Innehållsförteckning för May 2019 från Kitchen Garden

May marks a watershed in the garden for many of us – we can actually think about sowing all those tender veggies ready for planting out next month. So in this issue you’ll find advice on growing squashes and sweetcorn (we’ve even provided the seeds!), sweet potatoes as well as making a mini greenhouse for your tomatoes that should guarantee you some early crops. We also have some great advice from Ben Vanheems on feeding your pots and containers the natural way, while award-winning fruit expert David Patch explains how to get started with Asian or nashi pears. Veteran plotter Graham Strong continues his series on starting a new plot from scratch and our top team of Joyce Russell and Martin Fish bring you all the essential jobs for the…

BOLTING RHUBARB Rhubarb can get off to a good start earlier in the year and you may think you will be eating fat fleshy stems for months. But turn your back for a moment and the next thing you see is a bursting thick flower spike pushing up from the centre of the clump. Old plants are more prone to bolting than young ones and stress conditions, such as heat and drought, will push plants to flower. Keep beds shaded if possible and water well. Nip out any flower spikes as soon as you spot them and, if the problem persists, consider dividing clumps and planting a new bed before plants grow shoots next spring. THIN BEETROOT Rows may be crowded at this point. If you want to grow reasonable…

■ As tomato plants start to make strong growth, tie the main stem at regular intervals to a cane for support and pinch out small side shoots growing in the leaf joints. ■ Sow curly kale seed in plug trays to produce young plants for growing on in the polytunnel to provide you with fresh greens in late summer. ■ Harden off veg plants such as beans, courgettes and sweetcorn that are destined for the garden. ■ Coriander is prone to running to seed very quickly, so sow in pots every few weeks to give you a steady supply through the summer. ■ Thin rows of carrots, beetroot and spring onion seedlings to allow the remaining plants room to grow. The thinnings can be added to salads.…

A GREAT YEAR OF GROWING! Many thanks for all of the ideas and advice given in Kitchen Garden magazine. I have been a subscriber for just over a year now. I keep an allotment and I have a garden and last year was my first year with a greenhouse, so I have found the articles really useful and inspiring at times. Last year I grew celeriac and salsify for the first time, and we have enjoyed them roasted and in soups and stews. The ‘Marmande’ tomatoes were fantastic, as were the ‘Long Red Marconi’ peppers, helped along by the sunny summer and the new greenhouse! This year I am going to try the chilli peppers that came free with the January magazine, although I suspect that very few of them…

POOR GERMINATION Seeds fail to germinate at all or germination is very erratic. HOW TO CONTROL: Maintain a temperature of 18-21C (65-70F), either on a warm windowsill or in a heated propagator. Keep soil moist but not waterlogged. POOR POLLINATION Flowers are produced but do not set, hence no fruit. HOW TO CONTROL: Although aubergines are self-pollinating, sometimes they need a bit of help so leave greenhouse or polytunnel doors open for bee access and/or dab the inside of the flower with a soft-haired brush. WHITEFLY These are particularly a problem earlier in the growing season, sucking the sap from plants and, like aphids, excreting ‘honeydew’ which turns into a sooty mould. HOW TO CONTROL: Use sticky traps or introduce the parasitic wasp encarsia, a natural predator of whitefly (available…

A garden begins with a feeling or sensation, perhaps one remembered from years before. It may be some time before the idea takes shape, the plans made and put into place. The inspiration for the Skyline Garden at Coutts Bank in the Strand began far away from the centre of London. Peter Fiori, executive chef at Coutts Bank, used to spend his childhood summers on the family farm at the village of Cerretoli, in the area called Garfagnana in northern Tuscany. “I remember eating a freshly picked ‘Marmande’ tomato with a pinch of salt and a good slug of thick Lucca olive oil,” he said. His taste bud memory was of dishes eaten by the family based around the seasonal vegetables that came from their own garden. It was this…

Do you tend your plot on your own? I garden with my mum. When I was living with my boyfriend (now my husband) we first lived in a holiday home. We had a big garden back then. When we moved to an apartment with only a balcony my mum suggested we could own an allotment. Fantastic idea and solution. We started gardening on our allotment very soon after that and it became the start of a longtime shared passion of (allotment) gardening. Do you have an allotment or veg plot in your garden? We have an allotment of 170m2 and a vineyard of 75m2 . We also both have a garden now around our houses. In my garden around the house I have some fruit trees: apple, quince, pears, plum…

Corn ranges from savoury to super sweet, yellow to blue, giant growers to hip high minis – it’s not just sweetcorn! It has always been a staple of native Indians in the United States, with most corn varieties actually being more savoury in flavour and used as a ‘starch’ – like potatoes – for many meals. Many have a richer, rounder flavour, almost like chestnuts. This is totally different to some modern, one dimensional sweetcorns which are just sweet with little flavour. “We can grow popcorn varieties well in the UK, especially the smaller sized cob ones like ‘Strawberry Popcorn’” GROWING TIPS Growing your own corn at home is pretty easy once you’ve decided what type you want to grow; just remember they don’t like to have their roots disturbed.…

We have plans for a second greenhouse. We did have a polytunnel, but it struggled with the winds on the hillside and ended up blowing away. Getting a second greenhouse means we can grow plants for sale, for use in the garden and for developing new areas. We have plans to move some of the orchard to create wind barriers in the wider garden and develop a wildlife area in that part of the garden. The shed needs extending to create a workshop. Then we have new raised beds in the veg plot to set in place. A garden never stands still and with us, it is all about adapting to our changing needs and finding the materials to do it with.…

The squashes you can store for several months are the winter squashes. Unlike summer squashes, such as courgette and patty pan, the winter squash will develop a hard skin which allows them to be stored for longer. They are fairly easy to grow and are harvested in autumn. Examples include pumpkin, butternut, hubbard, spaghetti, acorn and red kuri. WHEN TO SOW It is best to start off squash seed with some warmth in April. This gives them a head start as they need a long growing season and our summers are not always long enough to ensure a good crop. Sowing at this time they should be about the right size in early to mid June for planting out. They are frost tender so should not be planted out too…

This syrup makes a refreshing summer mocktail and is delicious drizzled over desserts. I use a tea cup to measure the quantities; the key is to use the same size container for flowers, sugar and water. You can use just one flower, or make your own blend. ■ 1 tea cup edible highly scented flower petals (e.g. rose, rosemary, elderflower, lavender) ■ 1 tea cup water ■ 1 tea cup sugar or honey 1. Pour the ingredients into a pan and gradually bring to the boil. 2. Reduce the heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved, then simmer with the lid off for five minutes. 3. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. 4. Strain through a sieve into a clean, labelled bottle. This keeps for one…

Last May turned out to be something of a battle between heart and head. Do I press on with sowing and planting up every available piece of cultivated ground to hasten those eagerly anticipated first harvests, or pause and reflect for a while? Do I need paths for access, where will the water barrels go, where will runner beans thrive, how can I get a quart into a pint pot(!)? With my garden designer hat on, it was not a difficult decision. I had already produced my scale plan for a ‘looks good, tastes good’ plot with features like seating areas, raised beds, a cane pergola and eye-catchers like an old water cart as focal points. Now it was just a question of getting as much of the bones of…

It can be hard to ripen a good crop of tomatoes outdoors. A hot summer helps, but there can still be a cold late spring before the good weather arrives and in some areas the sunny growing season just isn’t long enough. The secret is to provide some shelter and to boost temperatures so plants can make the most of whatever the summer brings. This grow station provides a perfect sheltered environment. It performs really well and provides a good way to grow tender crops for those that don’t have a greenhouse or the ideal growing conditions. You don’t even need to have a garden – this frame will fit against a heat-retaining wall in a yard. Provided there is some shelter and plenty of sun, you can indulge your…

Asian pear trees are offered on both dwarfing rootstocks (generally Quince A or Quince C) or on a vigorous stock such as Seedling Pear. I much prefer these trees on Seedling Pear rootstock – they can easily be kept in check with pruning, and the extra vigour helps the tree in less forgiving sites. Even on a vigorous rootstock, they still fruit at a young age and can be kept at a manageable height of 3m (10ft) or so. Dwarfing rootstocks can produce stunted trees and poor crops in all but the most auspicious of conditions.…

WHERE TO GROW Rosemary is a perennial evergreen shrub, having its origins in the Mediterranean. Whether you plant it in a garden border, in a pot or as part of a herb garden, it will not disappoint. Give it free-draining soil and a sunny, sheltered spot and it will get on very well, with little maintenance required. HOW TO GROW The best option is to buy a potted plant to start with from which you can take cuttings later on as the plant matures. Sowing from seed can be a little hit or miss and requires patience. Sow April-May on the surface of a moist seed compost and either cover with a clear polythene bag or place in a heated propagator if you have one. Germination is more likely to…

CUTTING CLASSICS Spear & Jackson has more than 250 years’ experience in making high-quality hand tools. The company offers an extensive range of garden cutting tools under its Razorsharp brand, including secateurs, loppers, shears and gift sets. The Razorsharp range combines optimum cutting performance and durability with ease of use and comfort for the gardener. Many of the products in the range feature geared, compound and ratchet mechanisms that are specially designed to offer more cutting power while requiring less effort from the gardener, which enables comfortable extended use. The new Vintage Bypass Secateurs and Snips Set (RRP £18.49), one of the latest additions to the Spear & Jackson cutting tool range, would make a gift to delight any keen gardener. Designed in an authentic vintage style, both tools feature…

10 MINUTE JOBS SOW BEANS Sow climbing beans in pots, or where they are to grow, after frost risk has passed. Sow a few extra seeds to fill gaps. Be sure to use a strong structure to support plants as they grow. Runner beans are usually reliable croppers. French beans crop a little earlier and do very well in a good summer. CLEAR PATHS These are the routes around the garden that help you to work in a fast and efficient way. Don’t leave tools where you can trip over them and sweep any debris that might make a slippery surface. Make the garden as safe as you can and enjoy the tidy space. LOOK AFTER ONIONS AND GARLIC Bulbs start to swell now on autumn-planted varieties. Plants need plenty…

■ HARVEST BROAD BEANS Pick pods before they get too big and enjoy the beans while they are small and delicious. ■ GREENFLY These pests can distort small plants. Look under curled leaves and squash greenfly if there are only a few. An organic soap spray will kill them off or use a spray of water to dislodge them – repeat every day until plants are clear. ■ PREPARE BEDS Dig some well-rotted manure into pumpkin and sweetcorn beds. These are greedy plants that will reward you with bumper crops if you feed them well. ■ MOW AND MULCH Cut grass before it produces seed. Use the clippings to mulch between rows of peas, beans and potatoes. Make sure soil is damp before you put a layer of clippings on…

■ Basil is a great summer herb that thrives in warm weather, but sulks when it’s cool! To give it a good start, sow the seed cell trays in a warm greenhouse for protection. When established, pot the seedlings into larger pots, or plant into the polytunnel border to grow on through the summer. ■ Keep an eye open for pests in the greenhouse such as aphids on salads, tomato plants or seedlings. If spotted squash them with your fingers or spray with an organic insecticide. ■ In moist, warm growing conditions weeds can germinate and grow very quickly and smother vegetable seedlings. Weed through the beds regularly either by hand or with a hoe. ■ How and when you water can help to reduce slug damage in the polytunnel.…

Thought you might like to know of my ‘hot’ tip when using ground cover fabric. I tend to lay fabric on cleared beds to keep weeds down and I therefore plant through it. This always used to mean cutting a ‘plus sign’ slit in it at each planting location. The downside of this is that neither woven fabric nor black polythene is always easy to cut, and you can be plagued with loose black plastic strands. So I now have a work around. I got two empty cans, a baked bean tin and a large catering size veg tin, and I screwed a fat block of wood on to the closed end of the tins (an 8 to 12in piece of 3 x 2in) stud timber works well. I heat…

THE EVIL VINE WEEVIL For the last few years I have been growing strawberries in various pots around the garden, but each year seem to be encountering the same problem. The pots get full of vine weevils munching on the roots! I change the soil each year but they still keep coming back. What would be a good method to prevent them from returning year after year so I can have good healthy plants with lots of strawberries? Janet Oliver, Cheshire David Patch, professional nurseryman, R V Roger Ltd DAVID SAYS: Vine weevils in pots are tenacious little chaps – but the good news is they can be beaten. Are you using the same plants each year when you repot? If so, the larvae will be clinging in amongst the…

MOUNTFIELD Mountfield has been one of the UK’s leading lawnmower manufacturers for more than 50 years and its lawnmowers, lawn tractors and garden care products all share a reputation for outstanding quality and reliability. You can view all the ranges on the Mountfield website: www.mountfieldlawnmowers.co.uk WOLF-GARTEN The WOLF-Garten gardening tool collection offers the total solution for soil and cultivation, lawn care, tree and shrub care and general garden maintenance. The WOLF-Garten philosophy is to provide gardening tools and machinery of premium quality and performance. www.wolfgartentools.co.uk or tel 01869 363674 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 mail order service and as well as being renowned for its sturdy…

If we start with the most savoury corns, these are usually the ones which are grown to be turned into flour for making tortillas. They take too long to grow in the UK and don’t really crop well, plus we don’t have the culture of grinding our own flour or making lots of things with cornflour. That said, we can grow popcorn varieties well in the UK, especially the smaller-sized cob ones like ‘Strawberry Popcorn’. This smaller, red-coloured variety makes great popcorn once the cobs are dried and it also looks very attractive when used for ornamental purposes in the autumn around Halloween. The plant grows to only around 1.5m (5ft) tall, so it won’t take over your garden and each plant produces two to three cobs. ■ ‘BLUE JADE’…

You moved to your current home on the beautiful moors east of Manchester in 2011, but had you any experience of growing your own before that? My dad had an allotment in the Eighties – it wasn’t just the decade of leg warmers and mullets, it was also the decade of Heath Robinson greenhouses made from old windows. Imagine a childhood spent under a multitude of stained glass windows, watering tomatoes. Even now when I pinch out tomatoes I can still see that leaded stained glass greenhouse; it felt like I was gardening at a church altar. At the age of seven we moved, and the allotment didn’t come with us. We became a family of the gooseberry, rhubarb and strawberry patch but no more home-grown vegetables. I didn’t grow…

Growing vegetables and fruits in containers offers the ultimate flexibility in what you grow, how you grow it and where it’s grown. Peaches on the patio? Not a problem! Beetroot on the balcony? Sure, go for it! Containers are the go-to solution when traditional options for growing in the ground hit the buffers. Few of us, for example, have perfect soil for growing blueberries. Yet homegrown blueberries are extraordinarily tasty and outrageously good for you. The answer? Plant these acid-lovers into pots of ericaceous compost to provide the conditions they crave. Container crops also mean you can take advantage of sun-trap courtyards, or grow a little of your own in the most unlikely of places – on a fifth-floor balcony, up on the roof, or over heavily contaminated or impoverished…

Lots of pots to fill? Don’t fancy paying over the odds for bags of pre-mixed multi-purpose compost? Then make your own! This recipe is great for annual crops like most vegetables. Or, for perennial crops like fruit trees, combine equal parts loam and sieved garden compost, with some slow-release fertiliser. 1 Mix two parts sieved, garden-made compost with one part leaf mould or coir fibre 2 Now add one generous handful of perlite to every 20 litres of your compost mix 3 Mix in some organic slow-release fertiliser according to the manufacturer’s instructions 4 Thoroughly mix all of the ingredients together then store in a container in a cool, dry place…

There are lots to choose from so here is just a selection. ■ ‘WALTHAM BUTTERNUT’: This butternut is being given away with this issue. It is a lovely butternut which has pale skin and orange flesh and is very tasty. ■ ‘CROWN PRINCE’: This one is a popular squash as it has great nutty flavour. It produces large fruits up to about 4kg (9lb) in size and has a beautiful blue grey skin, which contrasts with the deep orange flesh inside. It is delicious roasted or for making soup. ■ PUMPKIN ‘ROUGE VIF D’ETAMPES’: An heirloom variety from France, said to be the inspiration for Cinderella’s fairytale coach. It produces ribbed but flattened deep orange fruits and its flesh is good in pies or baked. ■ ‘UCHIKI KURI’: Also known…

■ ‘LEMON GEM’ MARIGOLD – a small, brightly coloured flower with a delicious citrus flavour, this is a real favourite. It’s a great companion for tomatoes and produces many fragrant blooms over a long season. ■ CALENDULA – probably the most versatile of all of the edible flowers I grow, calendula is a great companion plant. I like to grow a range of varieties, from bright orange to deep red. ■ CORNFLOWER – the lapis lazuli blue looks stunning in summer salads and keeps its colour dried. I love to add it to rice dishes. ■ BORAGE – who can resist the pretty blue star flowers? Perfect for Pimms, this is a great bee plant too. ■ NASTURTIUM – spicy, peppery flowers add zing to your meals. All of the…

Three of our gardeners have active social media pages and you can follow their progress: BILL LOVE: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billagardener/365745710489361/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billsallotmentbelfast/ YouTube: https://bit.ly/billgardener RACHAEL SMITH: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_R_GKS5btt2A3RW8DxvceQ (or just search YouTube for Colliery Garden) Instagram @collierygarden REKHA MISTRY: Instagram @rekha.kitchen.garden@rekha18rekhagardenkitchen.com…

■ An open, sunny site is best. Dig out as much perennial weed as you can. ■ Get your site as level as possible (the bigger the rake, the easier it is), treading it down well as you work. ■ Use a tensioned string line to mark the edge of the beds. ■ To reduce the cutting, work with the dimensions of sleepers you have. Cut one 8ft section in half to make two bed ends, for example. ■ Use internal brackets rather than big nails to secure the corners. ■ Aim to have paths at least 18in wide between beds.…

■ Keep compost damp and use a liquid feed when fruit starts to swell. ■ Push canes into the growbags and tie plants into these as they grow. ■ Remove the cover from time to time so you can remove side shoots and take a good look at the growing plants. ■ Open the sides of the cover to increase ventilation on warm days and close sides up again if nights are cold. ■ You can pull the frame further away from the wall to allow for extra ventilation while still protecting plants, but remember the wall holds heat to helps keep plants warm. ■ Use two turn-buttons to anchor the frame to the wall if it is in a windy location. Another option is to make more slots and…

■ ‘CHOJURO’ – introduced in Japan in 1895. Excellent flavour, and one of the best varieties for keeping. (R V Roger, Lubera) ■ ‘NIITAKA’ – brown russeted skin and white flesh when fully ripe. Superb sweet flavour, heavy crops. (R V Roger) ■ ‘NIJISSEIKI’ – originated in Japan in 1898, the name translates as ‘Twentieth Century’. Clear yellow fruit with a thin skin. Extremely juicy. (R V Roger) ■ ‘SHINSUI’ – a newer variety, introduced in 1965 and now the most popular variety in Japan. Upright growing tree producing abundant crops of delicious sweet fruit. (Keepers Nursery, Deacons Nursery) ■ ‘SHINKO’ – heavy cropping with good disease resistance. The fruit is large, with a sweet flavour. (Victoriana Nursery)…

■ ‘LADY IN WHITE’: As the name suggests, this produces white flowers set against dark green leaves.(http://secretherbgarden.co.uk) ■ ‘MAJORCA PINK’: This grows up to 1.2m (4ft) and produces very attractive pink flowers. (www.gardenbeauty.co.uk) ■ ‘MISS JESSOPP’S UPRIGHT’: ‘Miss Jessopp’s Upright’ is a medium sized variety producing light blue flowers. (www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk) ■ ‘PROSTRATUS GROUP’: Low-growing with a spreading habit, which means it can used for ground cover or in pots to cascade down. Blue flowers. www.crocus.co.uk…

FRAMBERRY FRUIT PLANTS Try something a bit different this summer! A breakthrough in soft fruit breeding has created this wonderful variety which looks like a strawberry, but tastes like a strawberry and raspberry combined – just delicious! The plants grow in a similar way to strawberries and are easy to maintain. They can also be grown in hanging baskets and containers and placed near the kitchen door for easy picking! Supplied as three x 9cm potted plants. Harvest from June.…

STEP 1: Sow brassica seeds in April and early May. These can be started in small pots or tubs and they do best if started at a temperature around 15C (59F). If temperatures are too high, seedlings can be scorched or grow too fast and ‘leggy’. Sow a pinch of seed for each variety – most people only need a few cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli or kale plants; and most will germinate if seed is reasonably fresh. STEP 2: Prick seedlings out when they have one or two true leaves and before they start to crowd one another in pots. There should be no competition for nutrients and no major disruption to growth. Put seedlings 10cm(4in) apart in a deep tub or container filled with garden compost. Large containers can be…

SALAD LEAVES THROUGH THE SUMMER A polytunnel provides the perfect growing conditions for lettuce and salad leaves, and with just a little planning it’s possible to have fresh leaves for much of the year. Although it’s good to be able to have a few fresh leaves in the winter, the main salad eating time is from now through to autumn. To maintain a constant supply, sow seed every few weeks. I tend to start the plants off in cell trays to produce strong plants for planting out in the border. Where space is limited, sow the seeds in trays or pots of compost. If you sow a pot every two or three weeks, you’ll have a plentiful supply of fresh leaves to pick as needed. POT PEPPERS INTO FINAL POTS…

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…

Climbing beans are a great starter veg for children because the seeds are large, so are easy for little fingers to handle. They are also fairly quick to grow too. For extra fun, why not create a wigwam of poles with an opening on one side to create a children’s den for the summer? Do use sturdy posts for this rather than bamboo canes. The latter can sometimes topple, especially if the bean foliage gets top heavy. Not a good thing if making a den! Beans are also easy to harvest and many children like their taste too. They are educational as their flowers attract bees. For further interest, get the children to make some butterflies to attach to the canes and stems. MAKING BUTTERFLIES These are fun to make…

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.…

Steve talks you through the origins of these unusual tubers, which originate from South America. There are different varieties – each with a slightly different taste – available from some seed companies and from The Guild of Oca Breeders (http://ocabreeders.org). You can grow oca tubers like potatoes, except they don’t get blight and they don’t need earthing up. You can start them off in pots initially, inside, 7cm (3in) deep, or plant them straight outside about 25cm (10in) apart – but they do need to be protected from frost initially. They produce clover-like leaves which are also edible and have a lemony flavour. STEVE’S TOP TIP: Harvest at the end of the year, about five or six weeks after the tops have been killed off by frost, because this is…

The humble spud has a new competitor. These days it’s all about the sweet potato, at least when it comes to health benefits. In nutritional terms, the sweet potato beats your ‘Maris Pipers’ and ‘King Edwards’ hands (or forks) down. The so-called ‘super food’ is packed with vitamin A as well as lashings of other vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. You can even eat the leaves, which are highly nutritious and similar to spinach in taste. And while ordinary potatoes will always be a Sunday roast favourite, they don’t actually count towards your five-a-day. And the leaves are poisonous, so definitely don’t try those at home! Despite appearances, potatoes and sweet potatoes aren’t related. The traditional tubers are part of the tomato family, whereas sweet potatoes are related to bindweed –…

Continuing on the sweetness scale, next you have ‘sugar-enhanced’ hybrids. These varieties are both corn flavoured and really sweet. Along with being sweeter than regular sweetcorn, sugar-enhanced varieties also have kernels which are thin skinned, giving them a sweet, creamy, corn flavour. ■ ‘INCREDIBLE F1’ does exactly what it says on the tin; it grows well in most of the UK, crops well and tastes… incredible. When you grow sugar-enhanced varieties at home, you will notice they always taste sweeter than shop-bought sweetcorn; this is because the sugars in corn can turn to starch with incredible speed. Therefore, the same variety could be offered in the shops, but it would never taste as sweet as the same one grown at home and harvested, cooked and eaten the same day. Finally,…

Reuse, recycle and refuse to let anything go unless it is beyond repair. Save your own seed (this is easy with beans as you allow the pods to dry) or join a seed swap group. Get your compost bins up and running. Garden compost made from your own green and brown waste, e.g. plant waste and cardboard, will save you a fortune over the years and pay you back a thousandfold as the soil becomes richer with worms, bugs and nematodes. Learn to make your own teas: a simple one is fresh manure in an old piece of sacking in a drum of water. Dilute to the shade of weak tea and use.…

This recipe makes about four litres of plant tea concentrate, which diluted gives at least 20 litres of nutrient-rich feed – enough for quite a large garden. Plant teas are best used fresh so adapt quantities down if this proves too much. 1 Place 250g of poultry manure pellets or other organic fertiliser into a bucket 2 Add two generous handfuls of greens, such as chopped-up comfrey leaves, nettles or lawn clippings 3 Now add around four litres of water and stir well. Cover the bucket and leave in a shady corner to brew 4 After two full days strain off the liquid (the sludge can go on to the compost heap). Dilute your tea with at least five parts water before applying…

Now is a good time for sowing edible flowers to brighten your plot: a flower garden you can eat! Delicious freshly picked in salads, these versatile flowers also make salves, dyes, herbal remedies, teas, tinctures, pickles and wine. Increasing biodiversity, with some protection, it is possible to grow some edible flowers year round (I have calendula in my polytunnel in the depths of winter). Although they can be direct sown, it’s much easier to grow transplants – less likely to be eaten by pests and you can have spare plants for any gaps or to share. Sow larger seeds – e.g. borage, sunflower, nasturtium – individually into modules filled with multi-purpose compost and smaller seeds into a seed tray. Prick out into individual modules or small pots to grow on…

■ Turn plants regularly to ensure even growth ■ Raise humidity by misting regularly (not in full sun) or standing pots over gravel or clay granules ■ Never stand plants over a radiator or other heat source ■ Check watering regularly and seed trays every day, looking for dry patches in the compost ■ Re-pot perennial plants, such as citrus in the spring ■ Watch for pests, which can build up on indoor plants, particularly red spider mite and scale ■ Feed regularly to maintain growth in summer ■ Give your plants a holiday outdoors on a sunny, sheltered patio in summer – they will love a warm summer rain shower!…

Imagine if Willy Wonka had been in charge of fruit trees, rather than confectionery. The flavours and textures he would have created. Instead of Everlasting Gobstoppers, Hair Toffee and Magic Chewing Gum, we might have had Self Cubing Pineapple, Chocolate Orange trees or even straight bananas (I’m writing this pre-Brexit!). However, Mother Nature is more than a match for Roald Dahl’s fictional hero and the subject of this month’s article is one of her stranger, but also one of her more delicious creations – the nashi pear. If you are European, the first time you bite into a nashi or Asian pear, you’ll get a big surprise. The small flat round fruit are generally yellow or light brown, some have light russeting on the skin, so they look almost like…

When: May 3 and 4 Where: Just off the A46 at Pennells Garden Centre, Lincoln LN6 9NT. 10am-4pm. For full directions and further details visit https://www.pennells. co.uk/lincoln The team (from left) – deputy editor Emma, staff writer Tony and editor Steve – will be at Pennell’s Garden Centre on the outskirts of Lincoln on Friday and Saturday, May 3 and 4, for this free roadshow (10am-4pm), answering as many questions as they can to help you get the best from your plot. Whether you’re a complete beginner at growing your own, or you just want some advice on how to get better results, you’ll find all you need at this fantastic event. Don’t miss the practical demonstrations on both days, where they’ll be taking you step-by-step through some simple projects…

JUTE TWINE Each spool provides 60m (197ft) of three-ply twine about 3mm thick. The spools are available in 22 different colours. NUTSCENE https://nutscene.com TEL: 01307 468589 PRODUCT CODE: N/A PRICE: £2.50 per spool * Prices correct at time of publication KG VERDICT These spools of twine are 100% Tossa jute plant fibre, so have excellent sustainability credentials and the twine is biodegradable. We liked the fact that there was plenty of length on each spool and the range of attractive colours. The twine itself is soft and strong and good for a range of garden tasks and/or craftwork. TWINE DISPENSER This twine dispenser is made from moulded steel with a seamless finish and with a tough powder coating in green. It has an FSC beech wood lid…

Call the credit card and debit card order hotline on 0845 371 0532* (open 8am to 8pm weekdays & 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 MAY Offers (KG19MAY), D T Brown Seeds, Bury Road, Newmarket, CB8 7PQ. Items will be despatched from late March (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. ORDERING ONLINE? VISIT WWW.KITCHENGARDENSHOP.CO.UK  AND ENTER CODE KG19MAY…

RADISH, FETA & PASTA SALAD  A vibrant spring dish to entice your tastebuds! Tangy feta and peppery radishes are paired with little pasta shapes for a light and refreshing lunch. SERVES 4 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 8 minutes ■ 200g/7oz feta ■ 280g/9oz Greek yogurt ■ 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ■ 60ml/ 2fl oz water ■ Sea salt and black pepper ■ 400g/13oz orecchiette or small pasta shells ■ 200g/7oz cherry tomatoes, halved ■ 1 small crisp cucumber, peeled and sliced ■ 6 radishes, chopped ■ A small handful basil ■ 1 tsp sumac 1. Place half the feta with the yoghurt, oil, water and a good grinding of salt and pepper in a bowl. Using a hand-held blender, blend until smooth. Set aside. 2. Cook the…