Dear Together We Grow Gardener
We are so delighted to have you as a member of our Together We Grow Gardeners Team. Welcome!
This is the first time we have run this scheme so we will be learning together. This information sheet provides general information about how it will work over the Summer and then some specific information about the plants and equipment we have given you. Different members have asked for different plants but this list includes all of them. We have included some basic advice about the plant. Our main message is please do not be disappointed if it doesn’t grow as quickly as you hope or you have problems. We have been growing plants for many years and we have successes and failures every year. The climate here is unpredictable and a very hot or cold spell of weather can really affect the plants . We have tried to include plants that the bees love to help make a bee friendly garden and to help with pollinating
Please share any pictures you want to with us and we will put them on our Facebook page.. We will also send general updates every 2 weeks about what we are doing here with our plants that you may want to so too. . If you have any questions please email us togetherwegrow2@yahoo.com and we will do our best to answer and share it with everyone so we all learn together. Some people would like to join a What’s App group. If you would like to please send me your number and permission to share it with others. The What’s App group will only be for gardening
As a general rule it is always better to underwater than over water plants. If you put too much water in the roots get very wet and then the plant dies. If you underwater the leaves will wilt but will be fine once you add water again. If it rains you will not need to water them at all . Plants like the sun but if you have a very sheltered and very warm corner they may get too warm, so just keep looking at them . If you have a windy place this will make them grow slowly.
The other key advice is about frost. In May we can still get cold weather and if there is a frost which is when the temperature is about zero it can kill your plants. If we know a frost is likely we will message you all. Please either bring the plants in for the night or cover them in some material outside. This should be fine. Hopefully the risk will be low but we have had snow in May before … so who knows
Growbags.
These are full of compost and you can grow 3 plants in these. You need to cut open the top where it is marked with lines. The important thing is to keep the bag watered . Put your finger into the compost. If it is very dry then water it. The bags have fertiliser in so they do not need extra over the Summer. If you plant a tomato and a courgette each plant will need a different amount of water so remember this when you water them but you can grow 3 different plants in the bag
Plant pots
We have given you different sizes. Use the compost to fill the pots. If the plant roots begin to show at the bottom of the pot it means it has become ‘root bound’ and so needs to be moved to a bigger pot. If you are using the pots indoors then the soil will dry out quicker than outside where it is cooler and the rain will help!
Compost
The compost is to use instead of soil or to mix with soil for those of you with a garden. It adds goodness to the plants. You can reuse the compost many times
Sunflower
We would like everyone ( but especially children ) to grow a Sunflower. The tall cane is for this plant. Please measure how tall it grows and keep us posted. We would like to see who can grow the tallest. These sunflowers have large seed heads in the Autumn and so we hope birds will come into your garden to eat them.
Sow the Sunflower seed in a small pot with compost and when it has germinated ( that is when the seed starts to grow) let it grow to a few centimetres (cms) and then plant 1 or 2 in a large pot outside. Put the cane in the pot and watch them grow. Keep them watered if it dry.
Tomatoes
You have 2 or 3 Tomato plants. One plant is already quite large. This has come from a local nursery where they have heated greenhouses. please keep these plants inside until at least mid May. It is too cold outside When this plant is about 12 cms tall you can plant it into your growbag. The others are smaller and we thought you would like to watch these grow. Talk to them gently and when they are big enough move them into a small pot and then when they are about 12 cms move them into your growbag if you have space or into a large pot . We will send you updates on how to look after your tomatoes when the plants get taller as you need to take out some leaves. But not yet!
Lettuce / salad
We have given you tiny seeds to grow This mixture of seeds has different leaves in. From March to October you can grow outdoors. From October to March you must grow them indoors. They should give you salad leaves all year. Sow them in compost about 1cm deep. They will need light and watering. If you pick leaves ( not the plant) then they will continue to grow new leaves. An endless supply! It is a good idea to sow them at 1 -2 week intervals so that you do not have them all ready to eat at the same time!
Chard / spinach
These are similar to salads but will grow taller. The Chard is called Rainbow chard and is a beautiful colourful plant. These are very small at the moment and keep them inside until it warms up ( maybe mid May) . Then plant them in pots or your grow bag
Borage
This is a beautiful herb that bees love. It has lovely blue flowers in the Summer and you can eat them in salads. This plant will grow year after year so put it into a larger pot and keep it for next year too
Courgette
This is ideal for your soil or growbag. keep this plant inside until the middle of May . Courgettes need plenty of water so give them some each day and test the compost to check it is not too dry. This plant should give you 5 – 10 courgettes over the Summer . They need to be outside in sunshine
Lavender
We have included a lavender plant because the bees love them and you can use the lavender in both cooking and to help you all sleep. This plant will grow year after year so put it in a pot and keep it for next year.
Strawberries
Very English! These do not have deep root so you can plant them in your growbag, soil or pot. If in a pot or growbag please put something like cloth under them when they start to produce strawberries or they can go mouldy. We will also tell you later how to make these into more plants for next year.
Peas
Put in a pot or soil. You will need to support them too. Enjoy peas straight from the pod. Leave until June or July to pick. You can always feel or try one to see how large the peas are inside.
Aloe Vera
This is only for indoors. As I am sure you know it is very good for burns.
Peppers
We will bring these if we can obtain them. They are difficult to grow and you will need to keep them indoors in a sunny spot if possible
Nasturtiums
These grow tall but have shallow roots. They are multicoloured and you can use the flowers in salads too. Sow seeds in a medium plant pot and then put outside in a sunny place . They can stay in the pot . You may need to support them if you want them to grow up but they also look lovely hanging over a pot . If you have soil they can go in soil. They are used to this weather!
Cosmos
One of our favourites . You can scatter seeds into a pot but wait until early or mid May so there is no chance of a frost. keep watered and they will grow into beautiful daisy time flowers
Coriander
Please keep this indoors. Put it in a pot and on a windowsill. It should grow all year and into the winter . Just pick the leaves for cooking
Peace Lily
We have added this as a peace offering for each home. It is an indoor plant and has lovely white flowers , hence its name. It is safe with children and pets. When the leaves droop it is time to water it. Be careful not to over water it.
You will also get compost, bamboo canes and garden tools (spades, forks, etc) if you need any of this.
Laura Beesley
Chair
Together We Grow