This warm, calm weather is perfect for our insects and especially our Butterflies, in Britain there are 59 species of Butterflies that breed here yet they are far less common now than they were 50 years ago one of the main reasons for this is that much of their natural habitat, wildflower meadows, heath land, woodland and peat bogs has been lost to industrial and housing developments and intensive farming. Your garden, however large or small, could be a haven for butterflies, providing food and shelter; even a window box or container garden can help.
Why not have a go at our two new free competitions on the Gardening With Children website, where you can win some great Butterfly products for your garden.
In the SCHOOL ZONE Competition and the FAMILY ZONE Competition simply colour in the butterfly on the blank template that is printed on the entry form for a chance to win a
A Kew Gardens Green Butterfly Habitat
A Butterfly/Bee Nectar Feeding Station
Click here for full details and an entry form for the School Zone Competition or Click here for full details and an entry form for the Family Zone Competition.
Please send in your entries for both competitions by the closing date of Friday 7th July 2017.
Congratulations to our May Competition winners
Thank you to everyone that entered the May competitions, the School Zone competitions was won by Terling C of E Primary School and the Family Zone Competition was won by Harriet Volland both win a selection of Gardening books.
Well done to both of you and good luck to you all for our new Butterfly competitions
Gill
Posted in Competitions | Tagged family competition winner, family wildlife competition, free childrens competition, free competition, free family competition, free school competition, kids competition, School competition, school competition winner, school wildlife competition, win butterfly feeders, win butterfly habitats, win wildlife products | Leave a Comment »
Posted in General, Gift Ideas, Seasonal Celebrations | Tagged Fathers Day, fathers day gardening gift ideas, Fathers Day gifts, fathers day ideas, gift ideas for fathers day, low cost fathers day gifts, perfect garden gifts, perfect present, pocket money gardening gifts, recycle works, recycleworks, The Recycle Works | Leave a Comment »
This week it is British Tomato Week 22nd-28th May which is launched by the British Tomato Growers Association to promote our own locally grown tomatoes.
British grown tomatoes are available in shops now, picked when they are perfect for eating and with only a short distance to travel to the shops they are super fresh, tasty, healthy and environmentally friendly.
Although many British growers produce tomatoes on a large scale they care about the environment, millions of bumblebees are used each year to pollinate plants, insects are used as a natural pest control and millions of gallons of water are stored from glasshouse roofs for irrigation.
Tomatoes are delicious fresh or cooked, they are very healthy containing Vitamins A, C and E, and Potassium and Calcium, they are low in calories and contain virtually no fat or cholesterol.
Store your Tomatoes at room temperature, keeping them in the fridge impairs their flavour.
Did you know?
- Tomatoes are fruits not vegetables.
- In Britain we each eat on average two tomatoes every week.
- Tomatoes originate from the Andes in South America, where they grow wild. They were first cultivated by the Aztecs and Incas as early as 700 AD.
- Tomato Seeds have been grown in space.
- The largest UK tomato glasshouse covers 26.5 acres, but is currently being extended to 44.5 acres, or 18 hectares. That’s the size of 25 international football pitches.
For more information and tomato facts have a look at the British Tomato Growers website and for a large selection of delicious tomato recipes click here.
So support our growers by buying British and local Tomatoes or why not have a go at growing your own it is a lot easier than you think and now is the perfect time to plant them, click here for a Guide to Growing your own Tomatoes.
Gill
Posted in Gardening at Home, Gardening at School, School Projects | Tagged british tomato week, british tomato week 2017, british tomatoes, gardening in school, gardening with children, grow your own, grow your own tomatoes, growing tomatoes, healthy tomatoes, how to grow tomatoes, recycle works, recycleworks, School Projects, The Recycle Works | Leave a Comment »
At this time of the year many of us will have pots or trays that are overflowing with young vegetables and flowers that are ready to be planted outside, many of these young plants will have been grown in a porch, conservatory, greenhouse or on the windowsill where they will have got accustomed to warm temperatures. Deciding when to plant out can be quite tricky, although day time temperatures on average are rising, cold snaps, strong winds and clear skies with frosts can damage or even kill your prized plants.
The key to the transition from a warm, cosy environment to the big outdoors is ‘Hardening off’, Hardening off is the process of preparing your tender plants to cope with harsher outdoor conditions including lower temperatures, lower humidity and winds, it can take two to three weeks before they are ready to be planted outdoors. Hardening off will thicken and alter the plant’s leaf structure and increase its waxiness, further new growth will be sturdy and slower than if they are grown in the greenhouse, hardening off frost-sensitive plants will unfortunately not make them hardy.
How to harden off your plants
A cold frame is perfect for hardening off your plants, the clear hinged lid lets in adequate light and can be propped open slightly wider every few days to slowly introduce your plants to outside temperatures, closing it again at night, leave the lid fully open for the last few days prior to planting out. Position your cold frame where it will receive some sun but not all of the day, the best time to begin hardening off is when it is cloudy thus avoiding high afternoon temperatures and frosty nights, the insulating wooden frame will help maintain temperatures overnight.
Protect your plants from pests
If you have grown some tasty crops you can be sure that if not protected the slugs and snails will get to them first, apply copper slug and snail tape around the top of the cold frame to stop them from coming in, if you have any small gaps around the cold frame base sit your plants on a layer of slug gone this irritates the slugs/snails foot and they will look for food elsewhere. Place enviromesh netting over the cold frame to protect your crops from insects whilst they are at their most vulnerable.
Use your Cold Frame all year round
Cold frames are very useful, they can be used to extend the growing season, crops can be started off earlier in a cold frame than if they were sown/planted directly in the ground, frost tender crops grown in containers can be protected in a cold frame from Autumn frosts to extend cropping. Tender plants can be overwintered in a cold frame. Fruits and Vegetables that benefit from higher temperatures i.e. Melons, Chillies will produce a better crop if grown in a Cold Frame.
Happy Gardening
Gill
Posted in Gardening at Home, Gardening at School | Tagged copper slug and snail tape, Copper Tape, growing crops in a cold frame, growing in a cold frame, hardening off, hardening off in a cold frame, how to harden off, how to harden off plants, protecting plants from slugs and snails, using a cold frame, when to harden off plants, wooden cold frames | Leave a Comment »
Why not have a go at our two new free competitions on the Gardening With Children website, there are some great gardening books for you to win:
In the School Zone
Simply tell us: What you are growing in your School garden and which is your favourite?
For a chance to win books for your School which include gardening projects, recipes and how to recycle successfully.
Click here for full details and an entry form.
In the Family Zone
Simply tell us: What is your favourite fruit or vegetable that you have grown and why?
For a chance to win family gardening and cook books.
Click here for full details and an entry form.
Hurry the closing date for both competitions is Wednesday 31st May 2017.
Good Luck
Congratulations to our School Competition winner
We had lots of entries for our January-March School Competition, who all correctly answered the Who am I? fruits and vegetable questions.
The winning entry was from Cranborne First School Allotment Club who win a Stewart Essential Heated Propagator, well done to them.
Gill
Posted in Competitions | Tagged free childrens competition, free competition, free family competition, free school competition, kids competition, School competition, school competition winner, win childrens gardening books, win gardening books, win school books | Leave a Comment »
If you are lucky enough to be harvesting your own crop of rhubarb why not try making these delicious rhubarb muffins – easy to make and popular with the whole family!
Ingredients
- 400g rhubarb, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp golden caster sugar
- 300g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 100g golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 200ml milk
- 100g butter , melted and cooled
Method
- Mix rhubarb with 4 tbsp of golden caster sugar
- Bake the rhubarb for about 10 minutes until soft, then drain well
- Mix plain flour with baking powder, sugar and cinnamon
- Beat eggs with milk and melted butter.
- Heat the oven to 180C
- Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones along with the rhubarb
- Divide between the muffin cases, sprinkle the tops with a little sugar and bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden
Posted in Gardening at Home, Gardening at School, Recipes, School Projects | Tagged baking muffins, cooking for children, cooking rhubarb, cooking with children, cooking with rhubarb, easy rhubarb muffins, how to cook rhubarb, how to make muffins, Recipes, recipes for children, rhubarb muffins, rhubarb recipe, vegetarian recipe | Leave a Comment »
We all love Easter and especially Chocolate Easter Eggs but do you know when and where they were invented and by who?
The first chocolate eggs were made in France and Germany in the early nineteenth century, as the chocolate used couldn’t be moulded these eggs were solid.
In 1873 J.S. Fry & Sons, a Bristol chocolatier made the first hollow chocolate Easter egg.
In 1875 Cadbury entered the market producing hollow Easter eggs in dark chocolate with a smooth surface which were decorated with chocolate piping and marzipan flowers, they were filled with dragees (small hard sweets).
In 1893 Cadbury was producing 19 different types of Easter egg it wasn’t until 1905 when they introduced Cadbury Dairy Milk that Easter eggs sales really took off.
The first crème eggs were launched by Cadbury in 1923 this was replaced in 1971 by the crème egg that we enjoy today.
Over 500 million Cadbury Crème eggs are made each year, in 1973 2 million exploded in a giant fridge because someone had put too much yeast in the yolks.
Each year over 80 million Easter eggs are sold, more than half of all the eggs are bought in the four days before Easter.
We spend £150 million on Easter Eggs and £70 million on crème filled eggs.
If you get too many Easter Eggs why not get creative in the kitchen and make them into delicious treats to share click here for the recipes.
Have a delicious Easter
Gill
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged easter egg recipes, fun easter egg facts, history of easter eggs, learn about easter eggs, where was the first easter egg made, who invented easter eggs, who made the first easter egg | Leave a Comment »
At Christmas we decorate a fir tree with baubles, lights, beads and tinsel which has pride of place in our home it seems such a shame that it is only enjoyed once a year and for only about 3 weeks. This year why not start an Easter tradition and make an Easter Tree this could be outside either using a tree that is growing in the garden or one that is growing in a pot which would look lovely near your front door or alternatively you could have an indoor tree.
How to make an indoor Easter tree
The tree
Put on your coat, grab your wellies and go on a walk to collect some nicely shaped branches alternatively if you have been pruning in the garden save some of the thicker branches.
Select the branches that will make an interesting shape once they are placed together, you can leave the branches natural, paint them white or ask an adult to spray them with gold or silver paint.
Find a wide vase and fill with small pebbles or sand to support your branches and keep them in place.
Arrange your branches in the vase and decorate.
The decorations
There are many decorations to choose from in shops these include easter chicks, rabbits and eggs and as with Christmas decorations you can re-use them year after year, also add pom poms, bows and ribbon to decorate your tree
The Easter tree is popular in Europe and has now found a place in British homes, in Germany they are known as Osterbaum or Easter Tree. The biggest Easter egg tree was in Rostock, Germany it was decorated with 76,596 painted hens’ eggs.
Happy Easter
Gill
Posted in Gardening at Home, Gardening at School, School Projects, Seasonal Celebrations | Tagged easter activities, easter crafts, easter crafts with children, easter holiday crafts, easter trees, easy easter crafts, how to make an easter tree, how to make an indoor easter tree, make an easter tree, school easter activities, school easter crafts | Leave a Comment »
There are lots of wonderful gifts and flowers in the shops for Mother’s Day but you can’t beat a home-made present that is made with love and especially one which is as delicious as this …
Lemon Curd Cake
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 225g Caster Sugar
- 225g Self-Raising Flour
- 225g Margarine/Butter
- 1tsp Baking Powder
- Finely grated zest of one Lemon
To decorate
- Lemon Curd
- 50g Icing Sugar
- Lemon Juice to combine
What you need to do
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4.
- Lightly grease and line with greaseproof paper two 20cm round or square cake tins.
- Beat the Margarine/Butter in a bowl with the Caster sugar until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the eggs with the sifted Self Raising Flour/Baking Powder and mix well.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and level the tops.
- Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown and springly to the touch.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To finish spread a layer of Lemon Curd over one of the cakes and the lemon icing on the top of the other then sandwich both together.
Delicious!
Happy Mother’s Day
Gill
Posted in Recipes, School Projects, Seasonal Celebrations | Tagged how to make lemon curd cake, lemon curd cake, lemon curd cake recipe, mothers day cake, mothers day cake recipe, mothers day gift, Mothers Day Ideas, Mothers Day presents, mothers day recipe | Leave a Comment »
A Propagator is essential if you want to get your seeds started earlier and to ensure a good germination rate, they provide the correct temperature and humidity for your seeds, plants and cuttings to grow, to get your gardening year off to a good start why not enter our competition for a chance to win a propagator for your school or for home.
School Zone Competition
For a chance to win a Stewart Essential Heated Propagator 52cm with a selection of trays, small pots and labels, simply identify the 8 fruit or vegetables being described in our easy ‘Who am I?’ questions for more information and to enter the competition click here.
Family Zone Competition
For a chance to win a Stewart Non Electric 38cm Propagator
and a selection of trays, small pots and labels simply answer the following question:
Tell me what you would grow in a propagator and why?
For more information and to enter the competition click here.
Hurry the closing date for both competitions is Friday 31st March 2017.
Good Luck
Gill
Posted in Competitions, Gardening at Home, Gardening at School, School Projects | Tagged childrens gardening competition, free childrens competition, free competition, free family competition, free gardening competition, free schools competition, gardening in school, gardening with children, propagator, school gardening competition, school gardening prizes, sowing seeds in a propagator, win a heated propagator, win a stewart propagator, win an electric propagator, win free gardening equipment, win gardening competition, win gardening prizes | Leave a Comment »
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