Garlic, Onions & Peppers

Garlic, onions and peppers are the mainstay of our dishes. Being able to step into your garden and pick them fresh is amazing. Garlic, Onions & Peppers are pretty easy to grow and you could easily have a crop all summer long with this complete guide.

Garlic

Garlic like a sunny sheltered spot and are easy to grow and can be planted in autumn or spring. Place the cloves in the soil with tips around 2.5cm (1in) below the surface. Make sure you spread them about 15cm (6 inches) apart. Keep rows around 30cm (12 inches) apart.

Garlic planted between October and December should be ready to harvest from early to mid-summer. Spring-planted bulbs can be harvested late summer to early autumn. You’ll know when garlic is ready to be harvested as when the foliage starts to turn yellow and wither.

Onions

Onions are one of the most well used veg. Whether you are planting red onion or white onion it is best to position in an open, sunny site in fertile soil that is free draining and contains enough organic matter to retain moisture.

• Push into the soil with the pointed end upwards. 
• Leave 5 to 10cm (2 to 4 inches) between onions. 
• Space rows between 25cm to 30cm (10 inches to one foot) apart.
• Create a hole for the plants with a dibber and make sure they sit in the soil no deeper or shallower than they were in their cell tray. Water in.

Harvest spring onions May to September or winter-hardy ones from February to May.

Planting Seeds: in late winter or earlier spring sow indoors in a seed tray. Prick out and space about 5cm once they get to 1cm in height and reach the ‘crookneck’ stage. Allow young plants to ‘harden off’ – acclimatise to the weather – transfer to eventual growing position in mid to late spring. Once the weather is warmer, you can sow direct in soil that’s been worked finely. Sow thinly in rows of about 2cm in depth and 30cm apart. Thin out seedlings as they grow.

Peppers

Peppers come in all shapes, sizes and flavour strengths. Check your individual variety for instructions.

For standard bell peppers:

Keep you pepper plants in a frost free place until the chance of frost has passed. Transplant to a larger pot and move to the final growing position in a warm, sunny spot.

If planting in the ground, plant 60cm (2ft) apart in well prepared, free draining soil. Add a little support, such as a bamboo cane to each plant, as they will become heavy as the peppers form.

Feed with high Potash feed once first flowers appear and water well, especially when the fruits begin to develop. Peppers should be ready to harvest in July.