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June has arrived and hopefully warmer days will be with us soon, although it has started cool with a mixture of sunshine and showers. This is a busy month planting out for the summer ahead and the risk of frost should now be long gone.

Andrews Top Tips for May

Regarding the size of the seed potatoes, this is an area which is easily misunderstood. Seed potatoes are generally sized 35x60mm. This means that the smallest seed potatoes in the sample will not fall through a 35mm square. If they balance on the square (at any angle) then they comply. The same sample must all pass through a 60mm square (at any angle). We have enclosed some photos of this procedure, which hopefully illustrates the point clearly (please note this uses 35x55mm size as an example, but it’s the same principle).
We always do a thorough quality inspection before accepting seed potatoes from our growers; therefore we are confident that the seed potatoes conform to this size specification.

For the record, accurate sizing is a legal requirement of seed potato certification and the standards are very strict.
Scottish seed potatoes are often sold as size 35 x 55mm. This means the tuber must not pass through a 35 x 35mm square but be able to pass through a 55 x 55mm square.

There is a common view amongst gardeners (particularly very experienced gardeners) that seed potatoes should be “golf ball” or “hens’ egg” size. Historically, some seed potato crops would have been grown as “dual-purpose” stocks, which means that after certification, the largest potatoes in the seed crop would have been consumed and the smallest potatoes would have been used as seed potatoes. This explains where the “hen’s egg” size originated. These days, seed potato production is very specialised and dual-purpose crops are a thing of the past. As a result, when ISJ agree contracts with our suppliers, we must market all the seed potatoes produced to maximise the return to the supplier, otherwise we will not have any growers prepared to plant specialised varieties. Hence, we purchase and supply 35x60mm seed potatoes.

Large seed potatoes have more “eyes”, (and more sprouts) therefore they produce more potatoes. For a First Early variety such as Arran Pilot, or a salad-type variety such as Charlotte, this is exactly what you want– lots of tasty potatoes, straight from the garden! If gardeners would like to see this in action, they should plant their seed potatoes by size – smallest to largest (or visa versa) - and then check the number of potatoes per plant as they harvest.

Small seed potatoes weigh less, so a pack contains more seed potatoes, which means gardeners should be able to plant a larger area. In addition, small seed potatoes have fewer “eyes”, therefore they produce fewer potatoes. What’s positive about that, you might think? Well, it means the crop will produce more, large potatoes and with a modern varieties such as Cara and Maris Piper, which can produce huge yields, this is ideal – a big crop of large, tasty potatoes to store through the winter. Commercial growers pay a premium for small potatoes, especially 25x35mm (these really are small!), for these reasons.
 
 
 

1. Example of sizing square

2. 35 x 55mm tuber will not pass through a 35mm sizing square

3. 35 x 55mm tuber will be able to pass through a 55mm square in any direction.
 
The principle is the same for 35x60mm seed potatoes, except the tuber must be able to pass through a 60mm x 60mm square
 
 Summary of Legislation and Procedures Surrounding Seed Potato Production & Supply

• All seed potatoes are fully traceable back to the original pathogen-tested, disease-free micro-plants. Without getting too technical, this is vital to ensure that, should there ever be an outbreak of disease, stock movement can be traced.
• All seed potato crops from Scotland are inspected by SGRPID (Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate) several times during the growing period and then prior to despatch from farm.
• All seed potatoes are issued with a plant passport prior to movement from the farm of growth and provided they meet the final inspection tolerances. Movement from farm is illegal until all inspections have been completed and a valid plant passport has been issued.
• ISJ are licensed to replicate seed potato plant passports for the horticultural sector and are regularly audited by SASA inspectorate (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture) to ensure we comply with their conditions and meet the standards.
• ISJ replicated plant passports, which are the labels of the seed potato packs, show all the legal information required to ensure that stock is traceable. If your customer still has the labels, we can double check the details and will be able to trace the stock supplied back to the original field of growth. The Crop No. is a 6-digit number which allows us to trace the stock.
• The plant passport must also show the size of the seed potatoes. In most cases, ISJ supply size 35 x 60mm, although this can vary depending on the variety. We’ll explain this later.
• As an aside, ISJ are also ISO 9001 accredited – this is an international quality management certification, which demands we are regularly audited to ensure we comply with rigorous standards. This is not obligatory for seed potato providers, but we do it to give our customers confidence that we operate accurate and robust prepacking systems.

The lighter evenings have finally arrived and after a wet March and wet start to April, hopefully the better weather will be with us all soon. Once the better weather arrives, the lighter evenings will give us all more time to spend in our flower and vegetable gardens. Happy Gardening!

1. As the weather improves and the soil dries out and gets warmer you can really get started on the Vegetable plot. This month you can make sowings of some of the smaller vegetable seeds like Carrots, Parsnips, Beetroot, Radish, Spring onions, Spinach, lettuce and salad leaves. You can also make further sowings of Peas & Broad Beans.

2. If you are planning to have a bumper harvest of Cucumbers, Courgettes, Marrows, Pumpkins or Squashes this year, then towards the end of the month is an ideal time to sow some under glass in a heated propagator at 21C (70F). I like to sow seeds into individual 9cm pots which are half filled with a good quality seed sowing compost. Once the seeds germinate and reach the top of the pots, I then carefully fill up the rest of the pot around the stems so the plants are sturdier and this will encourage further stem roots to grow. All these vegetables are of the same family so it is important when you sow them, always push the seeds in on their edge, rather than flat. This is so the water runs away from the sides of the seeds. This is important because if the seeds are sown flat, there is always a danger the seeds may get too wet and rot rather than germinate.

3. Once the soil dries out and is workable Early and second early potatoes can be planted, followed by main crop varieties towards end of month. Most Early varieties are ready to harvest in 11-12 weeks from planting as baby new potatoes.

4. Hopefully last autumn you left the old flower heads on your Hydrangeas. This was done to protect the young growth and buds during the cold frosty winter months, which is very important, if there is a winter cold snap. Towards the end of this month, it is the best time to cut off those old flower heads, and prune the plants into shape. I like to prune my Hydrangea down to 3-4 buds, as this helps to keep the plants at a manageable size and still rewards me every year with plenty of new flowers. Don’t be tempted to prune any lower than this otherwise you will get bushy plants but with a few or no flowers. Other plants to prune back at this time of year are the old growth of Penstemons and Hardy Fuchsias. These can be pruned back quite hard, down to about 15cm (6in) from the ground. This will encourage the new young shoots at the base of the plants to grow and replace the old woody growth you are cutting away.

5. If you are longing for a colourful garden this summer but gardening on a budget, then there is nothing easier or better value to grow than Hardy Annuals. There is a wide choice from Calendula, Cornflower ,Nigella, Godetia, Clarkia, larkspur, Poppy to name a few. These can be sown direct into the garden any time from this month up to the first week of June, as soon as the soil is dry and warm enough. These are easy to grow and will reward you with a glorious display this summer from very little time and effort as well as leave a few pounds in your pocket.

6. Towards the middle of this month, I will be sowing the last of my summer bedding in the propagator. This month is the time to sow African and French Marigolds, Cosmos, Phlox, Tagetes and Zinnias. These will quickly germinate and will be ready for pricking out into individual pots or trays in about 7-10 days’ time. If you haven’t got a propagator, you can still sow these flower seeds on a warm windowsill. Although sown later than a lot of summer bedding, they will still be ready for planting out at the end of May along with any other summer bedding plants.

7. If you are planning to grow some Sunflowers this year, either as cut flowers, to add height to borders or just some fun with the Children or grandchildren, then towards the middle of this month is a good time start. Sow the seeds into individual pots of seed sowing compost in the greenhouse or on a warm windowsill.

8. This month Perennials really put on a spurt of growth, so before they get too large, sprinkle some Blood, Fish & Bone fertiliser around the plants and work this into the soil. This will give the plants a boost, rewarding you with a bigger and better display this summer. As the plants grow add some twiggy sticks or a wire frame to support the plants as they grow. Putting these supports in early will allow the plants to grow through them, allowing there leaves to disguise them, still giving your borders that natural look.

9. Over the winter if your lawns have been sitting damp and, in the shade, or if your soil is not very well drained, then you may now have some patches of moss spoiling its appearance. This moss can be raked out (Scarified). You can either do this with a spring tined moss rake and a bit of elbow grease or use an electric Scarifier. Once scarified, mow the lawn again to tidy it up and leave for 1-2 weeks to recover, before applying a summer lawn feed.

10. As Summer and autumn Brassicas sown last month and the large onions sown in December under glass start to get larger, move to a cold frame to gradually harden off ready for planting out as soon as weather conditions improve. Gradually hardening off plants before planting out is always advisable, as this gradually acclimatises the plants to cooler outdoors conditions rather than shocking them, which would happen if planting straight from the glass house.

March has arrived, and unfortunately the uoil is still very wet. Hopefully, we will get some dry weather soon to go with the longer  days. There are still a few jobs to do and now is the ideal time to start planning for the crops for the rest of the year. 
 
1.When the soil on my vegetable plot is dry and workable, I will be planting my onion sets. These will be planted into 9cm (3inch) deep drills, spacing each set 10-15cm (4-6inch) apart. But if the soil is still wet and cold like it is at present all is not lost! I have had very successful results over the last few years by planting onion sets into small pots filled with multi-purpose compost and grown on under glass or in the cold frame. This way they get a start and can be planted outside once the sets have green shoots on them and a good root system, at a time when the soil is in a better condition. This method helps you get started without you losing any growing time.
 
2. Peach trees are among the first fruit trees to flower, making them prone to frost damage. So it is a good ideal to keep a close watch over your plants, and watch as soon as the buds start to unfurl. To make sure you are not caught out, have some fleece or old net curtains ready nearby to hang over the tree to protect those buds if we get any frosty nights this month.
 
3.    An important job this month is to get on with pruning any bush Roses, as March is the traditional time for doing this job. Bush Roses can be pruned quite hard; I usually prune mine down to 3-4 buds, making sure the final cut is just above an outward facing bud. How hard you prune will depend on the age of your bushes. At the same time, prune out any old or diseased wood or weak thin branches from the centre of the bushes. After pruning, feed around the base of the plants with a good Rose fertiliser, and work this into the soil, then apply a good layer of well-rotted manure or compost as mulch. You can now sit back and wait for those glorious flowers.
 
4.    Autumn Bulbs are starting to bloom, as soon as you can get on the garden work in some Blood Fish & Bone fertiliser around the soil near the bulbs. This will help feed the bulbs as they start to dye down after flowering, and will put energy into the bulbs ready for next years display.
 
5.    This month is a busy time for my heated Propagator set at 21C (70F), or on a warm windowsill. It is the perfect time to sow Asters, Antirrhinums, Gazania, Salpiglossis, Verbena, Stocks, Mesembryanthemum, Nemesia, Salvia, Statice, Lobelia, Nicotiana, Ageratum, Dahlia, Cleome, Impatiens and Petunias. Sown now you will have good plants for planting out at the end of May, giving you colour all summer.
 
6.    To help get some early salads, I like to sow some salad leaves in long troughs or large pots filled with compost this month. Once sown, these can be grown on in a cool glasshouse or conservatory, and you will be amazed how quickly you will be harvesting your own home grown fresh salads. An early sowing of Radish in a trough indoors also works well.
 
7.    If the weather is poor make use of any spare time checking if any house plants are getting a little pot bound, and appear to be suffering. If so, now is a good time to re-pot them. Only move plants on into pots that are 1-2 sizes bigger than the original pot, and always use good quality potting or house plant compost.
 
8.    Around the middle of the month I will start to sow under glass into small pots my Brussels Sprouts and summer Brassicas. Sown now they will make good size plants for hardening off, ready for planting out at the end of April. Brussels Sprouts need a long growing season to ensure they produce some good quality tight buttons in time for Christmas. My first sowing of outdoor lettuce will also be sown. I like to sow a few seeds every 2-3 weeks and then prick these out into modular trays. Sowing regularly in succession will give plenty of fresh leaves to harvest throughout the year.
 
9.    On a dry day give your lawn a cut to tidy it up, but don’t make this first cut too short. After cutting the lawn, if you didn’t get around to scarifying or aerating your lawn last autumn, this can still be done now , provided the soil is not too wet. Simply rake over the lawn with a spring rake, pulling out any old dead grass (thatch) and Moss. Then aerate the lawn by going over the lawn and inserting a fork as deep as you can, this will help let air into the lawn and improve your grass. After doing this, if you have any bare patches these can be re-seeded next month when the soil is a little warmer.
 
10.     Once the soil has warmed up and hopefully dried out towards the end of the month one of the first vegetables I will be sowing direct into the soil are Parsnips. I like to punch a hole into the ground with a crow bar, fill this with some sandy compost and sow 3-4 seeds per station. Then once germinated they can be thinned out to an individual seedling, which will produce some spectacular long roots to harvest by the autumn. As Parsnips can take a long time to germinate I like to sow a few radish seeds in-between the parsnips to get an early crop and help identify the row, making it easier to keep the ground clean from weeds.

 

Here's an explanation of symbols that are used on our website and in our catalogues.

How to care for your citrus trees.

If you have a heated greenhouse or sunny windowsill February can be a busy month for seed sowing. Now’s the time to prepare for the year ahead in the flower garden and on the vegetable plot.
 
1.  If you have your heated propagator going it is wise to keep it as in full as possible, so this month I will be sowing some more Half-Hardy Annuals for my summer bedding display. This month I will be sowing Asters, Salpiglossis, Verbena, Stocks, Mesembryanthemum and two of my favourite summer bedding plants Gazania and Rudbeckia. When sowing remember that Asters, Gazania, Verbena and Rudbeckia can all be sown on the surface of moist seed sowing compost, then the seeds should only be lightly covered with fine grade vermiculite, available in our mail order catalogue or on our website. However, the Stocks, Salpiglossis and Mesembryanthemum are all seeds that need light to germinate, so they are best sown on the surface of the compost and given no covering at all. If you haven’t got a propagator, you can still sow seeds on a warm windowsill indoors but germination may take a little longer. Always use a good quality seed sowing compost and water only with tap water.
 
2.    One of my wife’s favourite flowers are Begonias, so I always make sure I grow plenty of these in the garden. One way of growing them is from Begonia corms. In February or March are the ideal times of year for starting Begonia corms back into growth. If like me, you kept your Begonia corms from last year, and stored them in a frost-free place over winter, you can now bring them out of hibernation. If you didn’t store any from last year all is not lost, as there are plenty of quality corms available for sale by mail order or on our website. Starting corms back into growth is easily done; all you need to do is place them into seed trays of multipurpose compost. The corms should be inserted into the trays so the top of each corm is about level with the surface of the compost. Some gardeners have difficulty identifying the top from the bottom of a begonia corm, well an easy way to remember is the top will have a slight concave in it, whereas the bottom will be round with a few hairs coming from it. Once you have placed your corms in trays of compost give them a good watering and place the trays in a heated propagator or on a warm windowsill at a minimum temperature of 20C (70F).
 
3.   If you like sweet peppers added to salads or chilli peppers to spice up your other culinary dishes why not try and grow your own, they are not as difficult as you may think. Peppers need sowing this month in heated propagator, at a minimum temperature of 21C (70F) and will germinate within 14-21 days. They are best sown on the surface of moist seed sowing compost and lightly covered with fine grade vermiculite. Sowing now will ensure you have big enough plants to produce fruit this summer going into autumn. I always grow 3 plants in a patio container, as they look attractive and are very productive when grown on a sunny patio. Some of the New varieties like Chilli Jazz, Hot Thai and Fiery Flames are compact enough to grow and fruit on your windowsill.
 
4.  If you lifted your Dahlia Tubers from the garden last year and stored them in a frost-free place over winter, this month they can be started back into growth. I always pack the tubers into boxes filled with soil-less multipurpose compost and place them in a warm greenhouse. These tubers will soon start to shoot and in no time, you will have some new shoots that can be taken as cuttings, for this years plants. We have a wide selection of dahlia tubers available in our mail order catalogue and on our website.
 
5.   If you still have room in the heated propagator, at this time of year I like to sow a few seeds of hanging basket Tomatoes like Cherry Falls, Micro cherry or Tumbling Tom. Sown in a heated propagator set at 21C (70F), the seeds will germinate in 10-14 days. These young plants can then be grown on in the glasshouse until big enough to plant into baskets. The planted baskets can be hung in the greenhouse to grow on until they can safely be hung outside towards the end of May. If you follow my method of growing tomatoes, you could be one of the first to be picking outdoor tomatoes.
 
6. If you are short of space, but would love to still grow some early potatoes you still can. All you need to do is buy some early maturing varieties of potato like Rocket, Swift and Jazzy, then plant a single tuber into a large 25cm(10in) pot of Compost. If you don’t have any large pots you could try planting 4-5 tubers in a potato planters (available mail order or on our website) topping up the planter with compost as they grow. Use a soil less compost in pots and planters, with a little perlite added to the mixture, as this will allow some air into the compost, and will improve the quality of tubers you harvest. Then place your pots or planters in a frost-free greenhouse for an early harvest this spring.
 
7.    It won’t be long before lawns will need there first cut. Now is a good time to give lawn mowers a service or take to the local repair shop, so they are ready to use as soon as required.        
 
8.   If you have space in the greenhouse border, or a large pot or trough, now is a good time to make an early sowing of Radish and an early Carrot like Adelaide. Sow these under glass in shallow drills for the first pick of the season.
 
9.   Later this month I will be sowing some summer Brassicas under glass in the heated propagator. If you don’t have a propagator, just sow your seeds in pots on a warm windowsill. If you sow some cabbage like ‘Caraflex F1’ and Cauliflower ‘Skipper F1’ now, you will have plants ready for planting out in April. These will give you an early summer meal before there are any caterpillars about that can feed on them. Another Brassica that will benefit from being sown this month is Brussels Sprouts like Brodie or Brendan. I like to sow this crop early so my plants are large enough for planting out in April. These will then grow throughout the year and make tall stalks full of Sprouts in perfect condition for harvesting this autumn.
 
10.   If you saved some of last years old Fuchsia plants and kept them under glass in a heated glasshouse, then this month they should start producing some fresh young shoots. These young shoots can be taken as cuttings. Fuchsias root very easily in a heated propagator (20C / 70F). Simply remove the young shoots from the stools with a sharp knife. Cut the shoot back to just below a pair of leaves (node) and remove the bottom 2 leaves. This should leave a cutting ideally about 4cm (1 1/2in) long. Once your cutting have been prepared, I like to dip them into a hormone rooting powder, then insert them into a pot or tray of moist seed and cutting compost. Before inserting, cover the top of the moist compost with a thin layer of perlite. Perlite is a white product and will reflect light back onto your cuttings, which is very important on these dull winter days with low light levels. This extra light bouncing back onto the cuttings will help them root in approx. 14-21 days.
 

Happy New Year!

It may be cold outside but there are still a few jobs that need attending so we are all ready for the New Year ahead.
 
1. Carry on with Winter digging of your vegetable plots; I like to try and get this job done by the new year, so the cold frosty winter weather can help break down the soil. I think a tidy winter plot  always looks great and you have the satisfaction that this is a good job done, and once completed you can sit back and relax what ever the weather.
 
2. If the weather is too cold or wet to do any jobs outside, then there are plenty of jobs to do in the warmth of the greenhouse or shed to prepare for next year. A good clean of all the sowing equipment is required. Wash pots and seed trays with soapy water, so they are clean and ready for use early next year. Propagators and benches can also be washed down so they are clean from any pests or fungal diseases that may be hiding in those tiny crevices. This will give us all a clean start to the year ahead.
 
3. Remember during very cold weather to look after the birds regularly. Leave our bird feed and top up the birdbath so they have some fresh water to drink. If you encourage the birds into your garden at this time of year, hopefully they will also return next spring to nest and feed on some of the aphids and other pests that can cause us gardener’s problems.
 
4. On Christmas day or Boxing Day, I will be busy sowing my Large Onions. This is the traditional time for sowing this vegetable, plus it will give me a good excuse for getting out of the washing up. I like to sow the variety Globo, Mammoth or Ailsa Craig, as these will grow into whoppers over 1-2lb in weight. Onion Seeds need sowing onto the surface of moist seed sowing compost, and then they should be lightly covered with fine grade vermiculite. Once sown, place in a heated propagator set at 20C (70F). Germination usually takes 10-14 days.
 
5. Give yourself time to harvest Vegetables for the Christmas lunch a few days before they are required. This year I will be enjoying Parsnip ‘Gladiator’, Carrots ‘Eskimo’, Brussels Sprout ‘Brodie’,  Cabbage 'Marabel', Leek 'Blue Solaise' and Kale 'Oldenbor', all harvested fresh from my plot, along with from storage some Onion ‘Santero’ for flavour to the meat juices and Potato ‘Setanta’ to make my Roasties. 
 
6. December is the ideal month for pruning Blackcurrants. Now that all the leaves have fallen off the plants it makes it easier to see what you are doing. When pruning Blackcurrants you should cut out as much old wood as possible to leave just young growth, that is less than 3 years old. The younger shoots will grow more vigorously and in turn will produce more fruit. The older wood is easily recognised because it is much darker in colour than the younger shoots, and often the bark is a lot rougher. Always try to prune down to a healthy new bud as close to the base of the plant as you can. This will help encourage new shoots to grow from the base. Once pruned give the blackcurrant plants a generous mulch of well-rotted manure or garden compost.
 
7. Check your apples and pears in storage this winter for signs of damage or rot. Removing this will stop fungal spores spreading to the rest of your fruit.
 
8. If you have some large clumps of Rhubarb, why not cut a piece off and leave it lying on the top of the ground this month to get frosted. This cold period will spur the growth buds into developing sooner. Leave the Rhubarb laying there for several weeks until it has been frosted several times, then pot it up and move it into a warm (Not hot) greenhouse or shed. This will then start to produce some tender sticks of Rhubarb for you to enjoy early next spring.
 
9. It always surprises me how much colour and scent there is in the garden at this time of year. Rather than leave this scent outdoors why not cut a few stems of winter flowering Honeysuckle, Viburnum and Mahonia as they show colour and place them in a vase of water indoors. Then as the buds open they will fill your rooms with their colour and fragrance.
 
10. Lastly on cold winter evenings, look through seed catalogues and place your orders, and start to create a sowing and planting plan, so you are fully prepared once spring arrives. You can request a copy of our gardening catalogue online or over the phone (Mon-Fri, 9am-12:30, 1:30pm-5pm)