The Christmas Workshop
OPEN TODAY FROM 9.00AM TILL 5.30PM
We hope you enjoyed planting seeds at our Vegetable Patch over the Easter weekend!
Don’t forget to save the date for our Harvest Festival on Saturday 21st September.
You’ll have the chance to bring produce you have grown and enter our vegetable competition and donate it to Church of St Mary and All Saints to be used in local community kitchens.
In the meantime, here are top tips for looking after your seeds…
| Name | Support & Aftercare | Harvest |
| Aubergine | Keep seedlings in a light position, but shade from direct sunlight. When large enough to handle, transplant 5cm apart in trays of potting compost or singly int small pots. Grow on in a minimum temperature of 15 celsius. Water regularly and feed with liquid tomato fertiliser when the fruits begin to swell. | August – September |
| Beetroot | As seedlings develop, thin them gradually, eventually to about 10cm apart. Keep soil moist at all times. | July – October |
| Broad Bean – Bunyards Exhibition | Plant them outside as soon as possible, in early to mid-spring. Take care to harden off your plants for a couple of weeks first, to acclimatise them to outdoor conditions, and prepare the ground as explained above. Space plants 15–23cm (6–9in) apart, either in single rows 45cm (18in) apart or in double rows 23cm (9in) apart. Water in well. | June – July. Pick them as young as possible for the very best flavour. When very young they can be cooked and eaten in their pods. Broad Beans are delicious cooked, cooled and used in salads too. |
| Broad Bean – Dwarf | Plant them outside as soon as possible, in early to mid-spring. Take care to harden off your plants for a couple of weeks first, to acclimatise them to outdoor conditions, and prepare the ground as explained above. Space plants 15–23cm (6–9in) apart, either in single rows 45cm (18in) apart or in double rows 23cm (9in) apart. Water in well. | June – July. Pick them as young as possible for the very best flavour. When very young they can be cooked and eaten in their pods. Broad Beans are delicious cooked, cooled and used in salads too. |
| Carrot | Carrots are drought resistant, so seldom need watering. However, in long dry spells they will benefit from a soaking. | June – November |
| Coriander | Harden off the young plants when they’re about 15cm (6in) tall, then move them to their outdoor growing site after the last frost. Just beware of slugs and snails, especially in damp weather. Covering plants with a Transparent fleece and other floating films, known collectively as crop covers, are laid over or around plants hastening their growth, and protecting against weather and pests. They are usually used without supporting hoops. fleece after transplanting will help them get established if the weather is still cold. |
Indoors: January – December Outdoors: June – October |
| Courgette | Plant one young courgette plant into a container that’s at least 45cm (18in) wide, filled with soil-based or multi-purpose compost. Then sprinkle a handful of general purpose fertiliser, such as Vitax Q4 over the compost. Water the plant in well, and continue watering regularly. | July – October. Cut fruits when about 10-15cm long. |
| Cress | Cress starts to germinate in just a day or two if grown indoors in a warm spot and takes up to two weeks to reach edible size. | Cut as required with scissors. |
| Cucumber | Keep plants well watered at all times, especially those in a greenhouse. Regular feeds with liquid fertiliser are beneficial. Do not remove male flowers (those without a fruit behind them) as these are necessary for pollination of the female flowers. | July – September |
| Dill | Give dill a warm, sunny growing position in fertile, free-draining soil or a large container. It dislikes cold, soggy conditions. | July – September |
| Green Manure Mustard | When the mustard is around 20cm high, dig or rotavate it in to a depth of about 15cm. In summer this may be after about 3 weeks, or up to 8 weeks at other times. Leave the ground to settle for a week after digging in. For maximum benefit, sow or plant the next crop as soon as possible | May – November |
| Kale | When the seedlings have produced about 4 true leaves, transplant them to their cropping positions, allowing 60cm each way between plants. Firm them in and keep well watered. | October – February |
| Lettuce | Thin out the seedlings as soon as the first true leaves appear and continue gradually until they are 15–30cm (6–12) apart, depending on the variety – check seed packets for recommended distances. The seedlings you remove can be added to salads. Water young | June – September |
| Parsnip | As seedlings develop, thin them gradually, eventually to about 15cm apart. Keep soil moist until seedlings are established. | September – February |
| Pea – Climbing Alderman | As the peas start to grow, support them with canes and netting or a similar structure to that used for runner beans. The plants will reach a height of up to 150cm. Keep well watered, especially in dry spells. | June – July |
| Pea – Early Onward | As the peas start to grow, support them with netting or pea sticks. The plants will reach a height of up to 60cm. Keep well watered, especially in dry spells. | From May – August, depending on sowing time. |
| Pea – Hurst Greenshaft | As the peas start to grow, support them with netting or pea sticks. The plants will reach a height of up to 75cm. Keep well watered, especially in dry spells. | June – July |
| Pumpkin | Pumpkins are hungry and thirsty plants. Water frequently, especially during dry spells. Once fruits swell, feed plants regularly with a liquid fertiliser. | September |
| Radish | Water plants generously in dry weather. | April – October |
| Spinach | When seedlings are large enough to handle, thin them to about 15cm apart. | April – October |
| Spinach Beet | When seedlings are large enough to handle, thin them to about 15cm apart. | July – October. If plants survive the winter, they may produce a further crop the following spring. |
| Squash | Water freely and frequently, especially during dry spells. Once fruit starts to swell, feed plants regularly with liquid fertiliser | September – October |
| Sweet Corn | They germinate best at 18–21°C (65–70°F), so put them on a warm windowsill or in a heated propagator.Germination should take about two weeks. Keep the seedlings in bright light and water lightly every few days. In late spring or early summer, once they’re at least 8cm (3in) tall, transplant them into their final growing position outside | August – September when the silks of the cobs turn brown. |
| Swish Chard | When seedlings are large enough to handle, thin them to about 15cm apart. | July – October |