Indholdsfortegnelse for November 2024 i Kitchen Garden

Grass Roots Oldham, in Greater Manchester, has won the RHS and BBC The One Show’s Growing Together Award 2024 for Community Gardening, which celebrates the transformative impact of growing together. Unveiled as the winner on The One Show, Grass Roots Oldham has spent the last two years giving life to a previously derelict and unloved space, turning it into a vibrant and thriving community hub complete with fruit and vegetable growing facilities and a 166-tree orchard on a one-acre site. Situated in an urban landscape of dense housing, roads and motorways, the space provides a green oasis for local people. People from all backgrounds are invited to get involved, with Grass Roots addressing transport costs, providing shared meals and accommodating children to ensure that anyone, no matter their circumstances, can…

KAREN BARON FROM LANCASHIRE Karen has hada veg plot in her garden for more than 20 years and is passionate about organic growing and nature. Why did you start growing your own? I wanted to growa wide variety of fresh organic produce for my family. No chemicals and no food miles. What do youfind most challenging about the plot? The slugs and snails equally enjoy my produce. Have you any advice you could pass on to other readers? Have fun with it. Nature is wild, sometimes crops will fail; sometimes they will be amazing! Don’t beat yourself up about it if things don’t go to plan. There’s always next year. Can you name some of your favourite crops? At the moment it’s the greengage. The sweet, delicious green plum isafirm…

It’s time for warming winter dishes now and this is perfect for warming you up on a cold winter’s day! We’ve plenty of potatoes in store and any variety works well in this tasty, but simple, baked meal. SERVES 4 Takes about an hour and a half ■ 1 garlic clove, diced ■ Few sprigs of thyme ■ Stalk of rosemary ■ 125ml (4fl oz) ham or vegetable stock ■ 150ml (5fl oz) milk ■ 150ml 5fl oz) double cream ■ Butter for greasing ■ Salt and pepper ■ 750g (1½oz) potatoes ■ 3 leeks, sliced thinly ■ 200g (7oz) thick cooked ham, chopped (for a spicier flavour try using chorizo instead) ■ 75g (2½oz) strong cheddar cheese, grated 1. Put the garlic, thyme and rosemary into a saucepan along…

STEP 1. Preparefive-litre lidded buckets. Drill eight holes, 10-12mm (½in) in diameter, across the sides in two staggered rows. Then drill smaller drainage holes into the bottom. STEP 2. Pasteurise the straw to kill offmost unwanted bacteria. Stuff the straw into net sacks and cover with very hot but not boiling water. Leave for half an hour then remove to cool and drain off. STEP 3. Clean and sterilise everything else very thoroughly. Use isopropyl alcohol or a similar steriliser to wipe all surfaces, including the bucket, outer packaging of the grain spawn, and your hands. STEP 4. Fill the bucket, starting with a layer of straw then some crumbled grain spawn. Push down as youfill, alternating layers till you get to the top. Aim for about 5-10% grain spawn…

The Harrogate Autumn Flower Show used to be held at the Harrogate Showground but in recent years has found its autumnal home at Newby Hall and Gardens, a beautiful setting for the show, organised by the North of England Horticultural Society (NEHS) and held between September 13-15. In addition to the show itself you also get free entry to Newby Hall, which was adorned with a range of striking floral displays, many of which were designed by floristry students from local colleges. And there is also plenty to see around the hall itself: a rose garden, water garden, tropical garden, white garden, rock garden, woodland garden and an autumn garden. As for the show there are, of course, the magnificent flower and vegetable displays, plus plenty of stalls selling all…

(AGM is the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Under RHS garden trials these varieties performed particularly well) SAVE £12.95 FREE* WITH EVERY ORDER RHUBARB ‘POULTON’S PRIDE’ - 9CM POTTED PLANT Regular customers will know that the team at DTBrown has been at the forefront of rhubarb breeding in recent years. We were the first to introduce ‘Livingstone’, the first autumn cropping variety, and later we launched our very own ‘Poulton’s Pride’, which crops for up to 10 months of the year! ‘Poulton’s Pride’ is simply the best rhubarb we have ever tasted (and we’ve tasted quite a few!). We are still amazed at how deliciously sweet the rosy red flushed stems are – a totally unique flavour! Not only does ‘Poulton’s Pride’ taste fantastic, but it will keep on cropping…

PUT TOOLS AWAY Put away any garden equipment that is no longer needed and secure items such as empty water butts and plastic composters, which could fly about during winter storms. SOW GREEN MANURES Sow field beans and forage peas in empty spaces as green manures. This will help protect and feed the soil over winter, and provide extra material for compost heaps in the spring. PREVENT MOULDS Ventilate under cover spaces to help prevent mildews and moulds. Remember to close them again in the late afternoon to protect plants from freezing night-time temperatures. HARVEST ROOT CROPS Carrots and beetroot can be harvested to store in crates for the winter. Remove leaves but keep them muddy, as this helps to keep the root veg tasty and fresh. MAKING COMPOST As…

Play noughts & crosses Hi! I’m Belle and I’m here every month to share lots of fun activities for you to do at home, on your own or with your family Have you played the game noughts and crosses? You may have used pen and paper to play. Let’s make it more fun, by playing it outside using natural materials. It’s a simple game for two people that can be played anywhere. YOU WILL NEED: ■ Four straight sticks to make your grid ■ Five of one item, and five of another item. You could choose leaves, acorns, shells or stones. WHAT TO DO: 1. Place your sticks in a grid pattern. 2. Choose a set of five items for yourself, perhaps five stones for example. Then ask your opponent…

BOTTLES WIN CORN BATTLE For the last three years I have not had any problems with rats, magpies or pigeons attacking my sweetcorn. Over the years I had tried various barriers and deterrents with mixed success until I had a brainwave. I put some of my bottomless milk bottles, normally used for targeted feeding of squashes etc, over each ripening cob. It looks a bit unsightly but I have not lost a single cob since using this method. My fellow allotmenteers are now using my method. One litre bottles without handles work best. Val Brown, Liverpool TONY SAYS: Well Val, I’m cob-smacked. You may have started a new trend! * STAR * LETTER WINS £25 VOUCHER TRYING SOMETHING NEW Every year I like to try to grow something new, so…

As the days get shorter and the air crisper, there’s one vegetable I always look forward to pulling from the ground in autumn and winter: the leek. A staple of traditional British cooking, leeks bring warmth and flavour to hearty soups, stews and casseroles, making them a firm favourite on the allotment and in the kitchen. Their mild, sweet onion-like taste and soft texture make them a joy to cook with during the colder months, when they’re at their best. Leeks have long been synonymous with Wales, even appearing as one of the country’s national symbols. The story goes back to ancient times, when St David – the patron saint of Wales – urged Welsh soldiers to wear leeks in their helmets to distinguish themselves in battle. Today, you’ll still…

STEP 1. Growing in logs starts with inoculated grooved wooden dowels. Mushroom suppliers can advise on the best tree species for the mushroom you wish to grow. STEP 2. Drill holes about 15cm (6in) apart right across the log. Hammer in the dowels so they are flush with the bark then seal them in with molten wax. STEP 3. Move logs to a shady spot. Logs may be stacked or, more usually, nestled upright into the ground, which will help to keep them moist. Water in dry spells.…

This home for an Anglican monastic order, the Community of the Resurrection in Mirfield is, despite its suburban setting, a sanctuary of silence. South-facing, with a panoramic vista, it also provides the perfect natural environment for the extensive fruit growing that takes place there. On an unseasonally mild, yet rainy day, the apple trees were abundant as they would be in October, while the bushes exhausted from bearing varieties of succulent soft fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blackcurrants over the long hot summer, were dying back as nature intends at this time of year. Yet, still, there is sufficient flourishing within these beautiful grounds to satisfy Father Thomas Seville’s jam and jelly ingredients. Father Thomas is a guardian for novices and is also a tutor to those who…

As I came out of the Covid pandemic, I knew something was wrong with my health, but like many middle-aged men I buried my head in the sand and put it down to age. Over the pandemic I had put on weight and was 139kg (22 stone) and ended up being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I made the excuse that it ran in the family, but my doctor didn’t accept this. She gave me an ultimatum: A deadline of six months to do something about my weight. I went away and did some thinking, some crying, and then I became practical and looked at my relationship with food. My lifestyle is no longer the manual work of my grandparent’s time; we sit in cars, sit in offices, sit on…

ROASTED PEAR BLUE CHEESE SALAD Pear and rocket salad is something I’ve always enjoyed, especially in the hotter months, where salads are at their best. However, by roasting the pears, you can coax this salad right into the cold winter months! SERVES 4 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes ■ 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided ■ 250g (9oz) rocket ■ 100g (3½oz) blue cheese, crumbled ■ 3-4 medium, firm pears, quartered lengthwise and cored ■ 4 tbsp walnuts, roughly chopped FOR THE DRESSING ■ 3 tbsp sherry vinegar, divided ■ 2 tsp honey ■ 1 garlic clove, minced ■ Salt and pepper to taste 1. Pre-heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 2. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper and place the pears on it. Drizzle one…

BUTTERFLY EMERGENCY DECLARED Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation has declared a national ‘Butterfly Emergency’ with results of this summer’s Big Butterfly Count showing a marked and hugely concerning decline in numbers. Overall, participants spotted just seven butterflies on average per 15-minute count, a reduction of almost 50% on last year’s average of 12, and the lowest in the 14-year history of the Big Butterfly Count. In total, just over 935,000 butterflies and day-flying moths were recorded across the UK from July 12-August 4, down almost 600,000, equivalent to more than a third of 2023’s total, and 9000 counts were logged as seeing zero butterflies, the highest in the citizen science programme’s history. Dr Richard Fox, head of science at Butterfly Conservation, said: “The previous lowest average number of butterflies per count…

Get in touch by post, email or via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/kitchengardenmag SCORCHED APPLE LEAVES * STAR * QUESTION WINS 225 VOUCHER The leaves on my apple trees look scorched and when I look closely I can see lots of pale winding marks on them and little white silky things like spider’s web. Is there anything I can do? Dorothy Pooley, Clacton STEVE SAYS: Your trees have been affected by apple leaf miner. This is a common problem but becomes especially noticeable in late summer when the last and largest of three generations that occur through the season finish feeding and start to pupate. The pest itself is a tiny white moth with folded wings and the silky items you see on the surface of the leaves that look like…

During my time as a gardener, I’ve noticed that the seasons tend to blend together more, and many crops carry on growing and cropping well into autumn. However, the cooler November temperatures and shorter days mean tender veg finally comes to an end and it’s time for the end-of-season tidy up. The runner beans up the wigwam have now completely finished and it’s time to strip them off the poles, shred the long stems and add them to the compost heap. The variety we grew was ‘Firestorm’ which is self-pollinating and produced masses of beans, many of which are now in the freezer. I purposely left a few pods on to ripen and I’ll sow a few seeds next year to see if they grow true. Many years ago an…

There’s more to it than button mushrooms! Here are some popular, easy-to-grow options to try indoors. ■ Lion’s mane: Often called the ‘brain mushroom’ for its remarkable benefits for mental clarity. It has a top-rate taste too! ■ Chestnut: Button mushrooms mature into chestnut mushrooms, developing superior taste anda higher vitamin content as they do so. ■ Shiitake: Popular in Asian cuisine, the shiitake has an irresistibly meaty texture and outstanding umami flavour. ■ Oyster: Oyster mushrooms are among the very easiest to grow. Choose from yellow, pink and grey – the simplest of all. ■ King oyster: This type takes the crown for its regal appearance. Bold, beautiful fruiting bodies with a deep flavour.…

There’s no doubt that composting in your garden is a win-win activity. You’re transforming green waste into something useful that will improve your soil or potting mixes, while also reducing your environmental impact. But should we be adding weeds to the mix or is this just asking for trouble? I would say, yes, we can, as long as we take a few sensible precautions. WHY WOULD WE WANT TO COMPOST WEEDS? Whenever it is practical, I will compost weeds rather than sending them off in the council collection bin. Composted weeds are a useful source of organic matter, which boosts the ability of the soil to retain moisture and nutrients. Also, when the weeds were growing, they were taking nutrients out of the soil, so I want those nutrients back!…

THE CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENT VEGETABLE GARDEN By Kim Stoddart There is no doubt that climate change is with us – every gardener has seen the effects in their own plots – and how we adapt to it will dictate how successful our future crops, and lives, will be. In her new book, awardwinning gardening author Kim Stoddart argues that many of the old ‘golden rules’ of gardening no longer apply in a world with higher temperatures and less water and that we have to turn to nature for inspiration as to how to care for our precious produce. This is a comprehensive guide written from Kim’s many years of observing climate change on her third-of-an-acre veg garden in West Wales, where she has experienced extreme weather patterns such as flooding…

BUMPER BIRD BUNDLE Tempt more birds to your garden, and support British farming! Kitchen Garden subscribers can buy two 12.55kg packs of Wiggly Huskless Feed for £49 plus £3.95 p&p, and get 20 free British Insect Fatballs, worth £9 – stock up for winter, or treat someone special this Christmas! Wiggly Huskless Feed is a premium ‘no grow’ blend, including sunflower hearts, peanut granules and pinhead oats, that provides high-energy nutrition for small birds without the mess of husks or unwanted seedlings. British Insect Fatballs are packed with protein-rich insects to provide the energy boost birds need in the colder months. When you buy from Wiggly Wigglers, you’re not just getting top-quality bird feed – you’re buying direct from the company’s farm, where regenerative farming practices support biodiversity and help…

“Each jar or bottle is a piece of your hard work, your garden, and your passion for growing” Every year, I’ve tasked myself with making more home-made gifts from the garden– if you read the March edition, you’ll know that my chilli jam isa hit each year, and this year I’ve tried blackberry gin too. I’ve had so much fun growing the ingredients, brewing the concoctions, and then designing the labels – my friends and family will know these little jars and bottles are the result of months of care and attention, making them all the more meaningful! They’re both super easy and fun to make, so hopefully you’ll be inspired to make something from your produce next year too. As we all know, there’s something incredibly rewarding about growing…