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When to plant
squash in the UK
Big hungry plants — give them space and feed them well. Leave to cure in the sun before storing and they'll keep for months.
What squash need
Full sun. Rich soil. Space — they spread like they own the place.
Varieties to try
Blue-grey, incredible nutty flavour
Orange onion squash, sweet and easy
The shop staple — grow your own for half the price
Good companions
Where to buy squash seeds
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Get your exact dates
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Other crops to grow
Pinch out the growing tips once the first pods form to discourage blackfly. They
Sow every 3 weeks for a continuous harvest. Pick regularly to keep them producin
Sow a short row every 2 weeks and you'll never buy a supermarket bag again. Pick
Bolts the moment it gets hot. Best in spring and autumn. Pick little and often —
The quickest crop you can grow — seed to plate in 4 weeks. Sow between slower cr
Sow thinly to avoid thinning — the smell of crushed leaves is a dinner bell for
Each seed cluster produces several seedlings — thin to the strongest. Don't chuc
Push sets into the soil with the tip just showing. Easiest way to grow onions —
Chit (sprout) seed potatoes on a windowsill before planting. Earth up as they gr
Gets sweeter after a frost. One of the hardiest crops — can harvest all winter.
Very slow to germinate (2-4 weeks). Use fresh seed every year. Sow radishes alon
Sow a pinch every few weeks and you'll have spring onions all season. Dead easy
Beautiful and productive. Pick outer leaves and it keeps going for months. Rainb
Harvest when golf-ball sized for the sweetest flavour. Leave them too long and t
Drop seedlings into deep holes and just water in — no need to fill the hole. The
Cut the main head first and you'll get side shoots for weeks. Purple sprouting i
Different varieties for each season — spring, summer, autumn, and winter types.
Fold outer leaves over the curd to keep it white. Cauliflower leaves are delicio
Grow through summer, harvest from autumn through winter. Flavour improves after
Plant individual cloves Oct-Nov, pointed end up, 2.5cm deep. Garlic needs a cold
Slow to germinate (3-4 weeks) — don't give up on it. Soak seeds overnight in war
Pinch out side shoots on cordon types. Feed weekly with tomato feed once the fir
Start early — they're slow growers. Pinch out the first flower to encourage bush
Need heat to germinate — use a propagator or the warmest windowsill you've got.
Outdoor varieties are tougher and easier than greenhouse ones. Keep picking and
Build a strong frame — they get seriously heavy. Pick every 2-3 days or they go
Start very early — January isn't too soon. Limit to 5-6 fruits per plant if you
Pinch out flower buds to keep leaves coming. Harvest from the top to encourage b