VegTrug

It has long been said that growing your own food is not only cost effective, but it also gives you more control over the way your food is grown. If organic eating is something you’ve always wanted to, but never been able to afford, growing your produce is the way forward. It’s also a great way to get the whole family involved and learn more about fruits and vegetables and the many health benefits associated with these.

So this month we are rather excited to be running a competition to get you started with growing your own! Our amazing competition includes;

A VegTrug Classic – These beauties are perfect for getting started with growing your own vegetables. The V shape means that you can grow a selection of vegetables including deep rooted ones such as potatoes. At approximately 1 metre in length, they are a good size for a beginner as you will have enough space to experiment and try different produce, but not so much space that you don’t know what to do with it!

SeedCells – Included in the starter pack is a selection of SeedCells – these clever little things make planting easy as it’s a case of snap, pot, water and grow. Some will need to be started off in smaller pots inside before being transferred into your VegTrug, but with numerous cells to each pack, you are sure to have enough for a few rounds of planting! Included are mixed herbs, tomatoes, sweet peppers and chilli’s – and to help the kids get involved, we will also include a pack of giant sunflower seeds for planting next year.

Wooden Trug – And finally once you have successfully grown all of your tasty veggies, we are making it easier to gather them by including a medium sized wooden trug, perfect for transporting your produce back to the kitchen ready for washing and cooking.

To be in with a chance of winning this great prize worth over £100.00, just visit our Facebook or Twitter page, like/follow the page and share the competition post!

Entries close at 5pm on the 17^th August with the winner being announced on our social media pages!

Congratulations to Emma Kay who is the winner of our competition! 

As reports suggest that we are on for a sizzling few weeks of Summer sun, we thought it would be useful to take a look at what you should be doing in the garden over the coming weeks to help maximise the dryer weather, whilst also protecting your plants and vegetables from the warmer conditions that the Weather Man is promising us.

Water more but less frequently – Did you know that if you water your shrubs and bedding plants thoroughly, but less often, they are more likely to be encouraged to put down roots – literally! By watering them well a few times a week, as opposed to watering on a daily basis, they will spread their roots in search of more water, meaning they will become better established in the ground. The exception to this is your hanging baskets and potted plants which should still be watered on a daily basis. Soaker hoses can come in very handy here as they use up to 70% less water compared to conventional sprinklers and are designed to operate at low pressure, making them the perfect choice. They will connect to an outside tap or water butt.

Remove the dead-heads – July is a key time to deadhead bedding plants and any perennials which re-flower as this will ensure your plants are using all of its nutrients for what it needs most – to encourage re-growth!

Feed your lawn – If like us you missed the feed earlier in the year, now is most certainly the time to treat your lawn to a feed. A feed such as Aftercut 3 Day Green can be applied after mowing your lawn and doesn’t need to be watered in. It also uses a no scorch formula to help prevent damage. This can be applied every few weeks for the next few months to see you through the warmer weather.

Attack those weeds – They really are pesky things and if your garden is anything like ours, they appear seemingly overnight. July is a key time to try and get on top of them by hoeing borders to help prevent annual weeds from establishing. You should also dig out or apply weed killer to any perennial weeds – but just be mindful of the other plants close by as many weed killers will kill everything it comes into contact with.

Time to sow – As nice as the warmer weather is, it is still important to start thinking about those longer winter nights with the fire lit. By sowing cabbage, carrots and turnips around this time, you are sure to have some tasty winter vegetables to help create those delicious warming soups. A Classic or Wall-Hugger VegTrug could provide the perfect planting environment if you don’t have a vegetable patch.

Sit-back and relax – Possibly one of the most important activities to undertake this Summer – enjoy your garden and find time to sit-back and relax. Whether escaping outdoors with a good book or entertainment friends over the BBQ, be sure to make the most of the warmer weather.

Since the arrival of the VegTrug range a couple of months ago, we have been busy reading up and learning more about its purpose in order to help you get the most from it. We’re sure you know all about the great features of the VegTrug range and what makes them so special, but just in case you don’t, here’s a quick run-down;

1. The V shaped planter means you can really maximise your growing space to make the most of the seasons. The middle (which has a depth of 42cm) is where all your delicious veggies go that require a deeper root space, whilst the outside is perfect for everything else – more about what to grow and when later….
2. They are solid little (or rather big depending on which you go for) things which are made from hardy plantation-grown fir, and they come with protectors on their feet to help further project against rot
3. They come in all shapes and sizes, so you can literally create your own urban kitchen garden anywhere! Choose from the Poppy, classic or wall hugger ranges, with the classic and wall hugger coming in two sizes
4. They are much higher than a traditional raised bed, so all the horrible bending over is eliminated and due to their design, they can be moved (when empty) meaning you don’t need to dig up part of the garden - and if you think your produce would grow better in another area of the garden, you can move it there

Interplanting is one of the major advantages of the VegTrug and here’s some ideas for what to plant and when;

Potatoes – Need to be planted in the centre of your VegTrug to allow for plenty of space for the roots to establish themselves. You should plant your chitted potatoes when the soil has started to warm up, usually from mid-March or early April.

Radishes – Should also be planted towards the centre where the growing depth is greater. Radishes are quite easy to grow and will be ready to harvest around 4 weeks after sowing. Towards the end of May is normally a good time to start sowing your radishes and this can continue every couple of weeks well into Autumn if you want.

Broccoli – Another option for your deep planted crop is Broccoli. You can sow sprouting broccoli from mid-April to mid-May and it will do well in a sunny location in firm, moist soil.

Strawberries – These can be postioned towards the outside of your VegTrug. March is a good time to plant your strawberries and they’ll do well in fertile soil which is well-drained and that enjoys plenty of sunshine. Fruit should be ready for picking with 60 days, but this handy guide will take you through the various stages growth.

Garlic – Such an important component of cooking, garlic can be placed towards the outside of your VegTrug. You can plant from January to late March in free-draining soil and ensure you keep the soil well-watered. There are various websites which will give you tips on growing garlic, but it is one of the easier crops to grow, so we’d definitely suggest giving it a go!

Have fun growing!