Grobox

Archive for January, 2012

How do I grow a GroBox without a garden?

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Dear Jayne

I was the happy recipient of an Organic Herb Grobox over Xmas, what an excellent idea!  However my gifter didnt realise that you are meant to plant the box in the garden, rather than the herbs actually growing in the box as a container.I don’t have a garden:    I live in a flat.   What are my options for using the grobox in a container on a sunny window ledge?

What size of container would be required? How much/what depth of potting compost / soil would you suggest? How much watering? Any other advice?

 Many Thanks in anticipation

 Regards:

 Dave

Hi Dave

Wonderful to hear from you and thank you so much for supporting us I love your business, yes your Grobox is designed to be grown in a pot, container, size 30cm x 25cm by 10cm width

 I apologise if this is not clear, we will work on the product messages. Everything you need is included inside the GroBox , just open the lid,  place your grobox in your desired container / pot , cover with 2 inches of compost (I’d use a peat free multipurpose,)  or a loam compost ) , water once and watch it grow, . A window ledge is perfect, just ensure the product is not overwatered so only water when dry , as GroBoxes are designed for water conservation and they have high water holding capacity. When your seedlings grow only thin out the seedlings  when they have grown 4 leaves per plant and space so they are 2 cm apart , remember give unwanted seedling to a neighbour friend or local school, share in your community. Feed your plants every two weeks with liquid seaweed, use leaves regularly in salads, cooking and teas.

If you have any more questions, please drop us a line,

Have a wonderful 2012

Jayne

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2012 Gardening Predictions

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

As you all know I run my own gardening gift company designing products for the UK and Europe, this means that I receive every catalogue for every new gardening product on sale to the buyers of garden centres. So I thought I would share with you all this week the trends, designs and new products that may or may not be wowing you this summer in your local shops.  Companies are continually innovating and in this financial climate, products have to work even harder for your money. So here is my pick of the most innovative.

The garden is now becoming your outdoor living room, this now seen by designers is something you can accessorize and enjoy all year round. As with your home, outdoor audio is very much a trend this year, outdoor wireless speakers, floating waterproof speakers are all solar powered and designed to play music via your iPod, phone, mp3 or other multimedia device.  Lighting again is a trend that seems to have taken off, solar panelled designs with mirrors and floating bubbles extend your time spent in your garden and up light your trees and shrubs. As with your home gardens now have pictures to hang on fence panels that are water resistant and give you all round interest, so if you couldn’t recreate the planting scheme from Chatsworth in your borders you can now have it hung up on your fence. Baubles, ornaments and Globes are now seen interplanted in our pots with our bedding to give extra colour and design to our gardens. Tree ornaments are again popular with the designers and can give you sound and movement in the garden.  However all these products are great but in Great Britain with a maritime climate we are very cold and wet so outdoor living does need two constants if we are going to maximise our space, heat and shelter from the wind and rain.  So the clever product designers have taken the designs from ships and produced large sails we can suspend over our area to protect us, these sails come in a variety of sizes and shapes and colours. Heat now can be found from our stoves, chimeras, patio heaters (wood) and fire baskets; these ensure that we do not need us to dress like polar explorers to enjoy our garden in the winter. Ponds are now aqua creations, and ornaments are mesmerising optical illusions that will captivate you, (honestly) so hold on to your seats 2012  in your garden will be stunning Enjoy

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2012 Spring Gardening

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Gardeners Calender

Welcome to  the mad March temperatures of our maritime climate, this has allowed our soil temperatures to be so warm that our Bluebells are now displaying their fantastic flowers earlier this year.  Warm winter temperatures and glorious sunshine has created a remarkable display, so try to get into your local woods this holiday to enjoy the best flowers and scent our English woodland has to offer, perfect.

 Our  community garden designs  are helping shape our inner city areas and getting involved in a number of local community and action groups focusing on improving local lives. Just take a look at our one of our wonderful charities in Manchester who we are working with www.mustardtree.org.uk/

This year we are working with our local allotment holders who are testing our new products, as with Manchester University www.manchester.ac.uk/  , giving us feedback and in return we are working on an initiative for are local growers to feed the local community. This year Grobox will be thinking further how we should all try to help, support our local communities with time, knowledge or just by giving feedback , if you feel you can help just think,  ’How  ? What would  improve your local living areas?’ contact the relevant groups by email / phone. Through working together we can improve our  lives and the lives of others, so if you have grown too many Broad Beans in your vegetable garden, give some seedlings away to your neighbour, local school or community group.  Finally I will be updating you on how I am getting on with my beekeeping exams through the British Beekeeping Association www.bbka.org.uk

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