HOW TO GROW PUMPKINS

HOW TO GROW PUMPKINS

Pumpkins are fun to grow but you need a LOT of space. They grow very fast in warm weather. Pumpkin tastes great, especially when it’s baked and it is also yummy in scones, pies and cakes. You probably best know them when we hollow out pumpkins and carve scary faces into them to make Halloween lanterns for Halloween.

What You Need : compost or  manure,  complete fertilizer, pumpkin seeds

What to Do:

1. Find a spot with plenty of room for the pumpkin vines to spread.

2. Make a mound by digging some compost or manure into the soil. Add some blood & bone.

3. Make a dip in the middle of the mound to form a shallow crater.

4. Water very well and then plant five pumpkin seeds into the crater.

5. When the seedlings emerge, choose the healthiest two and pull the others out.

6. Keep the pumpkin plants well-watered.

7. When the first flowers appear, fertilise with the complete fertilizer. Repeat in 6 weeks time.

8. Bees will fertilise the flowers but just to make sure, use a little paintbrush to collect pollen from the male flowers (they are the ones on long stalks) and dust it into the centre of the female flowers (they have short stalks and a round lump just below the flower which will eventually grow into a pumpkin.)

9. When the vines yellow and start to die off it’s time to pick the pumpkins. If you cut them with a bit of stalk attached you can store them for a long time in a dry place.

HOW TO GROW LETTUCE

Leaf Lettuce:


 If you are looking for easy-care lettuce, it's best to avoid head lettuces.
Leaf lettuces are a great choice in cooler or temperate climates. Lettuce is a fairly hardy and thrives when the average daily temperature is between 60 and 70°F.
It should be planted in early spring or late summer. Lettuce likes sun but will tolerate some shade.
Sow the seeds thickly in rows of well-drained soil, and cover with a fine potting soil, tamping down after covering. Water well.
Keep them well watered in hot weather( dont water onto the leaves as they may scorch in the hot sun) and apply organic fertilizer every month, giving them an occasional feed with an organic liquid fertilizer.
Mulching with compost or pea-straw will help conserve water, control weeds and feed your soil.
You can cut the lettuce leaves as they are growing, trimming away just what you want to eat, and leaving the core, which will prolong the growing life of the plant.
You can also plant spinach or Swiss Chard, both equally as easy to grow from seed with high yields.
When the leaves are big enough to use, pick from the outside making sure you leave at least 5 or 6 stalks in the centre for the plant to continue growing. Spinach leaves you grow yourself are actually thicker and tastier than supermarket bags.
The secret is sow little and often so you will be able to supply the family all season long.

HOW TO GROW CARROTS

CARROTS

A nice easy vegetable to start with.Carrots are easy going and not at all fussy as long as the soil is crumbly and light.Carrots tend to be pest free and need little attention, but as we have found out sometimes they can be eaten before they pop that first shoot out. That would be our buddy the carrot root fly that can smell the fresh carrot when you pull some to thin them. So the less thinning the less carrot fly. A row of chives along side can sometimes stop them.
 Carrots are rich in vitamin A, antioxidants, carotene and dietary which is very good for you.
What to do:
 Dig a hole less than an inch deep and plant a couple of seeds in each, and leave several inches in between holes.This will help avoid loads of thinning out. Thin out in stages to 4-6in (10-15cm) apart as they grow if you have to as this will give larger carrots in the long run..You can eat these after giving them a wee scrub under running water.Sweet!
 Keep the soil moist but remember to water the carrots less as they begin to reach maturity as you want the carrot to go hunting for water. Dont worry ,you wont find it running around your garden with a bow and arrow after Broccolli Spears!
After about six weeks check your patch to see if any carrots are ready for lifting. Pull gently near the soil and if its a big one maybe get someone to dig it up.Now enjoy!