Index

A

African basil 35, 42

aphids 29

aubergine 92–5

B

bark chippings, as mulch 26, 32

barriers, against pests 28–9

basic techniques 12–29

basil 35, 38–41

African 35, 42

bush (Greek) 38, 86

as companion plant 86

purple ruffles 41

sweet 38

baskets 110

hanging 88

laundry 120

of mixed herbs 32–5

plastic 100–1

supermarket 70–1

wicker 32, 35

baths, galvanised 102

bean poles 24

beans

borlotti 120–3

broad 118–19

climbing 123

dwarf French 110–13

bees 10, 29

beetle, flea 28, 50

beetroot 72–5

leaves 58

varieties 72

birds 29

blackcurrants 138

blackfly 29, 106, 118

blight 81, 84

blood, fish and bone, fertilizer 105

blueberries 126–7

borage 10, 11, 29

Bordeaux mixture (fungicide) 84

borlotti beans 120–3

bowls, plastic 60–2, 65

boxes, plastic storage 21

broad beans 118

buckets

galvanised 45, 114

painted metal 108

rubber 92

bush tomatoes 87

buying seed 18–19

C

cans, olive oil, 94, 96

Cape gooseberry 134–5

cardboard pots 22

carrot root fly 28, 29

carrots 72–5

cats 29

chard

cooking 69

rainbow 68–9

ruby 58

cherry tomatoes 88

chervil 35

year-round 36–7

children, gardening for 9

chillies 96–9

from seeds 96

young plants 24

china, broken, as mulch 26

chitting potatoes 81

chives 46

climbing beans 123

cloches 21

colander, for rocket 50–1

comfrey leaves

as feed 104

as mulch 26

comfrey liquid feed 10, 16, 91

companion planting 29

basil 86

french marigolds 29, 82, 92

nasturtiums 106

summer savory 112

compost, water retention 26

compost bins 16

compost heap 10, 16

composts 16–17

ericaceous 126

from growbags 9

for seeds 16–17

spent mushroom 17

for tomatoes 86

containers

choice of 14–15

for growing seeds 21–2

liners 14, 26, 32, 70, 86

copper fungicide (Bordeaux

mixture) 84

cordon tomatoes 82–85

coriander 35

corn salad (lamb’s lettuce) 55

courgettes 102–5

varieties 102

currants, red and white 138–9

D

dill 35

diseases 28

drainage holes 26, 40

in metal containers 104, 114

in plastic or rubber containers 62, 74, 95

drinks bottles, for drip feeding 22

dwarf French beans 110–13

E

eggboxes

for chitting potatoes 80, 81

for seeds 21

enamel bowls 134

enamel tins 58

ericaceous soil 126

F

feeding 17

comfrey liquid feed 10, 16, 91

tomatoes 91

felt, for lining baskets 32, 86

fennel 29, 35

fertilizer, blood, fish and bone 105

fibre clay planters 69

flea beetle 28, 50

flowers

borage 11

marigolds 29, 82, 92

nasturtium 106

rocket 52

sweetpeas 117

French beans 110–13

French marigolds, as companion plant 29, 82, 92

freshness 6–8

fruit 124–38

(see also individual entries)

fruit boxes, wooden 128–31

G

galvanised bucket 45, 114

garlic chives 46

granules, for water retention 26, 32

grapefruit shells, against slugs

and snails 29

grapevine, pot grown 136

gravel

for drainage 62, 104

as mulch 26

greenfly 10, 29

greenhouses 21

growbags, tomatoes in 8–9

H

hanging baskets, tomatoes in 88

herbs 30–47

basket of mixed 32–5

pot-grown 42–3

(see also individual entries)

I

intercropping 23

Internet, buying seeds 18

J

John Innes compost 17

K

kitchen pots and pans 50, 58

L

ladybirds 10

lamb’s lettuce 55

lettuce

red 58

see also salad leaves

lime, in soils 17

liners for baskets 14, 26, 32, 70, 86

long toms 43

M

manure, well-rotted 17, 105, 118, 120

marigolds 29, 82, 92

marjoram 43

metal bucket 108

mini cloches 21

mints 35, 45

mizuna 63

salad crop 55

Moroccan mint 45

mosquito repellent 45

moss, to line hanging baskets 90

mulches 26

mushroom compost 17

mustard

giant red 60, 63

salad crop 55

N

nasturtiums 106–7

as companion plants 106

netting, for strawberries 128

newspaper, for moisture retention 114

newspaper pots 24–5

O

olive oil cans 94, 96

preparing 98

organic composts 17

organic gardening 6, 10

and pests 28–9

organic seeds 18

P

paper potter 22, 24

pea gravel 26, 62

pea sticks 24, 114

peas

petit pois 114–16

sweet 117

peat and peat substitutes 17

pennyroyal mint 45

peppers, red and yellow 100–1

perilla, salad vegetable 58

pesto 38

pests 10, 28–9

petit pois 114–16

physalis (Cape gooseberry) 134–5

Pink Fir Apples (potatoes) 81

planters, fibre-clay 69

plants, buying 24, 46, 102

plastic bottles 22

pollination 92, 130

potato blight 81

potatoes

chitting 81

varieties and types 78

in woven sacks 78–81

pots

biodegradable 22, 24

cardboard 22

long toms 43

newspaper 24–5

for seeds 21–2

terracotta 14, 40

purple basil 41

R

radicchio 58

radishes, various 64–6

rainbow chard 68–9

rocket

cultivated 50

wild 50–3

roof terraces 110

rosemary 35, 43

rubber bucket 92

ruby chard 58

S

sacks

for broad beans 118

for potatoes 78

woven plastic potato 128

sage 35, 42

salad bowls 60–3

salad crops, intercropping 23

salad leaves, cut-and-come-again 54–7, 60

savory, summer 35, 112

sea shells, as mulch 26, 69

seasonal produce 8

seaweed extract 10, 17, 116

seed trays 21

seedlings

hardening off 23

pricking out 23

thinning 22–3

seeds

buying and storing 18–19

compost for 16–17, 21

germination 21

growing from 21–3, 118

Italian 18

sowing 22–3

shelter

from cold 55, 92

from sun 65, 70

for tomatoes 88

slate pieces, as mulch 26, 63

slugs and snails 28–9

organic pellets 28

snails 68

soils 16–17

ericaceous 126

John Innes series 17

spent mushroom compost 17

spinach 70–1

spinach, baby, as salad 55

stakes, for chillies 98

straw, as mulch 26

strawberries 128–31

alpine 132

potting runners 131

summer savory 112

supports, for plants 24, 98

canes or rods 120, 123

pea sticks 114

sweet basil 38

sweet peas 117

T

tagetes (French marigold) 29, 82, 92

Thai basil 38

thymes 32, 43

tomato blight 84

tomatoes 8–9

bush 86–7

companion plants for 82, 85, 106

feeding 91

in hanging basket 88–91

from seed 88

varieties 82

vine (cordon) 82–5

young plants 24

trugs 14, 82

tubs

coloured rubber 14, 72

dolly (washtub) 126

U

urban gardening 8–9

V

vegetables 48–107

(see also individual entries)

vine tomatoes 82–5

W

washing-up bowls 60–3

watering 26

drip-feed 22

timing of 26, 100, 116

welsh onions 46

whitefly 29, 106

window boxes, coloured 55

wormery 16