Julian Cassell's DIY Blog

Growing fruit often comes second place to growing vegetables, in many gardens, why? – well I think a lot of people feel that growing fruit may be tricky, or that crops can often be disappointing in relation to the outlay and effort put into cultivation. In response to this, I would say that in recent years, suppliers have done a lot to produce what are effectively “easy grow” options, and never before has so much advice been available, whether in books or free online. read more »

Growing strawberries is a project that any gardener should try, as simply put, they are very easy to grow. Yes, you can grow from seed, but growing from plants, as shown below, makes the whole process even easier. To ensure you have sufficient plants to pick enough for the needs of a family of four over the summer, plant around one hundred plants in a strawberry bed. Pay close attention to any instructions provided with your plants as different strawberry varieties will certainly have variations in planting, and growing, advice. read more »

Growing blueberries, for most people, is not normally the first idea that comes to mind when thinking about growing fruit in your garden. However, blueberries are one of what are now described as the ‘Superfoods’ because they are highly nutritional and crammed with antioxidants, and therefore it certainly seems a good option to me. Acid soil, suitable for heathers and rhodedendrons, is essential to successfully grow blueberries. read more »

Growing raspberries is truly simple, and it is therefore somewhat surprising that delicious raspberries are not grown more. They really are amongst the easiest fruits to care for and, as they flower late, it is possible to get good crops in areas where other fruits fail. Choose a sunny or partially shaded position to grow your raspberries. Raspberry canes can be planted from autumn through to spring, but avoid planting if the soil is waterlogged or frozen. You don’t need to grow raspberries in beds as shown below, and if space is an issue, you can plant single canes in large containers. read more »

Growing apples is about as simple as it gets if you want to grow some fruit in your garden. Apples are the most popular orchard fruit, and although they prefer rich, moist, well drained soil, they still manage to crop well even in poor conditions. Below are the essential points to take into consideration if you are thinking about growing apples in your garden. read more »