4 easy ways to grow more during a wet summer

Post by Robbie Cumming

Here in the UK we love our unpredictable weather.
We love barbecueing indoors, picnicking on ground sheets and going to the office in our wellies.


But our plants haven't loved the lower than normal temperatures and lack of sunlight, so we aren't able to enjoy the produce of our vegetable gardens as much as our dear friend Mr Slug (another matter entirely).


But the question is - can we do anything about it?

The good news is - YES!

And being experts in plant protection (even if we say so ourselves) we have a pretty good idea of exactly which products will help you make the most of a poor summer.

Here are just 4 ways that you can make a world of difference in your garden NOW:

Bell Cloches
The main picture (above) shows my little garden - nothing is growing especially well, apart from the weeds, a self seeded Ash tree, and the herbs growing under my Victorian Bell Cloche.  The vents are opened during rainy days and closed at night.  The only downside to this method is that you must remember to lift the cloche right off your plants on hot sunny days.  Otherwise they'll cook before you've even decided what recipe to use them in!

Tunnel Cloches
These do three wonderful things to your veg plot:
1) Protect your plants from weather
2) Protect your plants from pests
3) Increase and maintain higher air temperature

We sell Easy Tunnels - they're quick, easy and fairly inexpensive with lots of deals on at the moment in most garden centres.  But you can also make your own - go for it!  Make sure you use Haxnicks plant protection fabrics, bamboo hoops and ground pegs if you want something that will last you more than just one season.

If you've spent all your money on seeds and slug pellets though, there are other options.  You can use an old sheet of polythene draped over a few pieces of blue tubing secured with tent pegs which is fine if you don't care too much for how it looks.

Please note, it is really important to think about ventilation on sunny days.  Humidity can become a problem, leading to mildew and various diseases.  Scorching (if we get enough sun) is a problem too, and if you don't allow pollinating insects at your flowers, of course you won't get any fruit.

If you use a tunnel cloche you will ensure that your normal growing season is extended - that means you'll be able to harvest earlier and later in the year than anyone else.

Micromesh Fabric
Using mesh in the garden in summer is pretty standard nowadays - and essential if you want to keep the bugs off your edible crops.
But it also makes the perfect shelter - from sun, wind and rain - letting in the right amounts of light, air and moisture.
You can either buy Enviromesh or Micromesh depending on how fine a gauge you need.  Buy Micromesh if you want to guarantee protection from whitefly and other aphids.

Micromesh Products include Micromesh Pre Pack Fabric, Micromesh Pest and Wind Barrier, Micromesh Giant Easy Tunnel, Micromesh Raised Bed cover and Grower System (see below) Pest Protection Cover.



Greenhouse
If you are lucky enough to own one of these, you will probable be using it more often than usual due to the cooler weather.
Keep as many tender, non-indigenous fruit and vegetables (eg Tomatoes, Peppers and Beans) under glass. These plants need as much warmth and sunlight as they can get.
If you are planning to grow climbing veg in your greenhouse because of the weather, then you might want to think about using a patio planter which you can move outside on sunny days.
You might want to use a special planter dolly to help you though.  Planters can get pretty heavy with all the soil, canes and fruit (fingers crossed!)

If you don't have the space or simply can't afford a greenhouse, there are loads of lower cost options, including:

• Conservatories, Porches or Windowsills
• Cold Frames
• Planthouses
• Growhouses or our Grower System

If you have any questions about any of the methods or products featured in this blog post then please let us know using the comments section below.  You can also call us, email and write to us - or why not see if your nearest Haxnicks stockist can help?

We'll cover slugs in the next blog - there are many ways to defeat them, stay tuned to the Haxblog for more top tips...

What You Should Have Done Last Week in your vegetable Patch – Or NOW

Don’t down tools just yet fellow gardeners, there are still more seeds to plant, still more to harvest, still more to store. Plant another batch of lettuce and rocket, plant radishes and chard. This is still a good time for germinating, but watch out for the slugs as when it is wet they hide under the leaves of your vegetables. If you feel that the nights are getting a little cold by all means use a poly tunnel this will definitely prolong the season.

Pick off any caterpillars that are lurking underneath your cabbage or broccoli leaves, I find it easier and more successful doing this by hand rather than by using some kind of spray, it doesn’t take that long either.

I have pulled up all of my onions and garlic, they have been drying nicely in the sun and now my six year old son and I have tied them into wonderfully French bunches – We feel very professional! You do this by getting a piece of twine about 1m in length, then tie on each onion individually. Make sure that the neck of the onion is tied off tightly, this will keep the onion moist, and help it to last.

At the moment I am harvesting courgettes, lettuce, rocket, tomatoes, basil, climbing French beans, runner beans, potatoes, raspberries, plums and a few apples.

Special Offers on Tunnels

We've had a bit of confusuion over the special offers available on our Easy Tunnel Range, so here's some clarification:

We love our Easy Tunnel Range and they have been used by Gardeners for almost 15 years now, a regular best seller for Haxnicks, strong, reuseable, study and easy to use. We have also improved them over years with drawstring closing ends, stronger hoops and improved sewing to firmly hold the hoops in place.

So available varieties:

1. Easy Poly Tunnels and Giant Easy Poly Tunnels - great for soil warming and propagation - they great a green house like environment
2. Easy Net Tunnels and Giant Easy Net Tunnels - great for pest control and providing a little shade to more sensitive plants
3. Easy Fleece Tunnels and Giant Easy Fleece Tunnels - ideal for growing vegetable crops as they provide warmth and pest control, they also allow water to pass through.

Pricing:

1. Standard Tunnels are all £19.99
2. Giant Tunnels are all £24.99

Simple and easy pricing allowing you to mix and match your products.

Special Offer
We are currently running discounts for Multi Buys - A Double Pack (or 2 Tunnels) will save £10, while the Triple Pack will save £15.  It's the same offer for all Tunnels regarless of size or type.  If you buy three tunnels you get a £15 discount.

Many customers are asking if they can buy mixed Multi Buys and still get the discounts, please call us direct on 0845 241 1555 and we can apply the right discount for you

Cloche sales rocket as more people ‘grow their own’

Haxnicks, specialists in chemical-free plant protection products, report record sales of cloches in 2006.

Retail sales of the Haxnicks’ Easy Tunnel cloches have shown steady growth over the last five years, culminating in an impressive 57% year-on-year increase in unit sales for 2006. Sales of the standardsized tunnels increased by 41%, and sales of the higher-priced, giant size more than doubled – up 138%.

Haxnicks Easy Net Tunnels showed the strongest growth overall, unit sales up 152% in the last five years, indicative of the growing trend for year-round, chemical-free protection of crops and now accounting for 26% of total tunnel cloche sales. Unit sales of Giant Easy Net Tunnels quadrupled their sales over the same period.

“Without doubt, Haxnicks’ sales reflect the increase in popularity of growing your own vegetables, coupled with the rise in all things organic”, comments Damian Cardozo, Haxnicks’ MD. “More and more gardeners are appreciating the horticultural benefits of cloches, whilst seeking chemical-free alternatives for protecting their crops. Haxnicks’ unique products cater for this rapidly expanding market”.