Innehållsförteckning för January 2026 från Kitchen Garden

One minute there’s a run of hard frosts, the next it’s an unseasonably balmy 15°C – no wonder the plants are confused. In our heated propagator test this month (see page 56), the added warmth sent the seeds racing ahead. Outside, the same conditions would tempt seedlings into growth, only for them to be checked again as temperatures fall. I’ll be eating the test batches as microgreens, so nothing goes to waste, and it has certainly left me looking forward to spring. The Christmas break is the only real stretch of time I take off, and I always drift straight back into baking. I have a soft spot for Scandinavian sweet yeast buns, especially saffron ones. They’re usually filled with vanilla, but I borrow the filling from my other favourite…

Get in touch by post, email or via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/kitchengardenmag FRUIT IN CONTAINERS Q. Is it possible to get the following trees on dwarf rootstocks to be grown in 30L pots? Bramley’s Seedling; Cox’s Orange Pippin; pear Concorde and Victoria plum. I have quite a small garden but a great liking for fruit. Most, if not all, of these varieties are not available in shops any longer, so logic tells me the only way I can get them is to grow them. Jim, Hertfordshire A. David Patch says: The good news is that the varieties you mention are all easy to source from specialist nurseries and can be grown in containers on appropriate rootstocks. That said, it’s always worth remembering that the larger the volume of compost, the…

LISA IS OUR WINNER Lisa Cousins, from Tyne and Wear, has recently added a new allotment to her already productive garden-growing. Do you tend your plot by yourself, or with help? I tend to the plot alone. However, I get help from my partner building raised beds, my dad adds his own creative talent, and I get gardening advice from my mam. How big is your plot, and how long have you been growing? I have vegetables dotted around the garden in raised beds, potato bags, in borders and a mini poly-greenhouse. I have just been allocated my first allotment and was invited to a welcome meeting in August to get me started. It’s a 12m x 3m no-dig plot. I’ve been growing for more than 17 years, and used…

STEP 1: Fill 7-10cm (3-4in) pots with a 50:50 mix of peat-free multipurpose compost and coir. Sow seeds about an inch apart. STEP 2: Lightly cover the seeds with a little more of the compost-coir mix. Mist or water gently so the compost is moist but not sopping. STEP 3: Add a label with the variety and date, then place into a heated propagator or secure some clear plastic over the top. STEP 4: Germinate at a snug temperature of around 21-24°C. A heat mat can help with this, or simply a warm windowsill. STEP 5: Once the seedlings are up, move pots to sit beneath grow lights or pick your sunniest windowsill. Grow on until the first set of adult leaves. STEP 6: Carefully tease the seedlings apart and…

Turning the heat off You only need warmth for germination and the first 48-72 hours after they’ve emerged After that: Warmth encourages stretching Cooler conditions encourage sturdy stems Beet and chard are perfectly happy cool Radish actively prefers cooler roots So the rule of thumb: Once most seedlings are up and looking back at you – turn the heat off This is usually day 3-5 in a heated propagator When to take the lids off A lid creates a warm, humid microclimate – great for germination, less great afterwards. Take the lid off when either: Condensation is constantly dripping, or Seedlings are touching the lid, or They start to look pale and elongated, or You’ve turned off the heat Once warmth is gone, the lid traps unnecessary humidity, which: encourages…

PREMIUM BLENDS FOR HAPPY BIRDS Stock up for winter bird feeding with Happy Beaks’ expertly blended seed mixes. Choose a no-mess mix with husk-free ingredients to keep your feeding areas tidy, a high energy blend packed with suet for the colder months, or a specialist mix tailored specifically to the needs of robins and songbirds, blue tits or goldfinches. There are eight different blends to choose from, providing high-quality nutrition and excellent value in a variety of bag sizes. Prices: £15.95 to £27.95 for 12.75kg happybeaks.co.uk Tel: 0330 174 3812 SUBSCRIBER SAVING: Buy any two 12.75kg bird seed mix packs for £25, any three for £40 or any four for £50, until January 31, 2026 MAKE A HEAD START ON SOWING Get all the benefits of Haxnicks’ renowned Easy Tunnels,…

(AGM is the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Under RHS garden trials these varieties performed particularly well) REVIEWED BY Which? Best Seed Suppliers February 2025 20% OFF SEEDS AND PROPAGATORS! SAVE ON KINGS SEEDS! SAVE 20% OFF AUBERGINE AND ONION SEEDS Kings Seeds is offering KG readers the exclusive chance to save 20% on aubergine and onion seeds. To take advantage of this offer, simply visit: kingsseeds.com/kitchengarden and enter the code KGJAN26. Valid until January 31, 2026 SAVE 20% 20% OFF ALL PROPAGATORS TO GET THE SEASON STARTED! FAB 4 ELECTRIC PROPAGATOR The Fab 4 electric propagator is an entry-level, non-thermostat-controlled heat propagator. It features four individual mini, vented propagators to maximise the varieties of seed that can be grown. Each propagator has its own lid, so you can sow…

DOUGH 250ml whole milk 1g saffron threads 75g butter 75g caster sugar ½ tsp fine salt 1 egg 7g fast-action yeast 400-450g strong white flour CARDAMOM FILLING 100g very soft butter 80g caster sugar 2-3tsp freshly ground cardamom METHOD Warm the milk, add saffron and leave for 10 minutes. Add the butter to melt, then whisk in the sugar, egg and yeast. Mix with the flour and salt to make a soft dough and knead until smooth. Rise for 1 hour. Mix the filling to a smooth paste. Roll the dough into a 35-40cm × 45-50cm rectangle, spread with filling, fold into thirds, roll lightly and cut into strips. Wrap each strip around two fingers, bring the end over, turn it 90°, and tuck underneath. Place on lined trays, prove…

Rhubarb has long been a firm favourite with gardeners for its tasty stalks, and I have fond memories of pulling young stalks of rhubarb fresh from my Grandma’s garden as a young child and dipping them into a paper cone of sugar! In late winter, she would also cover over a clump with an old dolly tub to exclude the light, resulting in delicious, sweet, pink sticks in spring. This forced rhubarb was always welcomed as one of the first spring crops from the garden after a long winter. A hardy perennial, rhubarb originates from Siberia, and for more than 2,000 years it has been used for its healing and medicinal properties across Asia and Europe. We’ve been eating the fleshy stalks in the UK since the 1700s, and the…

■ Dry: Hang strings of chillies in a warm, airy place, or use a dehydrator. ■ Freeze: Chop to freeze in ice cubes, or freeze whole. No need to blanch beforehand. ■ Ferment: Perfect for homemade hot sauces. ■ Pickle: Mild to medium varieties pickle exceptionally well. ■ Smoke: Smoked chillies (like chipotles) offer incredible depth of flavour.…

In the 1980s, exploring the Green Fields at Glastonbury Festival in Somerset, I discovered beautiful popup edible gardens. These contained the usual vegetables, herbs, and fruit that you would find in most allotments, alongside unfamiliar edible perennials and annuals. The plots included plants grown for fertility (such as comfrey) or to reduce pests (such as marigolds), ideas I had not come across before. The beds were packed with plants, grown not in regimented straight lines but in dense clumps, resembling a colourful tapestry. This was my introduction to permaculture. It was very much on the fringes then, something I saw at festivals but not on TV. I was keen to learn more and, as soon as I was able, put the ideas into practice in my own garden. Permaculture is…

AT A GLANCE Hardiness: -10 to -5 °C Position: Full sun to partial shade, sheltered Soil: Well-drained, moderately fertile Height and spread: 2-12m × 1.5-6m (can be maintained much smaller) Flowering: April-May (insignificant) YOUR GROWING GUIDE SOIL PREPARATION Bay ideally requires full sun and excellent drainage. Incorporate plenty of organic matter into light soils, and add grit to heavier ground to improve structure. A neutral to slightly alkaline pH suits it well. Avoid waterlogged sites at all costs, as root problems quickly follow standing winter moisture. PLANTING Plant in spring or early autumn while the soil is still warm, ideally near a south or west-facing wall, to provide a degree of shelter from cold winds. Set plants at the same depth as in the pot and space according to their…

As gardeners, we all know the pure exhilaration of a seed sprouting. One day it’s a seed, and the next it’s a tiny bit of green pushing up above the soil. Within hours, it is raising tiny leaves to the heavens and growing like a little miracle. It almost seems a shame to eat them when they’re this, but there are so many reasons why we should. At this stage, our seedlings are packed with nutrients and flavours. These things are concentrated in young seedlings. When they are young and actively growing, they are also rich in antioxidants such as carotenoids and flavonoids. These antioxidants are great for our bodies because they help reduce free radicals that can cause cell damage, which can lead to several chronic illnesses, such as…

BRUSSELS SPROUT FRY-UP WITH TAHINI DIP If you’ve still got any sprouts left on the plot, this is a faff-free and easy meal to rustle up in a hurry Serves 2 Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Ingredients 250g (8.8oz) Brussels sprouts Olive oil to fry 250g (8.8oz) potatoes, parboiled and quartered 1 tsp harissa paste 1 banana shallot, finely sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 2 medium free-range eggs For the dip: 2 tbsp natural yoghurt 1 tbsp tahini Squeeze lemon juice 2 tsp dukkah Method 1. Cut half of the sprouts in half, then finely chop the remainder. Put a medium frying pan over a medium-high heat with a dash of oil, then add the potatoes and halved sprouts with a pinch of salt. Fry for…

SOW ONIONS Sow in trays undercover and prick out into modules for planting as single plants, or sow five seeds into modules for planting out later as multi-sown onions HARVEST LEEKS Harvest by gently loosening soil with a fork and pulling them out of the ground, or cutting them off at ground level. Leave leaf and root trimmings on the ground ORDER SEED POTATOES Order your seed potatoes now to make sure you receive your favourite varieties. Why not choose a new variety this year, such as colourful blue tubers? CHECK OUTDOOR TAPS Check outdoor taps to make sure they are turned off at the mains (if possible) and are well insulated, to help prevent pipes from splitting The weather outside might be frightful, but even in the depths of…

CONTACT US: PUMPKINS HELPING A GOOD CAUSE STAR LETTER WINS £25 VOUCHER Last year, my daughter Rebecca took a small selection of pumpkins I grew to decorate her office windowsill. They were so admired that after our bumper harvest this year, she considered taking a few to see if there was interest in collecting donations for the Guide Dogs charity. The bumper crop of over 120 pumpkins caused a sensational response, with requests for the ones that could not be packed into her car on the first day. Rebecca said all the staff have been so generous. A final total of £260 has been raised for Guide Dogs. I have a few pumpkins left to collect seeds from, ready for planting next year. Steve Watkin, Co Durham DOUBLE BONUS FROM…

Perennial kales were once common in cottage gardens, prized because they fed families through the hungry gap – that lean spell from late winter into spring when annual greens run out. Gardeners passed plants from hand to hand as cuttings, not seed, because many perennial kales rarely flower, and even if they do, seed isn’t usually viable. Daubenton’s kale, long grown in France as Chou Daubenton, is the classic example. It is near-sterile in most gardens, so you keep it going by rooting side shoots. That habit, plus reliable year-round picking, is why it endured in kitchen plots for generations. In the West Country, Taunton Deane kale filled the same role. Local histories and grower notes describe it as a vigorous, long-lived form that would be shared between neighbours and…

■ ‘Jalapeño’: Fast, reliable and productive. Great for stuffing, pickling and grilling. ■ ‘De Cayenne’: Classic red chilli with a strong but manageable heat. Dries beautifully. ■ ‘Apache’: Its compact habit makes it ideal for a sunny windowsill or small greenhouse. ■ ‘Hungarian Hot Wax’: Early, prolific with mild-to-medium heat. Great for frying or fermenting. ■ ‘Thai’/’Bird’s Eye’: Small but mighty. Just the job for spicy curries or stir-fries. VARIETIES FOR HEAT SEEKERS ■ ‘Habanero Orange’: Fruity, citrusy heat with bags of flavour. Needs a long growing season. ■ ‘Scotch Bonnet’: This Jamaican favourite is hot, aromatic and wonderfully productive. ■ ‘Bhut Jolokia’: Former record holder at over a million SHU. Handle with gloves. ■ ‘Trinidad Moruga Scorpion’: Exceptionally hot but with a fruity undertone. Pick for sauces. ■ ‘Carolina…

WORTH OVER £612 WINTER BOOST FOR THE BIRDS January is cold, wet and dark, which means food sources for our beloved garden birds are scarce. Wild birds benefit from feeding year-round, but colder months are particularly critical, as small birds can lose up to 40% of their fat reserves during a single freezing night. Providing high-energy food through the winter can make all the difference to their survival. Peckish’s Complete Seed Mix is an excellent all-round choice as it contains 12 nutritious ingredients designed to support a wide variety of species, and it’s 100% edible and husk-free, meaning no waste or discarded shells beneath feeders. For an extra boost, Peckish’s Extra Goodness EcoFeast suet shells are filled with a high-energy blend of suet, peanuts and sunflower hearts, encased in a…

Oscar Boatfield and Nell Wharton are used to nurturing. Since opening their coffee shop – Wildish – in the picturesque North Yorkshire village of Pateley Bridge three years ago, the couple have been fostering friendships. Living in an online world can be lonely and isolating for some but, through the Wildish community they are creating, Oscar and Nell are bringing people together through their love of the great outdoors. FINDING THEIR PEOPLE The incentive for setting up Wildish Club, a community interest company, was the couple’s desire to meet like-minded people after relocating to Yorkshire in 2019. Oscar was familiar with the county, having competed in fly-fishing competitions here in his youth. Interestingly, it was fly-fishing that brought them together – and initially led to them producing fishing bags, a…