Category: Growing tips

Before I joined Seed Pantry I had a lot of misconceptions about gardening, some of which now make me look very foolish. I touched upon this in my last blog, but until this year I believed most plants would grow within a month of being planted!  Obviously I now know that this isn’t the case, with most of my garden being scheduled to not start growing until early next year. The whole idea of a dormancy period for a flower bulb was completely alien to me, and if I’m honest I still don’t really understand it yet, but I am learning!

This month, I chose (typical me) all flower options in my Grow Club Box, and I am particularly looking forward to growing irises on my windowsill.  I initially thought I would never be able to keep planting new flowers each month. I believed that each flower bulb would need a country mile of its own space to grow, which my garden was not equipped for. However, once again I was proved wrong as Neil (Mr Seed Pantry himself) showed me a layering technique, known as a bulb lasagne, where I could use what space I had to create flower displays by clustering bulbs together at different depths.  Now I have set pots ready to grow with tulips, alliums and crocuses at various points over the next few months from the same tub!  Now my issue isn’t “oh no I don’t have any more space”, but “oh no, I have planted too many flowers and none of their colours match”.  The next thing I clearly need to learn is garden design because I think, come Spring, I am going to have loads of beautiful flowers that all look very silly next to each other…

For those who would like to learn this layering technique, we have posted a little tutorial on how to do it!

Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG8GgiK1JDQ

Nick

The Rookie Gardener

I cannot remember the last time I planted something in the ground with the intention for it to grow. I am sure, that as a child, I was tasked with helping with my school’s garden, but I have no memory of any of it at all. So, when I joined Seed Pantry and was keen to start growing my first ever garden, as I have been a flower lover my whole life. At first, I had no clue what I was doing. I quickly realised that I had a lot to learn.  Here is a list of 5 things I have learned since starting to grow my first ever garden.

1 . Read the instructions/ Do proper research.

Right this may seem obvious to most people, but I jumped straight into planting without reading anything or doing any research, so naturally I did nearly everything wrong. I even filmed a video of me planting September’s Crocus bulbs, by throwing them down into a poorly dug hole with no thought at all.  Luckily my mum, who witnessed me doing such a terrible job, dug all the bulbs up and placed the instructions that came with the box in front of me and forced me to read them. I quickly corrected my mistakes, however was left feeling pretty embarrassed.

2. Wear Appropriate Clothing (It really does get messy).

I have seen pictures of gardeners covered in mud all over the internet, however I never really realised how grubby gardening actually is!  After my first planting session there was soil everywhere, mud all over my clothes and dirt under each of my fingernails.  Next time I know I have to wear old clothes and gloves unless I want to ruin another shirt!

3.  Remember exactly what you are planting and where.

Once again this may seem a bit obvious, however I went in without much of a plan, randomly selected areas of my space and planted various seeds and bulbs. Afterwards, I didn’t take note of where or what I had planted. Now as a result I have green sprouts growing, and I have no idea what they are. I also have no idea what areas are available for planting this month’s box, which provides me with a great, new, unnecessary challenge of finding unused space.

4.  Keep an eye on the weather forecast.

Before I started growing, the only thing I checked the weather for was to see if I needed to wear a coat. But now, I realise I have to check the weather each week to see if my plants are going to get that sweet water they need to grow. If it’s dry, (like it has been most summer) then I have to plan time for watering, which fitting around work and my long commute adds another challenge to my day.

5. Be Patient

I was under the rather silly illusion that if I planted anything now, it would be fully grown in a month or two. Finding out my crocus bulbs would not come out till next spring was a bit of a shock to my millennial ‘need everything immediately’ mind set. However, I have come around to the idea that if I stay at it and keep planting throughout the cooler season, I will have quite a beautiful garden come the Spring. Just need to remember to read the instructions first…

Nick

The Rookie Gardener 

1. Start seed potatoes by chitting them first, place the rose end facing upwards in empty egg boxes on windowsills, once you have green shoots plant them.
2. Spread 15cm of potting compost at the bottom of the sack. Evenly space 3 seed potatoes on the compost, green shoot upwards and cover with 15cm of compost.
3. When the foliage shows through the compost allow it to grow to 20cm high, then cover with another 15cm of compost leaving 5cm showing. (Repeat until the container is full.)
4. Potatoes in bags require plenty of water particularly during dry weather, keep moist.

To keep on top of gardening join the Seed Pantry grow club, visit: Seed Pantry grow club

Thousands of people around the UK are giving up all animal products for January by taking part in Veganuary!

While some are banishing the booze and others are fighting the flab, others are pledging to go vegan for a month.

The Veganuary campaign encourages people to try and live without meat, fish and other animal-based products such as dairy.

A vegan diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes and good quality fats from nuts and seeds. Going vegan can improve your energy levels, boost your mood and can help you to lose those extra pounds gained over the festive period. It also helps to reduce animal cruelty and provides environmental benefits too.

The Veganuary website offers inspiring recipes, meal ideas, videos, advice on the best places to eat out, as well as words of encouragement from vegan celebrities and sports people such as Samuel L Jackson and Russell Brand.

Here at Seed Pantry, we strongly encourage growing your own vegetables, herbs, salads and as much as possible, as it helps to reduce waste and allows you to eat wholesome, fresh, organic foods. Now is a great time to start thinking about setting up a vegetable patch in the garden, or if you don’t have the space, our great new Grow Pod lets you grow your own from your own kitchen!

As well as being cost-effective and environmentally friendly, growing your own veg, salads and herbs means you can eat completely organic produce, grown and picked by you. So why not make the most of Veganuary by growing your own and enjoying fresh, organic, vegan foods.

Follow Veganuary on Twitter @WeAreVeganuary and on Facebook or visit the website for more information – http://www.veganuary.com.

Click here to find out more about our new Grow Pod:  http://www.seedpantry.co.uk/selected/seed-pantry-grow-pod.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You don’t need to be a gardener or green fingered, the new Seed Pantry grow pod does the work for you! Growing fresh, nutrient-rich herbs, salads, chillies, cherry tomatoes and leafy greens indoors on window sills, desktops or in schools is now a simple process with no soil, no mess and hassle free.

Using hydroponics the grow pod produces plants faster than traditional methods using Seed Pantry seeds and advanced growing medium. You can use the automated smart grow pod for fresh seasonal ingredients for home cooking, garnishes, drinks and salads. Hydroponic plants have a growth rate 30 to 50 percent faster than soil grown plants under the same conditions and with a greater yield, giving you more fresh produce in less time.

Grow essential aromatic herbs to bring the best quality flavours into your kitchen that include basil, chives, coriander, parsley, thyme and rosemary. Choose to grow wonderful fresh ingredients for super food salads, from lettuce, chillies, cherry tomatoes, rocket, spring onions, spinach, chard, to mustards, mizuna and pak choi. The grow pods are versatile and can be used to grow flower varieties too, edible flowers or otherwise!

To get started, simply add the medium to the grow pods, followed by your chosen seeds, fill the water reservoir, then once the plants are ready to be eaten, just pick or snip what you need.

The smart grow pods indicate when the water is low and when you need to add more. With an automated control system, it offers a no mess, no fuss way of producing herbs, salads and fruiting vegetables essential, fresh ingredients, for cooking.

Seed Pantry grow pods are priced at £35 for a limited period (normally £40), including a grow kit, with x3 starter seed packs, growing medium and fertiliser.

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Here at Seed Pantry, we believe it’s really important to teach children about food from an early age and a family day out to a food festival is a great place to start!

Here’s a round up of some of the best child-friendly food festival taking place in the UK in the next few weeks:

The Big Feastival – 29^th to 31^st August

The Cotswolds

Organised by Jamie Oliver and Alex James, this event promises to be a real family festival frenzy with music, food and fun! There’s a Little Dude’s Den, cookery demos in the Big Kitchen, village fete games, a vintage fun fair, face painting, storytelling, dance lessons and CBeebies legends Mr Bloom and Mr Tumble (Justin Fletcher) will be making an appearance. You can go for the day or camp in the Glamping Village and the whole event will raise money for the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation. Visit the website for more details: http://www.jamieoliver.com/thebigfeastival/

Woking Food and Drink Festival – 4^th to 6^th September

Woking

This free festival in Woking shopping centre features chef demos by the Tante Marie Culinary Academy, children’s cookery classes, a kid’s food laboratory workshop, a Bake Off competition, BBQ cookalongs, celebrity book signings and live entertainment. For the full schedule, visit http://www.wokingfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk.

Rutland Day Food and Drink Festival – 12^th September

East Anglia

With its picturesque setting on the edge of Rutland Water, this free festival is a great family day out. There are cookery demonstrations, mouthwatering local foods to sample and purchase, locally brewed beers, live music and children’s activities. Find out more on the website: http://www.discover-rutland.co.uk/whats-on/rutland-day-food-and-drink-festival-p260121

Ludlow Food Festival – 11^th to 13^th September

Shropshire

This small Shropshire town has a huge reputation for good food and drink and the festival takes place inside Ludlow Castle! There will be the Ludlow Sausage Trail, the Ale Trail and the Festival Loaf Trail as well as demonstrations, markets, stalls, pudding demonstrations and much more. Kids can get involved with a Grow Cook Learn workshop, Circus Skills and meet farmers at the NFU stand. And children get a free activity bag to enjoy as they go around the festival. Tickets are available now via the website: http://www.foodfestival.co.uk/index.php

Abergavenny Food Festival – 18^th to 20^th September

Monmouthshire

Kids can take part in a mushroom foraging expedition, enjoy the entertainment at the castle, get stuck into interactive workshops and join in the Children’s Food Academy. With a full schedule of family activities, including food and wine tutored tastings, celebrity chef presentations, parties at the castle, fireworks displays, and Rude Health Rants, the festival promises to be a fun-filled weekend for food fans of all ages. The full programme and tickets are available on the website: http://www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com.

Closer to home, why not get the kids and the whole family growing their own vegetables, salads and herbs? You don’t need a big garden or outdoor space, you can grow them indoors, or on a balcony or patio. We’ve got some great grow your own starter kits so have a look around our website for growing inspiration.

With the summer season upon us, now is a great time enjoy fresh leafy greens, crunchy salads and tasty herbs.

We add it to sandwiches and salads every day but did you know there are hundreds of varieties of lettuce leaves! Iceberg, Cos and round lettuce will be familiar but have you tried butterhead, raddichio, lollo rosso, red chard, escarole, mizuna or tatsoi?

Fun facts about lovely lettuce

• Lettuce was first cultivated by the Egyptians who turned it from a weed into a food plant. It later spread to the Greeks and Romans, then into the rest of Europe and to the Americas with Christopher Columbus
• All lettuce varieties are packed with essential nutrients, vitamins A, B, C, K and are naturally low in calories
• Lettuce is about 95% water so is refreshing and rehydrating
• Raw lettuce is great in salads, wraps, spring rolls, burgers and sandwiches, while Chinese varieties are perfect for adding to stir-fries and noodles
• If you are growing your own lettuce or other leafy greens, now is the perfect time to plant your seeds. March to September is the best time for sowing and you should have some leaves ready to eat in about four weeks

 

If you’re looking to add herbs to your summer dishes, then growing your own is a great way to ensure you have a constant supply of fresh, flavoursome herbs. French flat leaf parsley, basil, dill, chives and coriander are easy to grow and can be added to a variety of dishes so why not get the whole family involved in planting and harvesting this season.

 

We’ve got some great grow your own starter kits so have a look around our website for growing inspiration.

As we settle into 2015, we’re setting a resolution to know our food better, how far does that bag of salad travel, where does all the wonky veg go!?

At Seed Pantry we like to know that we’re eating good food, knowing where it comes from and what gets done to it before we eat it, here are 4 top tips to #knowfoodbetter in 2015!

 

• An ugly carrot tastes just as good as a perfectly shaped one! A staggering 20-40 per cent of produce is rejected because it doesn’t look quite right and goes to landfill. Ugly or wonky veg should be coming to a supermarket near you soon, so keep an eye out as they are likely to be 30% cheaper – Asda are selling ‘un-loved’ produce currently…

 

• If you subtract 28 days from an Eggs best before date, you can work out when it was laid. Fresh is best for flavour at under week old, normally these would come from the farm shop.

 

• During winter, most salads and tomatoes come by lorry from Spain or Holland, where they are grown in big greenhouses. Salad leaves and spinach are washed in chlorine and then stored in ‘modified atmosphere’ packaging, slowing the rate at which the fresh leaves rot. It takes around 4 days to get to the shop.  These leaves are fine but to get the ultimate fresh tasty nutritious leaves you can grow them quickly, year round, in the kitchen or as micro veg in as little as 4 days!

 

• We’re buying British this month and reading the labels in supermarkets to see what’s seasonal. Vegetables like winter crops of cabbage, leeks, Brussels sprouts are all fresh from UK farms at the moment…

 

In our kitchen and small spaces at home we are growing the perfect and not so perfect nutritious food to eat, so for fresh ideas keep visiting this blog! or find us on our Facebook and Twitter pages

Happy New Year to all our #knowfoodbetter friends!

SOW – GROW – EAT

Veg growers – here’s what to do inside and outside this month!

SOW

Indoors & outdoors veg seed sowing

No outdoors sowings this month:

Sow indoors for high flavour winter greens

• Salads in window boxes /pots: mustards, lettuce, mizuna
• Micro veg in trays: basil, coriander, radish, pea shoots, sunflower shoots, mustards, lettuce

GROW

Young plants outdoors – keep them protected once any frosts arrive.

• VEG: kale, pak choi, chard
• SALAD: lettuce, rocket,  spinach, chop suey greens, mustard

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EAT

What to harvest and eat this month:

Harvest crops! pick what you need, so you don’t have huge amounts to cope with, enough for today’s lunch or dinner.

• VEG: Brussels sprouts, beetroot, celeriac, pumpkin, butternut squash, jerusalem artichoke, leeks, chicory, cabbage, kale, broccoli, carrots, parsnips
• SALAD: pak choi, mizuna, chard, spring onions, winter lettuce, spinach, rocket, cress, mung beans, alfalfa
• HERB: parsley, chives, garlic chives, coriander
• FRUIT: apples, pears

 

INDOOR VEG – salads, parsley, coriander, chillies