Mr Green Seldom Seen

Much like Bruce Banner in anger management or Kermit’s nethers, Andy Green is MrGreenSeldomSeen. Unlike either of the above, he’s not hiding anything. Rather, it is the Yorkshire-based gardener’s passion for growing that so often keeps him out of sight. Naturally intrigued by the horticultural trail of tidbits Andy has laid on social media we were keen to get a rundown on the elusive, multi-method gardening maestro’s exploits. Happily he was more than willing to oblige!

It’s small wonder that Andy is kept so busy with a sizeable variety of crops on the go at his Wakefield home. Figs, tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, squashes, flowers, and soft fruits abound. These have to be managed judiciously given constraints of space, as Andy explains. ‘With the amount I’m growing I have to split plants between the greenhouse and outside in the garden with some rotation necessary according to conditions. The tomatoes, cucumber, and aubergines in the AutoPot XL modules are permanently undercover in the greenhouse. I’ve picked a couple of fig trees to squeeze in the greenhouse too, together with chillies, so they can get the full benefit of a warmer more controlled environment. Hardier plants are grown in the garden but in pots as opposed to in-earth as this allows us to manage their winter environment, moving in and out of cover etc. It also allows for a better feeding regime with individual plant needs.’

Vagaries of climate, the cost of inputs, scarcity of outdoor space, and the desire to try a greater variety of plant types are just a few of the reasons why pot-based gardening is very much in the ascendancy for all kinds of growers. Pots can be moved at will, lose nothing to the earth, maximise the scale of growing in a limited footprint, and allow greater scope for controlled cultivation. 

The drive to try unusual varieties that require a tailored approach is particularly strong with Andy. ‘I tend to lean towards the more unusual, something a bit different that would be harder, if not impossible to buy locally. I enjoy being a bit of a maverick, pushing growing boundaries. All the people I follow, and look up to on social media tend to be of the same ilk.’

Owens Purple, Rebel Starfighter Prime, Dark Queen, Black Beauty, and Brad’s Atomic Grape are but a few examples of such offbeat growing to be found in Andy’s 2022 tomato crop. The XL modules in which these are grown have proven especially useful in Andy’s opinion, as ‘the 25 litre pots allow you to tackle bigger plants, such as the indeterminate tomatoes with ease.’ A 60/40 mix of compost and perlite provides a biodiverse yet well-drained growing media, ideal for feeding and watering with AutoPot. Water and nutrient solution is supplied from a FlexiTank collapsible reservoir via the system pipework to the module trays in which the pots sit. Andy describes his feeds of choice as ‘mineral, with some ideas and feeds pinched from the hydroponic ‘grow boys’. They really know how to grow and what, when, and how to feed for best results!’

Gleaning tips from others has stood Andy in good stead and he’s been very keen to share his growing experiences in order to pass on the positivity. Highlights include Andy’s video on an oft mentioned phenomenon that can trouble AutoPot newcomers, namely; surface moisture vs moisture deep in the pot, and why you need not panic.

Watering systems have also given Andy a real appreciation of water consumption and the effect of targeted, responsive irrigation, ‘watching the levels in the FlexiTank gives you real-time visual confirmation of the fluid volume intake of plants. It can be quite staggering. It also shows you what is achievable when you have the right equipment and put your mind to it.’

Alongside AutoPot and conventional hand feeding, Andy runs a Hoss fertigation unit. This highly flexible dripper system can be retrospectively hooked into existing established pots or plants within his garden as and when required. Soft fruit and fig trees have proved especially receptive to the handy, adaptable appliance.

Andy’s ambitions have long extended beyond his home setup. But, as he and many others have found, extra growing space is much sought-after. ‘I’ve been waiting to get my own allotment plot for a couple of years but the waiting list is ridiculously long here. The best position I am is number 34 and the worst is 93, that’s after nearly 2 years of waiting. Covid really had an impact on the availability of allotment plots.’ 

This is frustrating enough for someone with a modest amount of space at home, but for those with nowhere to grow of their own it can completely limit access to fresh produce. With shopping and cooking budgets stretched to breaking point, charities like Grow Wakefield who provide community growing spaces have become increasingly important in local areas. Whilst at one of the charity’s Propagation Courses, Andy and Mrs Green got talking to Grow Wakefield’s CEO. ‘We were asking about allotments and waiting times and asked if he knew of anywhere that was available. Luckily, they had a small community plot available and asked if we were interested. We snapped his hand off right away!’

‘The bonus of the plot was that the community garden had a polytunnel on site that we could all use to grow in. So all my spare tomatoes, cucumbers, chillies, and aubergines were taken down and donated to the community polytunnel. The whole grow community are able to harvest anything grown in the poly’ but that’s cool as it allows people to get their hands on fruit and veg that they wouldn’t normally have access to.’

Using pots and watering systems in such growing environments ensures that the output from an available area is maximised. Given the value of space it’s also crucial to get the most out of the plants through an efficient, high yielding feeding and watering regime. Whether crops are quirky in their needs or the grower is inexperienced, watering systems such as the XL modules Andy uses allow for easy, productive plant management, as he explains. ‘My biggest nemesis is watering, under and over watering. The AutoPots take that worry completely out of the way, allowing me to actually enjoy growing without the stress. Fertigation is the future, environmentally sound and super effective.’ 

Hugely impressed by Andy’s progress and participation we’ve donated a consignment of modules and kit to the community poly. We wish them all the best with their endeavours and very much look forward to seeing the results. Follow Grow Wakefield and  Mr Green Seldom Seen on insta now! He’s out of sight!