Gardening Trends - Sustainable and Frugal Gardening

The Burpee Europe team breed varieties of vegetables and fruit which offer the best in taste and disease resistance, and blooms of outstanding ornamental value. But how far do these factors assist the home gardener when looking at frugal and sustainable gardening?

Make life easier - starting from seed

When choosing seeds for next year, take stock of any problems you have had this year, for example with blight or other diseases. Many of Burpee Europe's tomatoes now are bred specifically with blight resistance in mind. This in turn offers a way of growing your toms outside, leaving room for other types of veggies able to utilise a cold greenhouse (Aubergine 'Violet Knight' Okra 'Bhut Bhindi' as examples).

As well as blight resistant tomato varieties which can be grown outdoors such as Tomato 'Cocktail Crush', Tomato 'Crimson Crush', Tomato 'Rose Crush'. The brand new Tomato 'Toddler' offers crack-resistant fruit that are super tasty with Brix levels of around 10% and a pleasing acid tang. The strong disease resistance package will help provide trouble-free production all season long.

Blooms to attract pollinators and save on cut flowers

Flower varieties such as Zinnia 'Forecast' and the brand new Sunflower 'Desire Red' and Sunflower 'Sunray', are not only attractive to bees and butterflies, but look exceptional in pots or in cut flower displays for the home. Pollinators also love Sunflower 'Tiger Eye', Verbascum 'Snowy Spires' and Echinacea 'Sun Dress'.

And don't forget that veggies such as cucumbers, squash, courgettes, tomatoes and peppers are all loved by bees and butterflies too, as are many herbs.

Get two for one with an extended season

A frugal tip is to look for varieties which offer extra bang for your buck. And an example would be Basil 'Batik' which has significant cold tolerance, meaning that it flowers late in the season. This offers not only an attractive ornamental plant for an autumn showing, but also an extended harvest of aromatic leaves ready to flavour soups, salads, curries and even ice cream.

Tasty and pretty greens such as Swiss Chard 'Red Magic' or 'Fordhook Giant' are the perfect cut and come again solution throughout most of the year! The more you harvest the more will grow, providing a constant stream of delicious leaves right on your doorstep. Picked young and tender, the stems and glossy leaves enliven green salads. When mature these varieties are so versatile that they can be steamed, sautéed or baked.

There are plenty of ways to save whilst you sow and grow, and at the same time offering pollinators as much help as possible!

Burpee Europe do not sell direct to the consumer, but their seeds are sold via top UK seed companies. Details of these on request from rabbitattackpr@gmail.com