Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2019 i Kitchen Garden

We may still be a long way from making those spring sowings, but I still get excited about the start of a new year. There are soil preparations to be made, seed lists to sort and seed potatoes to buy. To help celebrate the new season we have a great new feature for you this month. Gardening writer Graham Strong is well respected for his great knowledge of growing your own. In this issue he starts a new 12-part series on beginning a new plot from scratch, starting with the inevitable weed clearance to picking your first harvests. I just know you are going to enjoy following his progress. We also have some top advice on kick-starting your new potato crop, beating tomato blight and getting the most from your…

REMOVE SNOW Shake snow off cloches and covers if there is a heavy fall, or if snow is forecast to lie for more than a day. Plants suffer if light levels are reduced for too long and stems may break under the heavy weight. FEED ONIONS AND GARLIC Use a high-potash feed on autumn-planted onions and garlic. This sustains strong growth in the coming weeks. Wood ash is a good option, although this is quite alkaline so best used on acid soils. Seaweed-based fertilisers provide the nutrient boost that these crops need. CHECK SUPPORTS Check all supports and ties on tall plants. Canes can break in a gale and string made from natural fibres will rot after a few months’ exposure to rain. Knock in new posts if needed and…

■ Clear out the last of any winter crops that have now finished, chop them up and add to the compost heap. ■ Prune back tall shrubs and overhanging branches on trees that cast shadows on the greenhouse. ■ Check perennial herbs in pots and if the compost is starting to dry out, give them a little water. ■ Make sure you’ve got your seed order in if you buy from a mail order company, to get the varieties you want. ■ Check garlic cloves that were started into growth in pots last autumn and keep them just moist. ■ Tidy pots and seed trays and dispose of any that are broken or no longer used.…

BRISTOL POTATO DAY & SEED FAIR JANUARY 13. Windmill Hill City Farm, Philip Street, Bedminster, Bristol. Potatoes, seeds, onion sets, fruit trees and bushes, cafe; 10am-1pm. Beans & Herbs and Pennard Plants www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk GRAFTING FRUIT TREES JANUARY 12, FEBRUARY 9. Brogdale Farm, Faversham, Kent. Grafting to produce maiden trees, change or add varieties to mature trees; 10am-1pm. Book on 01795 536250 www.brogdalecollections.org RUSLAND POTATO DAY JANUARY 20. Greenodd Village Hall, near Ulverston, Cumbria. About 90 potato varieties, veg seeds, fruit; 10am-3pm. 07884 430732 www.brighterblooms.co.uk For a full list of shows, festivals, events and courses this month please visit our website www.kitchengarden.co.uk  and choose the Diary Dates category. PLEASE NOTE We have made every effort to ensure these details were correct at the time of going to press, but…

Send us your tips and pictures and if your letter is published you will get a £10 Dobies voucher. If you are lucky enough to have yours chosen as our Star Letter you will get a £25 voucher. Your voucher will be sent out with a Dobies catalogue and you can choose to spend your winnings on a fabulous range of seeds, young plants and gardening sundries. You can get hold of a copy of the catalogue now by phoning 0844 701 7625 or go online to www.dobies.co.uk You can reach us by letter, email or via our Facebook page: FACEBOOK.COM/KITCHENGARDENMAG Email your letters to tflanagan@mortons.co.uk  or post to Letters, Kitchen Garden, Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR…

Boot-i-ful Children grow out of their Wellington boots pretty quickly and it is a shame to throw them away, especially when they are often such lovely colours. Why not keep them and use them as planters? You could screw the boots to a shed wall and keep adding the next size up as the children outgrow their boots to give a timeline of growing feet! You could also just stand them outside your back door. To prepare the boot, simply turn upside down and drill some holes in the bottom to provide some drainage. If the boot is going to be standing on the ground, put some gravel in the boot. This will make it more stable. Add some multi-purpose compost but not right to the top. Tap the boot…

As you can see, many of these ‘Desiree’ potatoes I dug up last October are joined together. Can you offer an explanation for this? Paul Kelly, Dover Emma Rawlings, deputy editor Kitchen Garden magazine EMMA SAYS: The problem could be due to the excessively hot weather we had last summer. Very high temperatures put the plants under stress and cause growth checks and disrupted cell division within the tubers, leading to deformities. Very high soil temperatures can also halt tuber growth, completely leading to ‘stop-start’ growth. Other factors that can affect them are dryness in the early stages of growth and as the tubers are forming, and compacted soil. Therefore, regular watering, giving the plants plenty of space and improving the soil so that it is light and…

KG WEBSITE A SOUP-ER WAY TO EAT YOUR GREENS! The Vegetarian Society asked its members and supporters for their go-to culinary hugs and soothers. One item kept cropping up: people wished they had a comforting noodle broth which could nurse them through the sniffles. So the Vegetarian Society has created a warming ‘Comfort Soup’ recipe packed with goodness. For the recipe go to: http://bit.ly/KGcomfortsoup LOOKING FOR SOME GARDENING INSPIRATION why not visit our k4 instagram site? Here's some chilli sauce we made earlier... ELESEWHERE ON THE WEB GROWING SUPPORT Growing Support is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company. Its purpose is to tackle loneliness, social isolation and inactivity experienced by people with health and social care needs, particularly older people and people with dementia. It delivers “social and therapeutic…

There are hundreds of varieties of cooking apple in the National Collection at Brogdale in Kent, and most nurserymen’s catalogues will give you a choice of two dozen or more. So how to choose the right one for you? STORAGE The first thing to consider is storage. The reason that ‘Bramley’s Seedling’ is so well-known is that it stores for a long time – until April or May if conditions are correct. It was one of the few ways of having fruit available through the winter and spring. With the advent of freezers, it is no longer necessary to store fruit – you may well prefer to pick and process the fruit in August and freeze ready-made purée for later use. Even if you do wish to store fruit, the…

There are so many varieties available and these vary greatly in the amount of heat they provide. Choosing which to grow therefore is down to personal taste and you can have great fun growing the many different shapes and colours in order to experiment and to find your own favourites. Here are a few of ours. ■ ‘CURRY PEPPER F1’: Highly productive, reasonably compact plants growing to around 75-120cm (3-4ft). The long, thin peppers do eventually turn red, but are usually harvested while still green when they add medium heat to curries and other spicy dishes. (Mr Fothergill’s). ■ ‘PADRON’: Resembling a small sweet pepper, ‘Padron’ is prolific and compact. The fruits are mild when green and variable in heat from mild to medium when ripened to a rich red.…

■ ‘CASABLANCA’: This all-rounder produces long, oval tubers that open to reveal a tasty white flesh. It has good disease resistance, including to eelworm, a common potato pest. (Kings Seeds) ■ ‘SWIFT’: ‘Swift’ by name and nature, this fast-maturing, heavy cropping spud is ready in as little as seven weeks from planting. It’s a great one for growing in potato bags or containers. Makes great potato salad! (Thompson & Morgan) ■ ‘ROCKET’: The appropriately named ‘Rocket’ is quick out of the starting blocks, producing a weighty crop of baby new potatoes very early on. Shows good disease resistance and is ideal for pots and sacks. (Thompson & Morgan) ■ ‘ABBOT’: Pick this extra early spud for roasting or cutting into chips. It has strong disease resistance and shows tolerance to…

In one of the sunken greenhouses lives a dazzling array of chilli varieties. Sarah starts germination off in February, (she recommends not starting too early). It is not always known that there are several different species of chilli, and they need different timings. The Capsicum chinense and C. baccatum need to be sown first, in February, with grow lights and heat. The C. annuum are better sown in March. It can be tricky to tell which species a variety is as it is not always marked on the packet. Sarah says that C. pubescens varieties are not recommended because of their size: “They grow like trees! You can tell them apart because their seeds are black”. Instead she recommends varieties like ‘Hungarian Hot Wax’ for beginners. “They are easy to…

ALSO IN THE KG SHOP THIS MONTH POTATOES 1.5KG TUBER PACKS Nothing beats the taste of freshly dug spuds, and it’s always good to grow a row or two. Pick from our top-selling varieties to provide yourself and your family with fresh potatoes over many months: ■ ‘CASABLANCA’ (extra early) – The perfect kitchen all-rounder with long, oval, white-fleshed tubers. Harvest from late May. ■ ‘ARRAN PILOT’ (first early) – Britain’s favourite first early for 30 years, it’s a good all-rounder, with a white skin and pale flesh. Harvest from June. ■ ‘INTERNATIONAL KIDNEY’ (second early) – The famous ‘Jersey Royal’, an outstanding salad type. Harvest from early July. ■ ‘ANYA’ (second early) – Another great salad type with a distinct nutty flavour which is very…

Tomatoes have to be one of the most rewarding crops to grow in the summer – from glorious little red cherry types to some real whoppers in all colours of the rainbow, there is bound to be a tomato to suit your taste. Gone are the days when tomatoes had to be grown as a trained cordon (single stem) in a hot greenhouse; today you can grow hanging basket varieties, patio, bush, grafted and even wild tomatoes indoors and out. That said, there is still one problem above all that affects home-grown tomatoes with devastating consequences... blight! ‘Alicante’ tomato seeds free with this issue! EARLY AND LATE Technically, blight is not one problem but two, early blight and late blight. Early blight (Alternaria solani) is a pathogen that affects tomato…

If you are unlucky enough to have your plants affected by blight, remember to burn the plants or put them in the black bin. Never compost them or save seed from affected plants; this can just spread the problem in subsequent years. Always clean tools after using them on tomato plants or the soils around them and don’t grow potatoes near your tomatoes. After all, blight can affect both crops and you don’t want to lose either!…

■ It is simplest to get Perspex cut to size by your supplier. Use a jigsaw with a metal blade and set at a slow speed if you are cutting it yourself. A slow speed helps to prevent the Perspex from melting. ■ Use sharp metal drill bits for making holes. ■ Rough edges can be smoothed with a sharp hand plane. ■ Each side of the Perspex is covered with a thin polythene film. Leave this in place until the project is completed. You can use the marker to draw lines on the film without marking the Perspex.…

GET THE BEST OUT OF LEEKS STEP 1: Even hardy leeks can suffer in a cold winter. Some plants start to soften and others bolt. If left to their own devices, plants develop a hard core and a large flower head. Get the best out of leeks by nipping out any flower spikes as soon as you spot them. Remove any plants that have started to rot. STEP 2: Use a fork to ease plants out of the ground. You don’t have to get all of the roots but it is best to get a good clump on each plant. Dig a shallow trench and put the lifted leeks into it. Plants can go close together (leave a gap of 5cm/2in) as they won’t grow from here on. Fill the…

LIFT AND EAT CELERIAC These plants are surprisingly hardy, but they do deteriorate if left in the ground too long. ‘Roots’ develop hollow areas and brown streaks that make them less easy to use. CLEAR AND TIDY Get outdoors on any fine day and get all in order for the busy months to come. Sweep paths, trim edges and repair any structural flaws. REMEMBER CHARD Rainbow chard brings a flash of colour to the winter garden. Harvest stems to use as needed and remember to order seed if you want to grow this easy and tasty crop next winter. CLOCHES FOR PEAS AND BEANS Prepare trenches and put cloches on top now so you can sow seeds underneath in a week or two. Coverings warm the soil underneath and they…

■ It’s surprising how hardy many salad leaves are and very often they will carry on producing leaves all through the winter months. Growing a mixed selection in trays or shallow bowls gives you the flexibility of being able to move them around to the warmest spot in the greenhouse and you can also better control the moisture around their roots. ■ Make sure you are ready for sowing seeds next month by buying some new multipurpose compost. Keep the bags dry and a couple of weeks before sowing take the bag into the greenhouse to allow the compost to gradually warm up. ■ To get ahead on pest control, make sure you have a good tidy up to remove any old foliage or debris that might be providing winter…

JED: I have managed to secure an arrangement with the works restaurant to take all of their eggshells for allotment use. Question is – do I have to wash and sterilise these before crushing to a powder before I use them as a calcium supplement for plants or can I simply dry them and crush them ready for use? PA SNIP: I keep mine separate from anything else in old carrier bags until they have dried, then I crush them down in the bags so that they become a size suitable to be used as a deterrent for slugs and snails to travel over when spread on the ground. Any calcium added into the soil is a side benefit. JOHNBOY: The best way to dry eggshells is in a tray…

One of the loveliest flowers you can grow must be nigella (Nigella damascena). This bushy hardy annual only produced blue flowers originally but is now available in an array of colours, its starry flowerheads enveloped in delicate, fennel-like foliage – hence its common name ‘love-in-a mist’. On a bright summer’s day it is a delight to see these floral jewels bobbing to and fro in the breeze. SOWING Sow nigella undercover March-April in seed trays 3mm ( 1/8in) deep in multi-purpose compost. Plant out May-June, 23cm (9in) apart. Alternatively, sow directly outdoors where they are to flower, April-June. An August (or September undercover) sowing can also be made in warmer parts of the UK for early summer flowering the following year, though covering plants with a cloche over winter is…

Our Star Question winner will receive vouchers worth £25; the writers of all other questions printed will receive a £10 voucher. They can be redeemed against any products in the latest Mr Fothergill’s catalogue, which will be sent out with the vouchers so you can choose from the massive range of quality products, including seeds and garden equipment. To receive a free catalogue, call 08453 710518 or visit www.mr-fothergills.co.uk Email questions to tflanagan@mortons.co.uk or post to Question Time, Kitchen Garden, Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. Please include your full address on letters and emails. We do not publish full addresses.…

I discovered Joy Larkcom’s work a few years ago, and realised that my favourite TV gardeners had been inspired by her. The more of her books that I read, the more I am in awe of what she has achieved. Joy is like the great Victorian plant hunters who combed the planet for exotics, but with vegetables instead of rhododendrons! She has spent her life pushing the boundaries of vegetable growing and, despite her unassuming manner, has had a huge impact on the way we grow and eat vegetables and salads. A VEGETABLE TREASURE HUNT A trained horticulturist, Joy is scientific in her approach. In 1976 she went on a year-long European veg tour. Her husband Don gave up his job and spent the year doing the domestic duties and…

As plants develop they take most of the raw materials they need for healthy growth from the soil in solution via the roots. Rock dust can help to replenish these raw materials; made from ancient powdered volcanic rock, it contains an amazing number of minerals – the building blocks needed by plants to grow. Minerals are a major source of nutrients for your plants and of course healthier plants are more productive. They are also more resistant to pests and diseases. It is thought that rock dust also encourages the soil flora and fauna to thrive and this in turn makes your soil more fertile and can help to boost your yields. Earthworms, for example, are encouraged to thrive and in turn by burrowing and pulling in organic matter improve…

There are some moments in the growing season that neatly encapsulate why we go to so much effort growing our own fruits and vegetables. That sweet first picking of strawberries, the fleeting window of garden asparagus, or shelling your own petits pois for a near-sacred dining experience – these are the sorts of harvests that make it all worthwhile! For me? Well, nothing compares to the first home-grown spuds of summer. Soft, pale yellow potatoes, no bigger than a hen’s egg. Boil ’em up with a few handfuls of garden mint then serve with generous curls of butter, lots of white pepper and a decadent garnish of more mint, finely chopped, with chives added in for good measure. Wow – now that’s how it should be done! HOW EARLY’S EARLY?…

Gardeners appear to spend more time and effort on slug control than almost any other pest, except perhaps vine weevil. Not all are as evil as they’re cabbage-painted. Are you trying to rid your garden of the wrong type of slug? Most gardeners imagine every slug is out to demolish their seedlings, let alone every snail, but there is a sizeable number of species which are blameless in their diet, feeding on dead vegetation alone. They’re valuable assets in the compost heap, helping decomposition: even surplus slime encourages a build-up of humus. SLUG PELLETS, FOR OR AGAINST? For those who don’t want to use traditional metaldehyde slug pellets, there is a range of organic options. Metaldehyde traces have been found in drinking water. While the blue colouring and added bitter…

Sarah recently had to pick 90 favourite varieties for a collection! Her personal favourites are ‘Spike’ and ‘Sparkler’, for their prolific, tiny chillies that look beautiful and give you everything you need, as well as ‘Fright Night’ and ‘Calico’. She also has a soft spot for ‘Michael’s Magic’ because of its back-story – a serviceman found it in a market on a tour of duty and brought it home. Sarah is a mine of knowledge on vegetable growing, and very generous in sharing it.…

My girls are one of the best decisions I made on my lottie and I couldn’t recommend keeping chickens enough! Mine are ex-battery hens and the transformation they have made is incredible. They get full roam of the site when I am there, and they love to meet all the plot holders. They have become quite popular. Of course, one negative would be that they love to eat some of your crops. I’ve got mine well trained so they come back when I call them. Crops like cabbages are netted off from them, which I would have done to keep the cabbage white butterflies off anyway. From the huge list of positives, they lay delicious fresh eggs, are brilliant company and they have decimated my slug population! If yours is…

An essential part of any kitchen garden has to be alliums. With endless culinary uses, onions, shallots and garlic have become a real staple in virtually every cuisine throughout the ages. This specially selected collection contains some of our best-selling spring planting varieties, picked for their flavour and performance in British gardens. The collection contains two bulbs of ‘Picardy Wight’ garlic, a popular softneck variety, a 500g pack of shallot ‘Bistro’ and a 250g pack of onion ‘Hercules AGM’, a superb variety which gives high yields of flavoursome bulbs. Take advantage of this exclusive Kitchen Garden collection now to ensure a tasty supply this summer.…

1. SIMPLE HOUSEKEEPING It is normally (but not always) outdoor tomatoes which suffer from either type of blight – this is due to moisture. Outside it is difficult to keep the leaves of your plants dry, meaning blight spores can germinate and spread rapidly. Therefore, remove leaves from the bottom of the plant that are old or yellowing, and this will also reduce rain splashing back on to the plant when it hits the earth. 2. GROW UNDER COVER You can also keep plants dry and reduce the likelihood of the spores reaching the leaves by growing them undercover. If you have a favourite variety like ‘Alicante’, then this is the best way to ensure success and produce tasty tomatoes. 3. TOMATO TUBES If you don’t have a greenhouse, you…

HARVESTING HINTS There are plenty of January crops and there’s something special about a home-grown winter feast. The secret to keeping the harvest going is to know how and when to pick. Some plants, like cauliflowers and sprouts, are fairly obvious – harvest when they are full-grown and at their best. But leafy crops like salad greens, kale, spinach and chard can drop large leaves in cold weather and they only make good growth in the spring if smaller leaves are left to grow to feed the plant. Pick a few leaves from each plant, even with lettuce, and don’t strip any plant. Rows may look scruffy, but they crop for longer. SOW NOW Early peas and broad beans, lettuce, salad leaves, perpetual spinach – under cloches in mild areas…

Since July 2016 I have been on long term sick from work and have found solace in my allotment. Being short of money to buy Christmas presents, I delighted my friends and family by turning my allotment produce into jams, preserves, pickles and chutneys. I then made them into Christmas hampers using pretty baskets garnered from local charity shops. Eat your heart out Fortnum & Masons! They were so popular that it will be a yearly tradition from now on! Linda Whinney, Norwich TONY SAYS; And what lovely presents they are too, Linda. Just shows what can be done on a small budget.…

STICKY PLUMS My ‘Victoria’ plum tree is 20 years or more old and has fruited well over the years. In recent seasons a small proportion of the fruit has oozed a syrupy substance. This year all fruit succumbed to this: was it due to the stress of this summer heat or is it a progressive and fatal disease? Heather Richardson, Essex David Patch, professional nurseryman R V Roger Ltd DAVID SAYS: This is normally a sign that a bug of some sort is burrowing into the fruit. The best course of action is to put a grease band on the tree in October. This prevents female moths from climbing the tree to lay eggs. Good hygiene will help break the cycle of infection, so rake up any windfalls and remove…

BLIGHT This wind-borne fungal disease manifests itself as brown spots and patches on the leaves and stems. Spores washed down into the soil will also cause the tubers to become infected. HOW TO CONTROL: Cut off infected haulms and burn them (don't put them on the compost heap). Growing blight-resistant ‘Sarpo’ varieties is an option. BLACKLEG This bacterial disease cause stems to turn black at the base and slimy, leading to yellow discolouring of the leaves and the eventual collapse of the haulms. HOW TO CONTROL: Remove and burn infected plants. Good drainage will help prevention. Grow resistant varieties such as ‘Charlotte’. COMMON SCAB Common scab manifests as raised crusty lesions on the skin of tubers. These are unsightly but the potatoes are still edible once peeled. However, do not…

If I asked you to name five varieties of cooking apple, the chances are that you would come up with ‘Bramley’ straight away... and then possibly struggle. However, if you asked the same question a hundred years ago, you would be given a long list of names, depending on season and locality. Varieties like ‘Greenup’s Pippin’, ‘Balsam’, ‘Lord Derby’, ‘Emperor Alexander’ – all were well-known, widely grown and feted for their unique cooking qualities. This month we will take a look at the long history of the cooking apple in the UK, see why ‘Bramley’s Seedling’ came to be the ubiquitous culinary variety and look at alternatives that deserve a space in your garden. COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION The commercial production of culinary apples is a uniquely British phenomenon. No other country…

MOUNTFIELD Mountfield has been one of the UK’s leading lawnmower manufacturers for more than 50 years and their lawnmowers, lawn tractors and garden care products all share a reputation for outstanding quality and reliability. The Mountfield team have maintained their position as a leading lawnmower manufacturer by continually developing their products, with investment and innovation ensuring that only the best combination of performance and value for money is offered. In recent years, best-selling garden tractors, lawn riders, roller mowers and a range of class leading 48-volt garden tools have been launched. The innovations have continued with new 80-volt cordless lawnmowers. www.mountfieldlawnmowers.co.uk HARROD HORTICULTURAL This company has been producing top quality garden products for 60 years and is innovative in bringing new designs on to the market. It offers an excellent…

■ Aphids (greenfly) can be a nuisance early in the season and cause distortion by spreading viruses as they feed. Wipe off with the fingers or spray with a suitable insecticide as necessary. ■ Red spider mites often appear later in the season, especially in the greenhouse during a hot summer. Keep the plants sprayed with a fine mist of water to deter them and treat with an organic insecticide as necessary. Alternatively, use a biological control as soon as any mites are seen – often in July/August. ■ Slugs and snails will attack young plants and also the developing fruits, especially sweet peppers, and should be picked off or otherwise controlled as seen. Check under pots and other hiding places for any culprits.…

“The book Oriental Vegetables that came out of the tour was a revelation, and is still ahead of its time” It is rare to find a book that is both full of beautiful, inspiring photographs and actual down-to-earth advice on creating such effects. That is the particular genius of Joy Larkcom. A trained horticulturist but way ahead of the curve in terms of her ideas and research, the world of gardening still hasn’t caught up with Joy. Creative Vegetable Gardening was first published in 1997, and has been reissued unchanged, but it is still absolutely fresh and up to date. The book covers the history of the potager, detailed design information on all the elements of a garden, and extensive information on the planting. The last part of the book…

As mentioned, virtually anything made from organic material will ultimately improve the soil and the health of your crops by adding humus and nutrients. Most of the companies producing composts also supply soil conditioners in some form and these may be made from coir, composted wood waste, spent mushroom compost, recycled green waste (eg Pro-Grow), bracken and wool (Dalefoot), seaweed meal (Chase Organics) or to a lesser extent these days, peat. These can be dug in, but can also be used as part of a no-dig system. All should help increase worm activity and, as a reward, if you spread it over the surface the worms will pull it in for you, over winter incorporating it into the surface and beyond. Spread a generous layer, around 5cm (2in) for best…

STEP 1: Plant chitted seed potatoes as they are or rub off excess sprouts to leave two or three per potato for larger, though fewer, tubers. STEP 2: Fill sacks with 15cm (6in) of compost or a compost-soil-manure mix. Place two to four seed potatoes on top, spacing them at least 15cm (6in) apart. STEP 3: Cover with compost to a depth of 15cm (6in). Add more compost as the stems push through and grow up, leaving just the tips showing after each addition. STEP 4: Continue adding compost until you reach the top of the sack, but leave space for watering and feeding. Begin harvesting when the plants flower.…

At the heart of West Dean Gardens is a walled kitchen garden that in the early 20th century supplied the estate with staple vegetables, exotic fruit and cut flowers. Edward James inherited the 6300 acre estate, which appears in the Domesday book, in 1912. He was a renowned patron of the arts, particularly of Surrealist artists like Salvador Dalí and René Magritte, and the house saw a lively social life. Concerned that crafts would be lost after the world wars, James left the estate in the hands of a charitable trust to preserve skills in traditional arts and crafts, in 1964. Today it is an award-winning college for conservation and creative arts. NEW GARDENERS, NEW START The damage caused by the storms of 1987 and 1990 turned attention to the…

EGYPTIAN BEETROOT AND CUMIN DIP Sweet and earthy flavours of beetroot pair up beautifully with aromatic cumin in this deep pink dip! Top it with green pistachios for an elegant-looking appetiser. Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour ■ 2 large beetroots, scrubbed and stalks trimmed ■ 4 cloves of garlic ■ 90g/3oz natural yoghurt ■ 1 tsp (heaped) cumin seeds ■ 1 tsp coriander seeds ■ 1 lemon, juice of ■ Salt and pepper ■ 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ■ Pistachios, roughly chopped (optional) 1. Preheat oven to 180C/fan 170/gas 4 and wrap each beetroot in foil, along with a teaspoon of water. Place on a baking tray and bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until the beetroot is tender. 2. Wrap the garlic (leave…

Call the credit card and debit card order hotline on 0845 371 0532* (open 8am to 8pm weekdays and 9am to 5pm weekends). Only orders above £10 by phone please. (*Calls cost 3p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.) Or send a cheque made payable to D T Brown Seeds to Kitchen Garden JANUARY Offers (KG19JAN), D. T. Brown Seeds, Bury Road, Newmarket, CB8 7PQ. Items will be despatched from mid-January (unless otherwise stated). Offer subject to availability, only one FREE collection per household. D T Brown reserves the right to substitute with a product of equal or greater value. Please note that a £5.95 p&p charge will apply should you not take up the free item.…

■ Always use good quality, new compost for sowing, making sure all pots and labels are new or have been thoroughly cleaned. ■ Sow seed in trays or pots in a propagator or on a sunny windowsill and keep moist but not wet (never wet the plants, only the soil). ■ When warm enough to plant out, dig a hole big enough to allow the plant to be sunk into it and cover up to the first true leaf. This allows the plants to form more of a root system and means fruit will form lower on the plant, thus more fruit per plant. Never plant grafted plants lower than the grafting point. ■ Put canes, stakes or supports into the ground when the plants are small, then you won’t…

It can be hard to raise early plants from seed if you don’t have a greenhouse and it can be hard to raise tender plants in a cold greenhouse without any added heat. Some people work wonders with sunny window ledges and others buy in whatever small plants are available as they are needed. But all plants do best with good all-round light and small plants need some protection until hardened off enough to go outside. A simple answer is to make these lovely propagation shelves. They can be sized to fit any space that you want and they offer extra protection against rain and cold. You can fit a heated mat in the base if you want some extra warmth, but in most sunny conditions they will heat up…

■ The unit is sturdy enough to stand outdoors in a sheltered place or use it inside a greenhouse, conservatory or porch. The polythene door rolls up and can be laid on top – use a weight to hold it in position if needed. You can fit a Perspex door if you prefer. ■ Light can reach plants from all sides. Position the unit a little away from a solid wall so maximum light gains access. A white wall will reflect light into the unit. ■ Use the shelves to start small seedlings in a protected space or to harden off larger plants before putting outdoors. ■ Use a small heat mat on the bottom shelf for extra warmth. Heat will rise upwards to influence the whole unit. ■ Open…

POTATO CURRY A delicious, lightly sweetened potato curry, thanks to juicy pineapple and creamy coconut milk. Serve with homemade naan and plenty of coriander for a midweek feast. SERVERS 4 Preparation time: 35 minutes Cooking time: 50 minutes ■ 2 tbsp coconut oil ■ 1 tbsp cumin seeds ■ 1 tbsp coriander seeds ■ 1 tbsp turmeric ■ 1 large onion, chopped ■ 1 head of garlic, minced (10-12 cloves) ■ 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated ■ ½ small red chilli, chopped ■ 1 tin of tomatoes ■ 2 tsp sea salt ■ 200g/7oz dried brown lentils ■ 1 sweet potato, diced ■ 1 potato, diced ■ 700ml/24fl oz vegetable stock ■ 1 tin coconut milk ■ ¼ pineapple, skin removed and diced ■ 2 tbsp mango chutney ■ 1…

My head was spinning as it reeled from information overload: “What you need is six inches to a tight button son,” said my new friend, then someone else called: “Don’t listen to him, it’s all in the flags,” while another voice claimed: “Shape and consistency is where it’s at…” This was followed by another voice loudly exclaiming: “What would you know? All you did this year was put muck in the trench, your missus should have her name on the ticket!” There was much raucous laughter at that statement, including the lad who was the butt of the comment: “Well, work’s been full on this year…” I turned to seek out the refreshments table but even the lady at the tea and biscuit counter had an opinion: “My man gets…