Range Review: Grow Your Own


Clever Pots makes grow-your-own


easier than ever As the UK’s love for ‘grow your own’ and gardening continues unabated, visitors to the recent Spring Fair exhibition held at the NEC Birmingham in early February were treated to the debut of the new Clever Pots brand.


F


rom propagation to plant care, decorative pots to ‘sow and grow’


kits, clever pots – as the name suggests – offers innovative solutions that help novice and experienced gardeners to grow in pots no matter the size of their outdoor space.


Whether they’re looking to grow vertically in a courtyard, add splashes of colour to balconies, create a herb palace on windowsills or are already a greenhouse queen, clever pots has an exciting and cost- effective creation for every job. Every product in the range is


Feature: Gardening Focus


Grow your way out of the salad crop shortage


As the UK suffers from a shortage of fresh fruit and veg, gardening expert Graham Paskett suggests ways in which consumers can help themselves.


T


he supermarkets are queuing up to tell their customers not to


bulk buy salad crops and to help them achieve this are rationing the amount they can purchase. Apparently it’s all to do with snow in Morocco and Southern Europe that is devastating the crops. There is, however, quite a lot of media speculation that some growers are also favouring supplying their EU customers over the UK. This is apparently born out by the fact that there does not appear to be the same shortage


particularly the loose-leaf types – are just six or seven weeks from seed to plate. If you are lucky, you might even be able to produce a basic salad for the family at Easter. Radish can be grown on


difficulty in European supermarkets. Who knows, but despite the messages that this will be a short- term problem, but there is every chance that it will stretch on into the summer. So, take action now. Gardeners can help themselves


by buying plants or sowing from seed. Some lettuce varieties –


6 | www.gardencentreupdate.com


windowsills or a greenhouse and it’s the same for some early varieties of tomato. There are lots of other salad crops that can also be grown either from plants or seed. The great beauty is that you will know the provenance of what you are eating and you get bragging rights as well. But don’t simply grow now and hope the supply problems right themselves. Continue to garden


so that you have a continuous and guaranteed supply of salad crops throughout the summer. The key to successful home


growing is keeping everything clean. If growing from seed, wash the pots or seed trays in a mild detergent, even add a small amount of domestic disinfectant. Use fresh compost not last season’s that has been hanging around in the shed or greenhouse throughout the winter. If you own a heated propagator


to start off seeds, all the better. But don’t worry if not. They can be started off on a windowsill or in front of a sunny window on a floor or table, but make sure the compost remains moist – not wet. In an unheated greenhouse you should be okay providing you cover up at night with horticultural fleece – particularly if frost is forecast. Do not move plants outside until the danger of frost is over and take them inside for the first few nights and again, if frost is forecast. It’s a fascinating challenge and it will help overcome the problems of salad crop shortages.


GCU Spring 2023


manufactured from 20 – 60% recycled and UV stable material - this means that your clever pots won’t fade even after a summer in the sunshine.


Clever solutions For many, the biggest bonuses that come from using Clever Pots are


the unique solutions that help tackle common gardening pitfalls. From watering solutions that minimise waterlogging or the dreaded holiday plant death, to fool proof ‘sow and grow’ kits designed to deliver delicious herbs and flowers. Each product has been cleverly designed to ensure that it not only looks great, but also works harder than your standard pot or planter. Nicol McGuinness, Senior Brand


Manager at Clever Pots says: “Clever Pots is not only redesigning the basics, but we’re helping to increase consumer confidence. In turn, we’re also providing retailers with products that see customers come back time and again as they look to tackle their next home-growing project and want to ‘complete the look’ with another clever pots product! It’s a win-win for everyone, most of all our gardens!” ¡ Further details about clever pots can be found online at: www.kinbrands.com or follow on Facebook (clever pots), Instagram (@clever_pots) or Twitter (@cleverpots).


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