Kitchen Garden April 2018

Having struggled through a long, chilly UK winter, it’s always so good when the days become noticeably longer and obvious signs of spring can be seen around us. But for those of you who would like to warm things up a little more, we bring some flavours of the Mediterranean to KG this month with seven pages dedicated to Italian-themed crops. Paolo Arrigo of venerable Italian seed company Seeds of Italy extols the virtues of some favourite old varieties, while KG regular Ben Vanheems explains how to grow your own wonderful Italian ingredients to make mouthwatering dishes that will remind you of holidays in hotter climates and hopefully too, of warmer gardening days to come. We also travel further afield with some great advice from K G ’s Tony Flanagan…

10 MINUTE JOBS THIN OUT LEEK SEEDLINGS Leek seed that was sown last month in plug trays should now have germinated and the seedlings should be making good growth. Where there’s more than one seedling per cell, carefully thin them out to a single plant, leaving the strongest one to grow on and establish. APPLY FERTILISER April is when many vegetables are sown or planted into the plots. To give them a good start I apply a general fertiliser such as Growmore, blood, fish and bone or pelleted poultry pellets, sprinkled over the area and lightly raked in 7-10 days before sowing or planting. CHECK FOR ‘BIG BUD’ Check blackcurrant bushes for signs of ‘big bud’ which is spread by a gall mite. Infected buds are easy to recognise and…

STEP BY STEP PLANT SUMMER CABBAGES STEP 1: Young plants of summer cabbages can be planted into the garden now to grow on. If you haven’t grown your own from seed, there is still time, or very often you can buy plants from nurseries or garden centres. Plant out in ground that has been fertilised and firmed, spacing the plants about 30-45cm (12-18in) apart, depending on the type you are growing. Firm the roots and water to help settle the plants. STEP 2: If cabbage root fly is a problem in your garden, it pays to protect the new plants straight away by fitting a collar around the base of the plant. This acts as a physical barrier and prevents the flies from laying eggs on the soil at the…

WHAT TO DO IN APRIL ■ Be organised and take good care of small plants ■ Buy healthy young tomato plants if you haven’t raised any yourself ■ There’s still time to sow cucumbers, melons and basil ■ Sow sweetcorn, pumpkins, French beans, spinach and salad ■ Start fennel, sprouts, broccoli, kale etc. for growing on outdoors ■ Plant tomatoes at the end of the month if weather permits ■ Replace old or torn polytunnel covers on a warm day and before the tunnel fills up with summer plantings ■ Ventilate and water with care A NEW GREENHOUSE A sloping garden can be a challenge when it comes to installing a greenhouse, but there are ways to make this possible. A polytunnel is more forgiving than a rigid greenhouse: glass…

RAISING CHICKENS If you’ve thought of keeping chickens, you might want to take a look at Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow, recently released in its fourth edition. This is a comprehensive reference book, which has been providing excellent guidance to poultry keepers for more than 20 years. Now updated and redesigned, it includes details on shelter, food, health care, eggs, chicks and meat – basically, all you need to know. It also explores recent research into chicken behaviour and communication. With new colour photos and illustrations, this is packed with information for wannabe and established chicken keepers alike. Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens is published by Storey Publishing at £18.99. IT’S SHOW TIME! One of the highlights of this year’s Harrogate Spring Flower Show will be Shed…

KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY Fifty years ago in 1967, I shared two plots with my father on our local allotment site, but in the mid-Seventies, following the death of my father and pressure of work, I gave up the plots. Now 50 years on I am sharing a plot on the same site with my son, close to the original plots. Unfortunately, due to a stroke and a hip replacement my involvement is restricted so we have opted for raised beds over most of the plot. After all this time the biggest change I have found is how people come to the site. In the Sixties most people walked, cycled or pushed a wheelbarrow with their tools in. Now the parking area is full of 4x4s, Mercedes, BMWs etc.…