To 80 Litres Of Water In A Wheelbarrow When There Is No Hosepipe Availablethe H2go Bag Is A Problem Solver For The Equestrian, Allotment, Garden And Building Marketsfolds Away For Easy Space Saving Storageunique Design Spout For Easy Pouringwith Anti-slide Mat To Stop Bag From Slipping Out

Smart Valve
 £12.50
The Gravity Fed Smart Valve Watering Kit Requires No Power Source Yet Still Manages To Deliver An Unerringly Accurate Flow Of Water To Plant Or Water Holding Capillary Matting-lined Greenhouse Trays.the Adjustable Depth Regulator Of The Valve Sits In Your Plant Tray And Is Fitted With A Moisture Sensor To Monitor Water Levels And Once The Sensor Realises More Water Is Required, It Does The Rest. All You Need To Do Is Provide A Water Reservoir – This Can Be As Simple As A Bucket Or Sophisticated As A Water Butt – Position It 20cm Above The Height Of The Tray You Wish To Fill And Install The Kit.the Simple Smart Valve Watering Kit Consists Of The Smart Valve With Water Inlet Tubing, An Outlet Fitting And Hole Forming Tool To Enable You To Connect Up To That Bucket Or Water Butt And 1.25m Of 4mm Diameter Tubing. Set-up Takes Minutes, The Depth Regulator Will Keep The Water Level Between 7mm And 20mm And Working With A 5 Litre Water Reservoir Feeding A 1m Tray, Your Plants Will Stay Watered For Up To 4 Weeks – An Ideal Holiday Watering Accomplice!and Heres The Technical Horticultural Bit – Using The Smart Valve System, Plants Can Never Be Overwatered And The Healthy, Natural Wet And Dry Cycle The Valve Delivers Ensures Maximum Root Growth And Water Uptake. Watering – Especially When On Holiday – Has Never Been So Simple!smart Valve Watering Kit Supplies Water From Reservoir To Capillary Matting-lined Hydroponic Or Greenhouse Plant Traysgravity Fed Systemno Mains Electricity, Batteries Or Any Power Source Required3 Setting Water Depth Regulator Placed In Traykit Includes Depth Regulator, 1.25m X 4mm Diameter Tubing, Outlet Fitting And Hole Formerpunch Hole In Your Choice Of Reservoir With Hole Formerinsert Outlet Fitting And Connect Tubing To Complete Set Upposition Reservoir (not Supplied) At Least 20cm Above Traydepth Regulator Responds To Plant Needs And Water Levels In Traysettings Allow 7mm To 20mm Depth Of Waterideal For Holiday

Soaker Hose Kits
 £28.95
Our Soaker Hose Kits Use A Low Pressure Porous Hose To Delivers Droplets Of Water To The Surface Of Your Allotment Beds, Raised Beds, Kitchen Garden Plot, Vegetable Patch Or Even To Your Lawn.all Three Sizes Of Soaker Hose Kit (15, 30 And A Jumbo 50m Long Version) Can Be Run Off Water Butts Or Even Connected Directly To The Mains To Provide Continuous Economical Garden Watering. the Soaker Hose Kits Drastically Reduce Wastage Of This Valuable Commodity By Seeping Small But Constant Amounts Of Water Into The Soil.for Lush Lawns And Totally Undercover Watering, The Hose Can Be Permanently Buried Under Grass Or Soil. all Kits Are Supplied With Various Fittings Allowing You To Customise The Hose To Your Own Garden Situation. Expect To Water Soil Up To 50cm Either Side Of The Porous Soaker Hose Pipe, Which Is Best Laid In Loops To Ensure Even Coverage.15m Soaker Hose Kit Comprises Of: 15m Soaker Hose, 1 Straight, 1 Tee, 1 Elbow Connector And 2 End Stops30m Soaker Hose Kit Comprises Of: 30m Soaker Hose, 2 Straight, 2 Tee, 2 Elbow Connectors And 4 End Stops50m Soaker Hose Kit Comprises Of: 50m Soaker Hose, 2 Straight, 2 Tee, 2 Elbow Connectors And 4 End Stops50m Soaker Hose Fittings Kit Comprises Of: 2 Straight, 2 Tee, 2 Elbow Connectors And 4 End Stops ideal Low Pressure Watering Systemruns Off Water Butt Or Mainsif Using Mains Supply Only Need To Open Tap Very Slightlyvery Economical To Runlay On Soil Surface Or Bury Beneath A Lawn For Invisible Wateringsoaker Hose Is Same Size As A Hose Pipe (” Diameter) So Will Accept All Standard Hosepipe Fittingporous Soaker Hose Made From Recycled Car Tyreshose Just Seeps Water Directly Onto Soil Surfacewater Seeps Directly Into Soil Minimising Evaporation Lossin Normal Soil Conditions Water Will Soak Up To 50cm From Pipelay Soaker Hose Pipe In Loops To Ensure Even Wateringinstall Permanently Or Remove After Growing Seasonideal For Thirsty Vegetables Such As Potatoes, Broad Beans An

Garden Watering Kit
 £37.95
Standing With Your Finger Over The End Of A Garden Hose And Spraying Your Vegetable Plants And Ornamental Borders With Water On A Hot Summers Afternoon Is A Real Blast From The Garden Past, Thanks To The Adaptability And Super-efficiency Of The Garden Watering Kit. ideal For Watering Pots And Planters, Garden Borders And Vegetable Patches, The Combined 35 Metres Of Piping (10m Of Main Distribution Pipe And 25m Of Sprinkler Supply Pipe) Provides The Potential For Watering En Masse And As Each Of The 20 Sprinklers Can Irrigate An Area Up To 2 Metres In Diameter (depending On Water Pressure), Your Plants Certainly Wont Go Thirsty! the Sprinklers – All Of Which Are Fully Adjustable – Simply Push Into The End Of Each Piece Of Supply Pipe And As All The Piping Can Be Cut To Length With A Pair Of Scissors, The Whole Garden Watering Kit System Can Be Tailored To Your Own Particular Garden Situation.garden Watering Kit Includes All Neccessary Connectors, Fittings And Fixingssuited For Use With Mains Water Supplyincludes 10m Of Water Distribution Pipe25m Of 5mm Diameter Sprinkler Supply Pipe Provided20 Fully Adjustable Sprinklerspiping Is Simply Cut To Suit Your Beds, Borders Or Potssprinklers Can Cover An Area Of 2m In Diameter Depending On Local Water Pressuresprinklers Just Push Onto End Of Sprinkler Supply Pipeideal For Pots, Patio Containers, Vegetable Patches Or Large Ornamental Borderssprinklers Can Be Pushed Down To Soil Level To Reduce Evaporationwater Delivered To Soil And Rootsavoid Diseases Such As Downy Mildew By Watering Soil Not Leaveskit Can Be Packed Away For Winter If Neccessary

Click & Drip Irrigation Kit
 £59.95
The Simple To Use Irrigation Kit Simply Clicks Onto A Water Butt And Then The 15m Of Flexible Drip Irrigation Pipe Can Be Laid To Suit Your Planting And Contains Irrigation Points At 30cm Intervals. Each Hole Along The Irrigation Pipe Releases Approx. 180ml Of Water Per Hour So The Soil Has A Chance To Absorb The Water And Less Is Lost To Evaporation.the Kit Also Comes With A Reliable Digital Timer So That You Can Rest Assured Your Plants Will Be Watered Even If You Are On Holiday. The Watering Frequency And Duration Can Be Adjusted To Suit Your Plot And It Also Includes A Solar Panel To Keep The Rechargeable Batteries Charged (standard Batteries Can Also Be Used). the Complete Kit Is Supplied Ready To Go And Includes: Filter To Remove Limescale And Prevent Blockages; Pressure Regulator And Timer; 15m Drip Irrigation Pipe; 5m Of Non Drip Pipe To Ensure No Leaks Between The Water Source And The Plot To Be Watered.complete Irrigation Kit – Ideal For Raised Beds, Borders, Vegetable Plotclick Straight Onto Water Butt Tap – Hozelock Style Tap Requiredincludes Timer For Automatic Watering15m Irrigation Pipe – Holes Every 30cm80ml Of Water / Hole / Hour Approx. 5m Of Non Drip Pipeincludes Filter And Pressure Regulatorbatteries Not Included

Large Water Butt Pump
 £64.95
Turn Water, Collected And Stored In A Water Butt, Into An Even More Valuable Commodity By Pumping It To All Corners Of The Garden With The Electric Powered And Very Capable Large Water Butt Pump.place The 24cm High X 14.5cm Diameter Submersible Pump Into Your Water Butt And Enjoy The Maximum Hourly Output Of 2200 Litres, Creating Enough Pressure To Run A Hosepipe With Spray Gun Attachment. the Large Water Butt Pump Is Mains Operated And Has A Maximum Head Height Of 11m.output 2200 Ltrs/hr11m Max. Head Heightaccepts Standard 12.5mm/0.5″ Diameter Hose Pipepowerful 300w Motor10m Of Mains Cablemeasures 24cm H X 14.5cm Wsuitable For Draining Ponds And Fountainsuse To Run Hose Pipes, Sprinkler Hoses, Soaker Hoses Or Micro Irrigation Systemscomplete With Hozelock-style Male Connector At The Topmaximum Particle Size – 4mm Diawill Pump Water 220m Through A Standard Hosepipe From A Water Butt40m Maximum Range When Placed 11m In Well Or Borehole

Irrigatia Solar Automatic Irrigation Kit
 £74.95
The Irrigatia Solar Automatic Irrigation Kit Requires No Mains Water Supply Or Electricity And It Wont Waste Your Valuable Water Butt-collected And Stored Water By Irrigating Garden Plants When The Weather Is Cloudy Or Overcast; Instead, This Ingenious Solar Powered Pump System Will Automatically Spring Into Life When The Sun Beats Down And Your Plants Need Moisture The Most. the Engine Room Of The System Is The Pump Unit Which Is Simply Mounted Above A Water Butt (youll Need To Supply Your Own Water Butt!) And Pumps Water Every Three Hours – The Quantity Delivered Depends On The Sunshine Hours And The Position Of The Control Knob. water Is Delivered To Your Plants By The 10 Dripper Nozzles, 10m Of Distribution Piping And All The Various Fixings Youll Need And Is Ideal For Irrigating Raised Beds, Open Borders And Even Greenhouse Watering. The More Sun The More It Waters – Waters Every 3 Hours the Irrigatia Solar Irrigation Kit Provides A Simple And Highly Effective Solution To Garden Watering – Just Add Water (and A Water Butt)!irrigatia Solar Irrigation Kit Requires No Mains Water Or Electricitykit Comprises Of Pump Unit, Tubing And Dripper Nozzlespump Houses Solar Charged Batterywater Only Delivered When Required In Sunny Conditions Unlike Timer-run Systemsuse With A Water Butt Or Other Storage Tank (not Supplied)pump Unit Has Adjustable Water Quantity Settingwater Delivered Every 3 Hoursquantity Of Water Pumped Varies With Sunshine Hours And Control Knob Settingideal For Holiday Wateringincludes 10m Of Distribution Pipe, 10 Dripper Nozzles And Stakesautomatic Watering For Up To 5 Large Hanging Baskets Or 12 X 20 Litre Potsuses Up To 90% Less Water Than A Hoseall Neccessary Fittings Includedfull Easy Installation And Operating Instructions Suppliedwaterwand Should Not Be Positioned More Than 20m From Water Butt And No More Than 2m Higher Than The Water Butt. ideal For Use In Raised Beds, Open Borders, Vegetable Plots A

Raincatcher 750ltr Black Tank
 £315.00
The Raincatcher 750 Litre Is A Unique And Practical British Made Rainwater Tank For Storing Larger Volumes, A Great Solution For The Increasingly Common Hosepipe Bans. made From Fully Recycled Plastic, The Tank Is Supplied With A Tap, Has A Quality Removable Lid For Easy Access, Snap Action Tap And 5 Brass Connection Points. Additional Tanks Can Be Easily Linked For Large Scale Water Storage Or For Harvesting Rainwater For Washing Machines, Toilets, Car Washing, Garden Irrigation And Lawn Watering.fully Uv Stabilised The Tank Comes With A 5 Year Manufacturers Guarantee And The Sturdy Robust Design Ensures Years Of Service.with Water Bills On The Rise It Is Becoming Increasingly Important To Store Rainwater, And This Quality Rainwater Tank Will Be An Invaluable Addition To Your Garden – Rainwater Is Great For Your Plants Too!raincatcher 750 Litre Tank Supplied In Blackbritish Made From Fully Recycled Plasticmeasures 160cm W X 60cm D X 100cm H5 Quality Brass Connection Pointsremovable Lid For Easy Accesstap Includeduv Stablecan Be Easily Linked To Additional Tanks5 Year Guaranteefully Eca Approvedempty Weight Approx. 35kg.

New products at Garden Buildings Direct

Friday, June 12th, 2015

Garden Buildings Direct just added this new product

2 Seater Bistro BillyOh Windsor Square Set

2 Seater Bistro BillyOh Windsor Square Set £49.00
Tea for Two This Summer . If you want to get on with enjoying your summer, what you need is a garden furniture set that perfectly combines style and practicality, giving you a hassle-free time That s exactly what you get with the BillyOh Windsor Square 2 Seater Bistro Set. This set is flexible enough to move around for when you fancy a change, but also won t take over the whole garden. The folding table has got just enough space for you and a friend or loved one. So enjoying a drink together on a hot day, early morning or warm summer s evening couldn t be easier. Create Your Own Mini Bistro . We know that getting a furniture set to suit your garden isn t all about size, the style is important too. The traditional look of the Windsor 2 Seater Set brings French bistro living to your garden, while the lighter tones of the folding acacia chairs and table provide the perfect match to both traditional and modern outdoor spaces. You really can t go wrong . Enjoy Your Garden This Summer . If you ve got a small balcony or a patio area that needs some love and attention, then this set could be the answer to your garden woes. The square table is the ideal size for you to spread out your books and magazines, or to accommodate lunch and drinks for two. The Windsor Bistro Set will look perfect for breakfast and equally good in the evening for cocktails for two. .

Price reductions at GreenFingers

Friday, June 12th, 2015

Price cut on this product at GreenFingers

Greenfingers Carolina Rattan 2 Chair & Sofa 80cm Rectangular Lounge Set

Greenfingers Carolina Rattan 2 Chair & Sofa 80cm Rectangular Lounge Set was £199.99 now £159.99
Beautifully designed for your outdoor pleasure this Greenfingers Carolina Rattan Sofa Set is a must-have for the summer! Consisting of two single chairs a sofa and a rectangular coffee table with 5mm thick tempered safety glass this stylish garden furniture set is the perfect choice to complement any garden d

Plus another 0 great reductions

New products at GreenFingers

Friday, June 12th, 2015

GreenFingers has these new lines today

Johnsons Little Gardeners Flowers - Little Ladybird Poppies

Johnsons Little Gardeners Flowers – Little Ladybird Poppies £1.35
Johnsons Little Gardener seeds are designed specifically for kids from 3-11 years old and these Little Ladybird Poppies are really fun flowers that look just like a family of ladybirds! These seeds provide your children with a fun and educational project that is guaranteed to keep them busy and learning about Mother Nature all year round. These are easy to grow Poppy Ladybird (Papaver commutatum) that produce bright red flowers with bold black spots and they come with a free label and instructions on the back of the packet along with fun facts and activities printed on the inside! Parental supervision recommendedSow: Mar-MayQuantity: approx. 750 seeds

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New products at Crocus

Friday, June 12th, 2015

Crocus just added these new lines

Telekia speciosa (Large Yellow Ox-eye)

Telekia speciosa (Large Yellow Ox-eye) £19.99
Daisy-like yellow flowers

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Price reductions at Harrod Horticultural

Thursday, June 11th, 2015

Harrod Horticultural has cut the price of this product

Allotment Corner Wooden Raised Beds

Allotment Corner Wooden Raised Beds was £31.00 now £24.30
Theres Always A Corner Of The Garden That You Cant Quite Squeeze A Normal Square Or Rectangular Vegetable Growing Raised Bed Into, But That Could All Be About To Change With These 122cm X 122cm X 172cm Allotment Corner Style Wooden Raised Beds. these Corner Beds Are Available In 3 Heights 15cm, 30cm And 45cm And Are Ideal For Growing Vegetables, Salads And Herbs. Designed In-house And Made From Pressure Treated Scandinavian Softwood Sourced From Sustainably Managed Forests The Raised Beds Come With A 2 Year Structural Guarantee. if You Want Reliable Crop Protection For Your Raised Bed Then Try Our Purpose Built Frame Which Comes Complete With Aluminium Tubing, Connectors And A Fitted Insect Mesh Cover (gdn-977). The Cover Has Side Velcro Fastening For Easy Access And A Strong Band Along The Bottom Edge Which Has Eyelets For Securing With Ground Pegs. please Note: Timber Is A Natural Product And Susceptible To Shrinkage/swelling, All Sizes Are Therefore Nominal. Sizes Apply To External Dimensions.each Corner Wooden Raised Bed Measures 122cm X 122cm X 172cmavailable In 3 Working Heights; 15cm, 30cm Or 45cmresearched And Designed In-housemanufactured From Scandinavian Softwood Sourced From Sustainably Managed Forestshigh Pressure Treated With A Non-toxic Preservativestructurally Guaranteed For 2 Yearscomplete With Full Instructionssimple To Assembleoptional Capping Gives The Top Of The Beds An Elegant Finishsupplied As A Kit For Self Assemblyinsect Mesh Cover And Frame Also Available For Ultimate Crop Protection – Select Gdn-977 From List.standard Corner Raised Beds Superior Corner Raised Beds Also Available.

New products at Harrod Horticultural

Thursday, June 11th, 2015

Harrod Horticultural has this new item today

Wirework Salad Basket In Gooseberry

Wirework Salad Basket In Gooseberry £19.95
A Wirework Salad Basket With Its Stylish Powder Coated Steel Finished In Gooseberry Is Designed To Fit Lettuces And Salad Leaves Picked Straight From The Garden. Its Clever Design Means That You Can Rinse Your Salad Under Running Water In The Basket Itself And Let It Drain On The Side, Ready For Lunch Or Supper In Minutes.a Fantastic Addition To Any Kitchen, Also A Lovely Gift For Cooks With Flourishing Vegetable Gardenscrafted In Gooseberry Powder Coated Steel Wirework With Strong Metal Handlemeasures 18cm H X 29cm Dia.

Price reductions at PondKeeper

Thursday, June 11th, 2015

Reduced products at PondKeeper

PondXpert  Flowmaster Pond Pump 3500

PondXpert Flowmaster Pond Pump 3500 was £49.99 now £39.99
This filter/fountain pump offers incredible value for money and boasts a unique feature. The pump ships with two strainer cages – the outer cage allows solids (5mm particles) to be passed through the pump to the filter.

This is the first ‘proper’ fountain pump to come up with a solution to solid matter blocking the fountainheads. The second (internal) strainer sits just inside the tough pump impellor and block solids being circulated allowing a fountain to be run.

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