D.T. Brown Blog

Whether you’re about to get started with a new allotment and are looking for a beginner’s allotment plan, or you just want to change the layout of your existing one, we outline why a plan is necessary and explain the various things you should include.

Looking for ways to maximise the fulfilment of your plants’ needs while also cutting down on your water usage? There are two ways you can go about this. Firstly, you can increase the amount of water you’re collecting so as to reduce the amount of ‘new’ water you need to get from the tap, and secondly, you can alter the conditions of your garden or allotment plot to get the most out of the water you have. Keep reading to learn more about this topic.

When you’re growing onions, knowing when it's best to harvest them is key to getting the most out of your crop. In this article, we explore the factors that can affect how long onions, spring onions, and shallots take to grow, including growing time estimates for onion seeds and onion sets.

Planning out your garden or allotment beds is a good way to take advantage of the natural benefits of planting certain varieties or types of plants near one another. This is known as companion planting and can help to thwart pests, attract helpful pollinators and may even improve the flavour of your veg come harvest time.

We ran a survey and asked our valued customers to submit their top tips for successfully growing beetroot. Some have been featured in our catalogues but we thought we would share these online...  We must add that we haven't tried all of the hints and tips below but it may offer some insights to how other growers approach sowing and growing beetroot. Use seaweed extract in your watering regime every so often. Add a little salt to the soil/water with a teaspoon of road salt added to two gall...

Roast parsnips are a joy to eat - and they're gorgeous in stews. They are easy to grow, need little maintenance and can be left in the soil until ready to use.

Now becoming more popular in the kitchen, celeriac is normally grown for its celery tasting knobbly roots which are grated and added to salads. It can be used as a celery substitute and is easier to grow. The leaves can also be used as summers wouldn't be the same without salads but it is possible to produce crunchy crisp lettuce and other salad crops over a much longer period if you have a greenhouse or garden frame to help extend the season.

Get the very best, freshest lettuce by growing your own from the wide range of types and varieties that are available to gardeners these days. And by choosing a selection of varieties and having a protected growing area it is possible to have crops for most of the year.  Butterhead lettuces have soft and tender leaves and need to be eaten straight after harvesting, so if they are available at all in shops they tend to be past their best. They have an open habit, are quick-maturing and tole...