The old greenhouse has been the main area dedicated to growing food for several years and is now home to a wonderful range of plants every year.
The greenhouse has its own micro climate which gives us the opportunity to grow things we may not necessarily be able to do outside of the greenhouse. There are many perennial fruit trees and sub-tropical plants grown here as well as flowers grown for seed. We are able to grow annual and perennial vegetables in a more natural, wild manner and plant more specifically to plants needs using different areas of the greenhouse.
We use some known principles in the garden to help create a thriving environment where pollinators are attracted too!
Companion Planting
Rather than planting in formal rows, we grow many different plant species together in the same area and this is much healthier, natural environment.
Plants that are grown with others can be less susceptible to pest invasions and diseases since many plants have compounds that repel. Just as equally, they can attract, which is why we use plants particularly attractive to pollinators, in order to tease them into the veggie garden!
Another principle we think is effective when growing vegetables is to rotate which plants are grown in which areas. All plants leave a trace and this could be potenially beneficial, or hindering to the plant that follows.
Plants go into position based on position, sunny or shady, but also whats been growing there before. Understanding plant families helps as this is what your working with.
Strawberries and Lettuces on a drip feed
In winter we turn all our beds over with a fork, mulch them up with some Organic material and cover them until Spring.
Fresh onions are one of our most used ingredient in the kitchen so we grow loads!
Chilli peppers and Sweet peppers are settled in to their beds by June
We sow a border of herb seeds around the plants to fill in all the gaps by summer!
The white grapevine has been growing for many years and produces big bunches every summer!
All year round Potatoes
As a dedicated fan of potato in all forms, be it mashed, roasted, boiled or chipped, the ultimate goal is to have a year round supply!
Read more on our blog
- Autumn In the Polytunnel
- Polytunnel Progress: Building a Heated Seed Bed
- Growing Dahlias from Seed and overwintering tubers
- 2019 Growing: Chilli and Sweet Pepper Review
- First Summer in the Polytunnel
- Growing Summer Hanging Baskets
Homegrown and Hopeful 