Innehållsförteckning för May 2025 från Kitchen Garden

Can you feel the force? It’s that force of nature that is so obvious in May, whether on the veg plot, in the borders or when you are out and about with early blooms bursting into colour, seeds germinating and shoots surging with renewed energy. It’s a time when, gardening jobs done for the day, I like nothing more than to sit in the garden with a cuppa and take it all in. But there are things to do if we are to take advantage of all this natural energy before the garden mellows into summer, and rest assured our experts are here to help you. This month gardening ace Martin Fish brings you some great advice on getting the best from your seedlings and young plants, while seed guardian…

A CLEVER OLD STICK Just thought I’d send you a photo of my brand-new greenhouse. My husband agrees it would have been quicker and less effort to have bought one but the finished result is so much better. He is a clever old stick and I’m absolutely delighted and it couldn’t have been better timing. It’s going to be well used in my happy place! Happy gardening everyone! Janet Thorndycraft, Kent TONY SAYS: Clever old stick indeed, Janet. What’s the saying? ‘Happy Wife, Happy Life’! * STAR * LETTER WINS £25 VOUCHER SHORTCHANGED ON MY SEEDS I don’t know if anybody else has noticed the problem of being shortchanged by seed companies. Last year I started counting any seeds where the average was 20 or less, as I had noticed…

Growing your own vegetable plants from seed is a cost-effective way to get a wide range of tasty edibles. It allows you to grow the varieties that you can’t buy as plants from garden centres and it’s also very satisfying to grow your own. Some vegetables can be sown directly into the ground but many are started off in containers and grown on until large enough to plant out. This gives the young veg plants a head start and it means you have strong plants that will, hopefully, establish faster when planted into the garden. When seed is sown into pots or seed trays of compost the seedlings need to be transplanted for growing on to prevent overcrowding and to give them more space to grow. This process is known…

In February I sowed my broad beans in a large planting tray filled with compost. The small plants were raised indoors, as I don’t now have a greenhouse, until they were 4cm (1½in) high and had their first true leaves. Then I put the tray outside to harden the seedlings to the cold. Now I have 50 broad bean plants in rows on my allotment plot. Initially they had a cover of chicken wire folded over them, like a cloche, to protect from mice. But now this has been removed so they can grow freely. I also raised eight strawberry plants, two rhubarb plants and several asparagus roots indoors in pots. And now it is springtime it is okay to plant them outside. The soil has warmed up a little…

WEED BEDS Keep hoeing on fine days to help the plot remain weed free. It’s fine to leave weeds on the surface of the soil during sunny weather as they will die and naturally be incorporated into the soil by the soil life SUPPORT BROAD BEANS To help protect them from windy weather either push twiggy sticks near each plant or place sticks at the end of the rows and use string to create a supporting framework PROTECT CARROTS Carrots can be protected from carrot root fly by covering them with a layer of fine insect mesh. Ensure this is securely pegged down so that the flies can’t get underneath SOW SALAD LEAVES Successional sow salad leaves every few weeks to ensure regular harvests throughout the summer without becoming overwhelmed…

GROW CARROTS! 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 I love growing and eating carrots! Carrots are root vegetables, which means that they grow under the soil until you decide it’s time to dig them up. You can grow orange varieties like you see in the shops, or yellow or purple ones which are super exciting. YOU WILL NEED: ■ Carrot seeds – you can choose from a variety of different types; long or short and round, whichever are suitable for your growing spot ■ Multi-purpose compost ■ A 30cm pot or larger deep circular container with holes in the base. You can chooseacontainer as instructed or sow them straight…

Get in touch by post, email or via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/kitchengardenmag THICK-SKINNED TOMATOES I have grown tomatoes in my greenhouse a number of times but they always have a thick skin. What am I doing wrong? Jim Torrance, Galashiels * STAR * QUESTION WINS £25 VOUCHER STEVE SAYS: Some varieties are more naturally thick-skinned than others, but the key to preventing them from becoming too thick and unpleasant to eat is to keep the plants (and therefore the fruit) growing reasonably quickly and without growth checks. Last summer was quite a slow year for tomatoes I found, mainly due to a lack of sunny days at times and, of course, there isn’t much you can do about that. However, in a normal season it’s making sure the plants have…

Beetroot is one of those vegetables that divides opinion– you either love its earthy sweetness or you don’t! But with so many ways to prepare and preserve it, from rich beetroot and horseradish relish to Middle Eastern falafels, there’s a way for everyone to enjoy this colourful root. When people think of preserving beetroot vinegar-pickling often comes to mind. However, around the world beetroot is preserved in many ways, being fermented, dried or even frozen for later use. Your freezer is an excellent tool for storing beetroot, whether roasted, grated, or blended into soups and bakes, so you can enjoy them long after harvest. Not all beets are deep red. In fact, orange and golden varieties like ‘Boldor’ won’t stain your hands while white varieties, closely related to sugar beet,…

“It almost rivals a lemon in its lemony scent” This strongly perfumed herb looks very much like mint but that is not surprising as it belongs to the same plant family. Lemon balm is native to southern Europe and Northern Africa but, despite its origins in sunnier climes, it does seem to do very well in the UK and is actually quite a tough little plant and easy to grow. It almost rivals a lemon in its lemony scent and does have a mild lemon flavour. It can grow up to 80cm (32in) tall but some of the varieties you can buy (see below) are more compact. HOW TO GROW Lemon balm is easy to grow and happy in most soils. It will grow in full sun but a bit…

KALE 'RED RUSSIAN' This kale, with its toothed leaves and pink midribs, doesn’t just look good, it tastes great either raw or cooked and is packed with valuable nutrients and vitamins. Sow in May and June in trays or outdoors in a seed bed for cropping from November onwards when you can pick individual leaves for cooking. Tender young leaves can be eaten raw in stir-fries and salads, too. Kale will thrive in most soils and is tolerant of a little shade during the day. DO ✔ ✔ Sow in trays in trays to avoid pests, or sow direct in short nursery rows and net over ✔ Prepare the ground well, ensuring it is weed free and had plenty of organic matter added prior to sowing ✔ When planting, firm…

WORTH OVER £878 SWISS PRUNING PRECISION Three lucky winners can elevate their gardening game with an exclusive bundle from ALPEN, featuring five premium tools designed for precision and durability. The Gelbhorn 150 Pruning Shears boast a fully chromed blade for clean cuts up to 20mm (¾in), featuring a bypass action, ergonomic handles and corrosion-resistant materials. Pair them with the stylish Tambo 990 Leather Holster, which easily attaches to your belt, and maintain your pruning tools with the 901 Carbide Sharpener: lightweight and easy to use, this ensures fast and efficient sharpening. ALPEN’s Bernina 6195 Folding Saw is ideal for heavier-duty pruning, featuring a chrome-plated blade with impulse-hardened teeth. The rubber-coated handle provides a comfortable grip, and the blade locking system ensures safe use and storage. The Rigi 300 Snips, which…

SWEET PEA SPECIAL Sweet pea grower English Sweet Peas is set to make its RHS Chelsea Flower Show debut in May with a very special new launch: Sweet Pea ‘Amy Dowden’. English Sweet Peas is run by self-confessed sweet pea fanatic Phil Johnson, who has been growing sweet peas for 50 years. Phil is hoping this new variety will receive a ‘10’ from the RHS Chelsea judges as well as visitors to the show, with the plant’s large frilly petals of soft rose pink on a white ground and its sweet scent. Named after ballroom dancer Amy Dowden MBE, this variety not only flowers over a long period in the summer but is also unusual in that it regularly bears at least fiveflowers on each stem, where most varieties only…

Listening to a mother talking about her son’s struggles with PTSD resonated with Joshua Clarke. For more than five years Joshua served with the 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, continuing the family history of serving in the Forces. “I’d just finished college and I thought what did I want to do? I didn’t want to go to university and I remembered my grandad talking all the time about his military service, about how he loved it, and I joined mainly because of my grandad,” says Joshua. Sadly, his grandfather passed away four weeks into Joshua’s training, ahead of a military career which took him to countries including Canada, Kenya and Poland. While Joshua hada positive experience, he appreciates the struggles some veterans face when their military career comes to an end…

When it comes to home-grown soft fruit, strawberries take some beating. Simply plant from March to July as rooted offsets (runners) and again in late summer/ autumn as young plants. The runners for planting now will have been lifted in winter and kept in a cold store in suspended animation until needed. When they arrive, they may have few leaves, but will have a healthy crown and roots. Once planted out they quickly burst into growth and can be producing their first flowers within weeks. If planted before the end of May coldstored runners will fruit within 60 days of planting. If planted after that fruiting may begin even earlier but may be a little lighter. In subsequent years the plants will fruit at the usual time for the variety…

The first key point to remember is plums, indeed all stone fruit, should only be pruned during the spring and summer. This is done to avoid serious diseases such as silver leaf and bacterial canker, which can prove fatal. Silver leaf (Chondrostereum purpureum) is a fungal disease which attacks stone fruit trees, especially Victoria plums, causing the leaves to develop a silvery sheen and affected branches to die back. When these branches are cut there will be dark staining through the centre of the wood. Silver leaf spores are released between September and May, particularly during periods of wet weather, and carried by the wind. It is probably the most common cause of death for stone fruit trees, and the reason why pruning should always be carried out during the…

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH TZATZIKI & SLICED RADISHES Get some early summer vibes by making this Greek-inspired flavourful dish. You can make it even more speedily by grating the cucumber in a food processor SERVES 2 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 12 minutes ■ 2 chicken breasts ■ 1 tbsp olive oil ■ 1 tsp paprika ■ 1 tsp garlic powder ■ Salt and pepper to taste ■ 1 cup Greek yogurt ■ ½ cucumber, halved lengthways then thinly sliced ■ 1 handful fresh dill, chopped ■ ½ lemon, juice of ■ 1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced ■ 6-8 radishes, thinly sliced 1. Prepare the chicken: Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. 2. Grill the chicken on medium heat for 6-7 minutes…