Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2024 i Kitchen Garden

WISE WORDS “Everyflower that ever bloomed had to go through a whole lot of dirt to get there.” (Unknown) SWEETCORN, ONIONS & SPUDS The ‘Bodacious’ sweetcorn Steve chose on the strength of the name have certainly lived up to their moniker. He started picking from a May sowing in the last week of August and despite lots of cold weather early on, the plants have produced an average of two good cobs each for eating fresh or freezing. Emma has been propagating a few plants before winter including tree onions. These produce little bulbils at the tips of the leaves which bend over and when the bulbils touch the soil they root. The plant naturally will produce young plants next to the parent plant and in time will move or…

TOP TABLE The garden space we have created on one half of our allotment has really been admired as the flowers have now come into bloom. We created the flower beds from recycled pallet wood with a little help from our brother and dad. The flowers were all grown from seed including larkspurs, calendulas, phlox, rudbeckias, sunflowers, love-liesbleeding, cornflowers, nigellas, echiums and asters. We have also made a garden table from offcuts of wood that a neighbour was throwing away. After a quick design drawing we soon had the table top ready to screw into place, leaving a centre hole. The design progressed after adding the legs to draw and paint many of the flowers and insects we have in our garden. The top was varnished, the remainde er of…

TOP PLOTTER COMPETITION WIN ASHARE OF £1249 WORTH OF PRIZES This year we are launching a quest to find our Top Plotter. Is it you? Do you absolutely love growing your own veg? You don't needa perfect plot to enter – we are looking for readers who are just passionate about growing their own. If this is you, then just send us some pictures,fill ina form and you could win some great prizes. We have a first, second and third prize winner this year and nine runners-up. We will feature all 12 winners on the pages of Kitchen Garden during 2025. YOU COULD WIN… * For more information on the above prod ductts and d priize pack kages go to our website: www.kitchengarden.co.uk HOW TO ENTER It is the perfect…

GET GROWING KALE For centuries, this hardy vegetable has been a mainstay in gardens and kitchens, its origins stretching back to the wild brassica species that once thrived along the Mediterranean coast. Long before kale became trendy to celebrities and health enthusiasts, it was the unsung hero in many gardens and allotments across the country, aplant valued for its flavour as much as its ability to survive in our cold, damp, winter months. TRUE HERITAGE The story of kale begins with its wild ancestors, Brassica oleracea, which were native to Europe's coastal regions. These ancient plants were tough and resilient, and provided food for early human populations. Over time, selective cultivation led to the domestication of various forms of Brassica oleracea, giving rise to cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and, of course, kale.…

MONEY-SAVING TIPS Many a foray into the world of gardening starts out with a trip to the garden centre. We pack our car boot witha selection of pristine-looking pot plants, some ready-made raised beds andafew bags of potting compost – and part witha lot of cash. But this instant gratification approach, while costly, also takes a lot of the fun out of gardening tasks such as recycling, crafting and waiting for plants to grow. It also defeats the object if you're growing your own food to save money – and requires an intense use of environmental resources. Here are my tips for some cost-effective, eco-friendlier alternatives. SOURCING CUTPRICE PLANTS One of the biggest impacts we can make is how we source our plants. Buying plants in pots or trays is…

SCHOOL GARDEN As deputy manager and forest school lead of The Mere Nature Kindergarten in Knutsford, Cheshire – also home to Tatton Park – I knew the opportunity to enter a school border into RHS Tatton Park Flower Show wasn't one to be missed! I am a keen gardener and I'm extremely passionate about passing on my enthusiasm to the children I work with. The Mere is one of nine Nature Kindergartens within the Thrive community in England and Scotland. We strive to teach children all about the outdoors and to hopefully understand the importance of sustainability by delivering independent teacher-directed activities such as growing vegetables to be eaten with our meals within our nursery day. Thrive Childcare and Education is a UK provider of nurseries, serving children, families and…

Kitchen Garden magazine BEST BUY 2024 SOPHIE CONRAN GARDEN LOPPER These bypass loppers will cut through green growth, up to 2.5cm (1in) in diameter. The tool head and blade are made of strong, high-carbon steel which has been drop forged (a manufacturing process which removes any voids and aligns the grain of the metal). The shock-absorbing bumper is there to reduce impact on hands and wrists, and the handles are made from FSC-certified ash. They come with a 10-year guarantee. BURGON & BALL www.burgonandball.com TEL: 0114 233 8262 PRODUCT CODE: N/A PRICE GUIDE: £38.99 KG VERDICT With its smooth, wooden handles this is a first-class lopper, strong and robust with sharp, bypass blades that can be opened widely before closing in on their final position on the branch to secure…

Much is made nowadays about well-being, mindfulness, relaxation, quality of life, positive outcomes and similar buzzwords. There seems to be a whole profitable industry dedicated to easing the stresses and strains of modern-day living and I tend to think that many people have missed one of the best, ancient and virtually cost-free antidotes that is under our very noses. I refer of course to time in the garden and, in my case, also the allotment. As you're reading this copy of Kitchen Garden it will come as no surprise. Planting, sowing, weeding, dead-heading, mowing, picking or just plain sitting, looking and listening: it'snot the solitary single-cure for de-stressing butI reckon it's way up there with the best of them. I've occasionally sat in fine drizzle on a warm spring day…

GET GROWING COMPOSTING Call me weird, but one of my favourite smells in the garden has to be that of fresh, crumbly, seductively dark compost. It's earthy, like a woodland floor. It's filled with promise, life and vigour – and you can sense that when you cup it in your hands and bring it up for a good sniff. Lovely stuff! Compost has always been the cornerstone to any successful garden or allotment, but the importance of this most natural of soil amendments is more pronounced than ever. Akitchen garden with access to ample compost will thrive, enjoying a more balanced, healthier soil ecosystem that supports stronger growth. The best bit is that compost is easy to make and can save a small fortune on artificial fertilisers. It's the great leveller…

OUT AND ABOUT GET GROWING The largest agricultural show in Europe, the Royal Welsh is renowned for its livestock, farm machinery and celebration of all kinds of farming. The new Horticulture Village – Pentref Garddwriaeth in Welsh – is a companion to the agricultural theme, a celebration of horticulture in Wales. Showcasing all kinds of growing – from schools and community gardens to allotments and commercial-scale market gardening – the new village also promotes gardening for wellbeing, education and the social benefits, as well as to increase food resilience in Wales. The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS) assistant honorary director Adam Jones was one of the driving forces behind the new village. Known as ‘Adam yn yr Ardd’ (Adam in the garden) on the Welsh language channel S4C, his vision…

APPLE DAY October is the month of the apple when a lot of varieties are ready to harvest with some that can be stored for the winter. It is also the month Apple Day is celebrated with events up and down the country and if you are considering buying an apple tree you may want to visit an event to get more information on varieties before considering choosinga tree. We have mentioned a handful of events but there are many around the country and likely to be one near you. APPLE DAY Apple Day, which celebrates this popular fruit, falls on October 21 this year, but it is a slightly moveable feast. Apple Day events are taking place around the country in the coming weeks so look out for any…

ONION GROW ALONG The online gardening community is a great place for people to connect in a shared interest and one aspect of this that I have come to love is known as the ‘grow along’. There are so many great benefits to the grow along concept; it connects people, it enables us to learn new skills, share in the ups and downs, increase knowledge and have fun along the way as we grow together. What's not to love? Some of my favourite vegetables to grow are onions; the bigger the better. Last year I grew the ‘Mammoth’ variety for our local village gardening show and many of my Garden Gram friends also wanted to give it a try. So, I decided to run a ‘Mammoth’ onion grow along this…

GREENS ALL YEAR ROUND Keep growing through the darker months with GardenSkill's Indoor Hydroponics Growing System with LED Light, which lets you grow microgreens and herbs all year round. It features a fullspectrum LED light for optimal growing conditions, and automatic watering and intelligent light control, with three timer settings. The kit includes a seed tray, germination lid/ shading cover and biodegradable seed bags. All components comply with food safety standards, including the LFGB food gradecertified grow mat. Replacement grow mats are available in packs of three or five. Prices: Indoor Hydroponics Growing System – £29.98; Capillary Mats – £2.48 for three or £3.48 for five, plus £1.99 p&p www.gardenskill.com Tel: 01902 725055 DRY CLEAN! L'Equip's FilterPro Digital Food Dehydrator was the first model to introduce clean air drying technology.…

JOBS FOR THE MONTH TAKE CARE CLEARING UNDER COVER CROPS It always feels rather sad to be clearing summer cropping plants from the polytunnel or greenhouse. They take so long to grow, and require so much nurturing that they have almost become old friends. In my polytunnel, the tomatoes, cucumbers and aubergines were interplanted with overwintering vegetables during September so it is important to be very careful when removing the older plants. Cutting them off at ground level not only protects the new plantings but their decaying roots will also help to feed soil life. Clearing the older plants also helps to increase light and air flow for the newer vegetables. Cut the old plants into 15cm (6in) pieces before adding to the compost heap. This will help them to…

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW? The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), University of Sheffield and University of Reading want to hear how climate change is affecting the plants in people's gardens as the trio combine forces to help futureproof them. Understanding what is growing well or struggling and gardeners’ maintenance habits will help the researchers to make recommendations for how to manage and protect plant diversity across the country. Information will also be used to identify what plants might thrive here in the future. Tim Upson, director of gardens and horticulture at the Royal Horticultural Society, said: “Tapping into the observations of the UK's 30 million gardeners, many of whom will have noticed longer-lasting blooms or waterlogged perennials, will help us in better understanding how our gardens need to evolve.” Gardeners…

This delicious cordial is packed with healthy vitamins and antioxidants. If you don't have room to grow them all yourself, they can often be found growing locally. INGREDIENTS ■ 1kg (2¼lb) elderberries, blackberries and rosehips (roughly one-third of each) ■ 2cm (¾in) ginger root (optional) ■ 1-2 cinnamon sticks ■ 500g (17½oz) granulated sugar 1. Put the berries in a saucepan, adding just enough sugar to cover them. Crush the berries with the back of a spoon. 2. Add the spices and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer with the lid on for 40 minutes. 3. Pour the juice through a sieve or colander lined with a cheesecloth or piece of muslin. 4. Wash your pan, and then return the juice to the pan, add the remaining sugar…

PESTS & PROBLEMS GET GROWING Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin. It all starts off so innocently. Dreams of flowers and vegetables jostling side by side under a sky the colour of a sailor's jacket. The occasional hum of a bee is matched only by the song of a nearby thrush, while we wander through our very own, home-grown paradise. That is until we wake up. Because, as we all know, a successful garden is all about balance. And just as we are convincing ourselves that this year will go with out a hitch, shadows are gathering to bring us back down to earth… with quite a bump! Let's takea look at some of our favourite garden ghouls … SLUGS AND SNAILS These perennial nuisances are some of the…

SCHOOL GARDENING GET GROWING Every school day, I enjoy my lunch in the dining hall alongside the children and, over time, I noticed that some of our pupils weren't even trying the vegetables on their plates, just automatically pushing them to one side and those who were on packed lunches had lunch boxes stuffed full of biscuits, processed meats and sugary treats! Our school motto is ‘Learning, Caring and Growing Together'… and that's when it hit me… we are growing together in so many ways but we also needed to literally start ‘growing together’ and what we needed was our own school allotment. I approached the headteacher and staff team and we put our heads together. Through discussion, we realised that our pupils were becoming more and more detached from…

QUINCE GET GROWING I often get asked at the nursery which is my favourite variety of apple, or my favourite rose. It's a tough question, as my answer will change greatly depending on my mood. Sometimes I'd plump for the dependable crunch of a ‘Lord Lambourne’, other times the potluck of an ‘Ananas Reinette’ (on its day, full of sugar and pineapple acidity, but if not perfectly ripe is sharp enough to make you wince). Tastes evolve and change over time too – much as you probably wouldn't want to wear the same clothes or sport the same haircut as you did in your youth, special plants come and go through the seasons and over the years. For me, however, there is one constant. I adore quince trees. I've planted at…