AFTER many years on the planet and several years of gardening, I still think that seeds are one of the miracles of nature.
How these comparatively tiny grains produce things of such beauty and usefulness never ceases to amaze me and one of the activities I love about this time of year is choosing the varieties I want to sow and grow over the coming months. So it follows that this week I am hugely excited about the start of our annual run of free seeds for all our UK readers.
Each year we spend a long time carefully deciding what varieties of seeds to give our readers each week and for 2022 I think we have come up with the best selection yet.
We have a mix of hardy and half-hardy annuals and perennials, plus wildlife-friendly seed combinations and following requests from several of our readers, a selection of edible seeds.
Tomatoes, carrots, beetroot and rocket are all scheduled for the weeks ahead, so hopefully there will be something for everyone.
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Quick-growing annuals to sow now
There is still time in late spring to sow quick-growing hardy and half-hardy annuals straight to the soil, says Anne Swithinbank, as she describes the best ones to grow
Keeping it sweet
Bob explains why now is the best time to sow sweetcorn
Create a wildlife patch
Give a little space to nature’s heroes, says Ruth
Autumn daisies
Sneezeweeds are tough perennials, and now is the time to plant them to attract wildlife and fill borders with warm, fiery colour in late summer and autumn, says Hazel Sillver
Say hello to hostas
After disappointments, Ruth gives hostas another chance
Bring me sunshine!
Sow the taste of citrus with cosmos ‘Polidor’, says Ruth
Growing citrus plants
Whether you grow luscious lemons or ornate oranges, Steve and Val Bradley explain how to keep your potted citrus plants in tip-top condition throughout the year
Sparring partners
Val looks at the pros and cons of gardening partnerships
Start thinking about cuttings
Propagation is so easy and satisfying, says Ruth
This week... lilacs
With their beautiful scented flowers, lilacs are an easy-to-grow garden classic
“THEY'RE NOT HUMAN BEINGS”
Ukraine and the words that lead to mass murder
‘Division of the World Is Inevitable'
Countries need to choose whether to align with autocrats or democracies, says a former NATO Secretary-General
DETAILED ‘OPEN SOURCE' NEWS INVESTIGATIONS ARE CATCHING ON
One of the more striking pieces of journalism from the Ukraine war featured intercepted radio transmissions from Russian soldiers indicating an invasion in disarray, their conversations even interrupted by a hacker literally whistling “Dixie.”
ELON MUSK ASKED TO TESTIFY ON TWITTER BY UK PARLIAMENT
A British parliamentary committee scrutinizing draft online safety legislation has invited Elon Musk to discuss his plans to buy Twitter and the changes he’s proposing for the social media platform.
Four Must-See Crime Dramas
ANNIKA | UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN | SHINING GIRLS | SIGNORA VOLPE
A CHILLING RUSSIAN CYBER AIM IN UKRAINE: DIGITAL DOSSIERS
Russia’s relentless digital assaults on Ukraine may have caused less damage than many anticipated. But most of its hacking is focused on a different goal that gets less attention but has chilling potential consequences: data collection.
DJI HALTS RUSSIA, UKRAINE BUSINESS TO PREVENT DRONE MISUSE
Drone company DJI Technology Co has temporarily suspended business activities in Russia and Ukraine to prevent use of its drones in combat, in a rare case of a Chinese company pulling out of Russia because of the war.
An Uncertain Future for Ukrainian Refugees
The majority of the 12 million displaced by the war with Russia may never be able to go home
William Ruger on Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
WILLIAM RUGER, WHO holds a Ph.D. in politics specializing in foreign policy, is the newly appointed president of the American Institute for Economic Research. A veteran of the war in Afghanistan, he was a prominent voice in calling for U.S. withdrawal from that country. He was picked by former President Donald Trump to be ambassador to Afghanistan, but his nomination was never voted on.
AFTER the WAR
IN THE AFTERMATH OF RUSSIA’S INVASION OF UKRAINE, IT’S TIME FOR EUROPE TO STEP UP AND AMERICA TO STEP BACK.