Irrigatia’s resident gardener, George, has had a busy start to the year, sowing vegetables and herbs.

Discover George’s tips, tricks and garden updates to inspire you to get on track this spring and beyond.

#1: Autumn Harvest

There is nothing better than enjoying the fruits of your labour and it’s important to make the garden work in all seasons to be able to eat produce all year round. In the Irrigatia garden, onions sown in autumn have grown well, but broad beans have been devastated by the cold, with at least half the plants lost.

Despite this, the overwintering greenhouse brassicas and lettuce that were sown under the tomatoes are promising, and leaves have been picked off for a few weeks now as well as a few cauliflowers. In the autumn these should be sown under the tomato plants as soon as enough leaves have been removed to allow plenty of light in.

#2 Reap What You Sow

Late-winter and early-spring blooms bring a familiar joy that better days are coming. In the garden, brilliant white snowdrops and the mauve shells of Cyclamen Coum are at their peak, marking the end of one season and the beginning of another. Lots of other bulbs are emerging now and the purple sprouting has just started cropping.

#3: Focus on the Greenhouse 

The cold greenhouse is filled with a mix of vegetables, plants and flowers, from onions, shallots and broad beans to calabrese, gaillardia and trifolium. As soon as the overwinter brassicas are finished the greenhouse will be cleared out for a day and washed down to minimise pest carry-over and remove moss and algae to allow more light in.

#4: Under the Spotlight

Looking forward beyond spring, peppers, celeriac and basil are germinating in cell trays before being moved to their final container in late spring. This will provide a crop for late summer, and perfect additions to add to fresh seasonal salads. It’s important to always keep an eye on the temperature when growing under lights to avoid reduced cropping.

#5: Preparing for Warmer Weather

March is all about preparing for the warmer months in the Irrigatia garden. A necessity is to ensure you have a plan to be able to water the garden regularly whilst avoiding waste.

Our weather responsive Irrigatia systems respond to changes in the weather, delivering the correct amount of water to your plants depending on temperature. They’re also solar powered and come attached to rainwater barrels, meaning you save water and power with no need to connect to the mains.

To keep up to date with our latest growing journeys, head on over to our Facebook and Instagram channels. For more gardening tips and ways to save time and water, take a look through our latest blogs.