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30 Articles

If gardeners were Olympic sprinters we'd be in the starting blocks this month - but for us the starting gun would mean it was time to sow, sow, sow, rather than to go, go go! I'm definitely not the right shape (or in the right shape) for running and winter can sometimes be slow to loosen its grip in March, so it's worth being patient and resisting the urge to get seeds in the ground before it has properly warmed up. In preparation for when it does, and that could be now if you are in a favoured part of the country, we have some great features to inspire. You'll find lots on plot planning – helping you to get as much delicious produce from every inch of soil–and loads…

TOP JOBS FOR MARCH

PROTECT PARSNIPS After sowing parsnips, cover with Enviromesh or fleece to protect them while they are germinating. Remove once the seedlings have sprouted. Remember to water the bed during dry spells. SOW TOMATOES For growing under cover sow tomatoes into seed trays in a warm, light place. Wait until April before sowing outdoor varieties, unless you live in an area with an early last frost date PRUNE FRUIT Last chance to prune tree and soft fruit while they are still dormant. Stone fruit such as plums, cherries or greengages should be pruned later in the spring to prevent diseases such as silver leaf SPLIT RHUBARB Divide rhubarb with a spade then pot on or plant out. Water and mulch, then leave the rhubarb for a year to establish before harvesting…

TOP JOBS FOR MARCH

PROTECT SEEDLINGS IN COLD WEATHER March is a month with very unpredictable weather. We can go from spending a few hours gardening in a t-shirt on a bright, sunny day to waking up the following morning to a hard frost or even snow. As the greenhouse fills up with the season's new seedlings and plants, it is important to be aware of night-time temperatures and make preparations for very cold weather. Check the forecast in the afternoon before it gets dark because heading out into a freezing cold night to tuck up seedlings is not much fun! Horticultural fleece is ideal as an extra insulation layer over propagation benches. There are special thermal fleeces which are excellent for covering tender plants such as tomatoes and aubergines. Alternatively, several layers of…

ON THE PLOT WITH THE 3 Mudketeers

WISE WORDS “Many things grow in the garden that were never sown there” (Thomas Fuller, seventeenth century preacher, historian, and author) “Have you viewed us on YouTube yet?” PREPARING FOR PARSNIPS Steve has been thinking how he might steal the prize for the longest parsnip in the KG grow along from Emma and Tony. He has decided to pre-chit his seeds on damp kitchen towel and will be sowing two batches – the free KG ‘Tender and True’ seeds, plus some collected from unnamed plants which flowered on his daughter's new allotment last year. Emma is growing her parsnips in a constructed frame on the plot. She used four stout posts in a square. The diameter of the construction is 50cm (20in). Ground cover fabric was wrapped around the posts…

ON THE PLOT WITH THE 3 Mudketeers

GROW WITH BELLE

DESIGN YOUR OWN VEGETABLE PATCH 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 While you wait to sow your first seeds you can start planning what you would like to grow and where. What fruit and vegetables do you love to eat? Would you like to grow produce that make the colours of the rainbow? To make your allotment design, you will need: ■ Seed catalogues and gardening magazines ■ Paper ■ Scissors ■ Glue ■ Pens If you don't have any catalogues or old gardening magazines you can ask an adult to order some free catalogues online, or you could print some photos off to use if you have a…

GROW WITH BELLE

GARDENING YOUR WAY TO BETTER HEALTH The gardening for health charity Thrive has launched the first app to help people garden their way to better health. The Cultivating Wellbeing app is for anyone aged 18+ who would like to improve their health and wellbeing through time in gardens and nature. It's suitable for any level of gardening experience and all types of garden, whether big or small, a patio or balcony. Users can create a personalised wellbeing plan, discover active and mindful activities using a library of tips, guides and resources, and track progress on their health journey with a reflection diary. The app costs £2.49 a year. For more information visit: www.thrive.org.uk/app MAJOR RHS RESEARCH PROJECT LAUNCHED The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has launched its biggest ever community gardening…

GETTING READY I am having a great Friday evening (my husband is laughing at me) – I am preparing for the spring! I'm laying out all my lovely seeds and having a good think about what I might want to try growing this year – such a big range, thanks to my KG subscription! Harriet Groves, Essex TONY SAYS: Well that picture looks a bit like seed heaven Harriet – spoilt for choice! STAR LETTER WINS £25 VOUCHER EXCESS SEEDS PUT TO GOOD USE Like so many gardeners I have far too many seed packets. Some opened and half used. Some expired. Some so called ‘bargain buys’ which I have changed my mind about and never intend to sow. I decided to have a bit of a seed cull and…

Get in touch by post, email or via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/kitchengardenmag POOR POTTED GARLIC CROP Every year I grow garlic in large rectangular pots in my garden, planting the bulbs in early November. However, for the past few years my crop of cloves has become smaller and smaller until last autumn when the bulbs I lifted were no bigger than when first planted and the cloves (on those bulbs which had split) were tiny and virtually useless. Any ideas to improve things? Mrs Susan Daywan, Buckinghamshire STAR QUESTION WINS £25 VOUCHER STEVE SAYS: There could be several factors that are limiting the size of your container-grown garlic. The non-splitting of bulbs tends to occur if the winter weather is mild, so it is possible that milder, wetter winters will…

PRODUCTIVE PLOT

OUR TOP PLOTTER CLARE FARMER FROM STAFFORDSHIRE Clare is quite new to vegetable growing but has been bitten by the growing bug and has createda wonderfully productive plot with a wide range of vegetables and flowers. Do you tend your plot on your own? Mostly on my own but my husband occasionally helps with big jobs. His name is Duncan. Do you have an allotment or veg plot in your garden (and approximate size)? I have a vegetable garden outside of the main garden. It's about 250 sq m. I have a bit of additional space in my main garden too. How long have you been growing veg? I started in June 2023 when a neighbouring farmer gave me two tomato plants. I was hooked. I don't even eat tomatoes…

PRODUCTIVE PLOT

KNOW YOUR FERTILISERS

Just like us humans, plants also need nourishment to maintain healthy growth. We do this by feeding with fertiliser, which is a concentrated source of plant nutrients. When it comes to what fertiliser to use there's plenty to choose from and it's important you supply the correct type of fertiliser at the right time. For example, nitrogen is essential to promote healthy green leaf and shoot growth, phosphorus (phosphate) encourages new root growth and potassium (potash) is for flowers and fruit and also plays an important role in plant metabolism. These three nutrients, along with calcium, magnesium and sulphur, are important for healthy growth and are known as major or macro-nutrients. Plants also need many other elements and these are known as trace elements or minor nutrients. These include iron,…

KNOW YOUR FERTILISERS

BEYOND THE PLOT… ONIONS, GARLIC & SHALLOTS

NEW SERIES Alliums are beloved worldwide, forming the base of countless dishes and I must admit I would be lost without them in the kitchen. Onions, garlic and shallots aren't just staples, they're culinary essentials around the globe. From the bold heat ofa raw onion in Mexican salsa to the smoky sweetness of black garlic in Asian cuisine, these distinctive crops have won hearts and tastebuds around the world. Even though they may naturally store for months you can easily extend that time and create gourmet flavours by preserving your harvest. ■ ONIONS: Sweet varieties like ‘Walla Walla’ are perfect for caramelised onion soup or roasted dishes but don't store for long, so freeze grated onion for quick use in curries and stews, or batch-cook onion soup and store portions…

BEYOND THE PLOT… ONIONS, GARLIC & SHALLOTS

Atarecent dinner party someone offered the most unusual conversation starter: If you were a vegetable, what would you be? I chose garlic, not because I stink, but because of the pungent bulb's total deliciousness and punch of flavour – yum! And our host? She chose winter squash. I was thinking about this while weeding the other day and I can see her logic. Winter squashes encapsulate the excitement of growing your own, only cranked up to volume 11. They have bags of character – who wouldn't want a ‘Crown Prince’ at the dinner table? And they can be turned into just about any culinary treat, making for a truly flexible friend in the kitchen. WINTER OR SUMMER? Squashes come in two types: winter and summer. Summer squashes are cut as…

MEET THE BLOGGER MY COTTAGE GARDEN

How long have you been growing your own and what inspired you to start? When I was a child I really enjoyed spending time with my grandad in his garden. Watching him planting, pruning and harvesting always felt like such a treat and it left me feeling engaged and inspired. When I was about 12 years old I asked my parents for a ‘patch of earth’ of my own in our family garden and into this patch I planted a few vegetable seeds. The seeds were not very successful but although the method needed some refining, the drive and interest was always there. When the time came to move out and look for a home of my own enough space to grow my own fruit and veg was top of…

MEET THE BLOGGER MY COTTAGE GARDEN

KOHL RABI GROWING GUIDE

SEED SAVERS’ TIP A biennial plant, kohl rabi will flower and set seeds in its second year. Isolate crops or flowerheads of non-F1 varieties to prevent cross pollination with other brassicas. Kohl rabi (or kohlrabi) has long been a popular veg in Europe and is slowly finding fans here who like its speedy growth and versatility in the kitchen. If given ideal conditions this brassica (part of the cabbage family) can be ready in as little as eight weeks and is best when harvested while still young and tender – no larger than a tennis ball. The striking roots come in green or purple varieties and the leaves are also delicious and nutritious when used as a substitute for other brassicas, such as kale, in recipes. The roots and leaves…

KOHL RABI GROWING GUIDE

FANTASTIC FIELD BEANS!

The status of field beans or fava beans has taken a bit of a nosedive over the last few decades, with people either associating them with animal feed or Hannibal Lecter! But if we let this put us off, we're missing a trick. Field beans (Vicia faba) are the same species as broad beans, but a different variety that produces a larger number of smaller beans. They're more resilient and reliable than broad beans and a good plant to include in an organic rotation because they can be grown as a green manure or as a food crop. GREAT ALTERNATIVE TO USING CHICKPEAS In the UK many of us have seen field beans growing in large fields by the roadside but assumed they were for animal feed. However, a significant…

FANTASTIC FIELD BEANS!

REVEALING THE MAGIC

Chris and Karen Cronin didn't set out to own a walled kitchen garden. Having found success in the music industry, the couple wanted to do what some of their rock'n'roll friends had done – find themselves a place in the country with space for a swimming pool. As it turned out, their new garden had different plans. The Croome Court estate the Walled Gardens are a part of has always been important, starting life in the 1500s as the seat of the Earls of Coventry. With the Malvern Hills and beautiful Severn Valley as a backdrop, the surrounding estate was Capability Brown's first full landscape design. Once covering 22,000 acres, this was one of the biggest private estates in the UK, with parts stretching as far as the neighbouring estate…

REVEALING THE MAGIC

MAKE ROOM FOR CABBAGE

The cabbage is such a delicious, healthy vegetable that can harvested all year round, giving us tasty coleslaw in summer or a lovely hot side dish in winter. It is a versatile vegetable and there are so many varieties of differing leaf textures and colours we can grow. HOW TO GROW In this feature we will be concentrating more on cabbages you can sow now in early spring for a summer/autumn harvest but the growing techniques are the same for spring or winter cabbages. There are two ways to sow cabbages – either in containers first or direct into a prepared seedbed. The latter does produce really good results if you can protect the plants. SOWING IN CONTAINERS A popular way to start off cabbages is in a seed tray…

MAKE ROOM FOR CABBAGE

In the right spot

HOW TO MAP THE SUN AND SHADE Sunlight is one of the key requirements for photosynthesis and the warmth that it brings encourages optimum growth rate and yields. However, some edibles find excessive levels of heat and sunshine difficult to cope with, so understanding where this falls in your garden is key to gaining good harvests As gardeners we are used to gaining some knowledge of what plants do better in certain situations and our food crops are no different as they also have their preferences. In Lucy Chamberlain's new book she discusses different zones and the crops that thrive in them. Some of the zones includes indoors, sunny or dry situations and also shade and the latter is the one we highlight here. First though you need to make…

In the right spot

SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE

Did you know sweet pea seeds first arrived in England in 1699 from Sicily, thanks to a Sicilian monk named Francesco Cupani? We've come a long way since then but the history of the varieties that now grace our gardens and allotments is fascinating. When buying seeds certain names crop up repeatedly. If, like me, you're an obsessive flower sniffer and a devoted sweet pea grower you'll have spotted names like Cupani, Grandiflora, Spencer, Lathyrus odoratus, and Henry Eckford. But what do they mean, and why are they important? In botany names often link to people, places, or events, revealing the plant's history. Henry Eckford, a Scottish horticulturist, ignited a sweet pea frenzy in the 1800s by dedicating his life to improving and crossbreeding them. He created the grandiflora type,…

SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE

When planning an allotment there is no right or wrong way. Many of us develop our own ways over the years, and many people throw caution to the wind and skip the planning stage altogether. There is something to be said for sowing from the heart and then trying to cram everything in when it is big enough to plant out, buta little planning can goa long way, especially if your ideas are bigger than your space! The first thing I do in the new season is make a list of all the things I want to grow that year. I sort through my seed collection while doing this and note the seeds I have and the ones I still need to get. This will keep me on the straight…

HERB OF THE MONTH MINT

One thing you can say about mint is that it's not shy and retiring. In fact, it likes to be out there, vigorous and strong, spreading its roots far and wide. So that's why it really needs to be grown in standalone containers or in pots dug into the soil, otherwise it can become quite unruly. As a perennial, it will come back each year, continuing to provide fresh green leaves for the kitchen. But it can also be used for medicinal purposes, for herbal teas and, in flower, it's a gift for pollinators too. Mint is also quite an extraordinary plant in its ability to present itself in an incredible range of different guises. Chocolate mint, for example, is one of the more surprising varieties, but there is also…

HERB OF THE MONTH MINT

Bio-stimulant or plant food: What's the difference?

When it comes to helping your garden thrive some gardeners are unsure whether to use a bio-stimulant or a plant fertiliser. While both support plant health and play an important role, they work in distinct ways. WHEN BIO IS BEST Bio-stimulants work by enhancing a plant's natural processes. They don't provide direct nutrients but instead improve how plants use existing resources in the soil for optimal plant health. One of the key benefits of using a biostimulant is strong root development – it helps boost healthy root systems, which allows plants to access nutrients and water more effectively. Stress tolerance is also increased. Whether it's drought, frost or disease, biostimulants help build resilience, ensuring they thrive in challenging conditions. This is becoming increasingly important in UK gardens with the extreme…

Bio-stimulant or plant food: What's the difference?

POTTY ABOUT STRAWBERRIES

Some fruit respond well to growing in a container and this allows us to fit extra plants into our gardens if they are already full. Pots can help make temporary use of a sunny patio to extend the fruit garden, or get new plants off to a head start for an extra early crop. Strawberries fall into this category and this month we will look how to use pots and troughs to grow this quintessential taste of the British summer. If you are growing strawberries in pots or containers, it's unlikely that you will end up with enough fruit to be making vats of jam. Instead, a realistic aim should be to have enough plants to provide a few fruits for eating fresh every couple of days for as much…

POTTY ABOUT STRAWBERRIES

PRODUCT REVIEWS LET'S SOWING

Kitchen Garden magazine BEST BUY 2025 HEATED PROPAGATOR & SEED SOWING KIT This starter kit includes a heated propagator (240v/111w); compost (15 litres); vermiculite (5 litres); pack of four bottle top waterers; a dibber/widger set; a pack of 50 plant labels and two waterproof markers. KINGS SEEDS www.kingsseeds.com TEL: 01376 570 000 PRODUCT CODE: 48171 PRICE: £45 * Prices correct at time of publication KG VERDICT Star of the setup is the electric propagator, complemented by generous amounts of seed compost and vermiculite, a couple of waterproof pens, plenty of labels, watering tops, and a dibber and widger. What a great little package for spring sowing, made up of everything you need to get started. GRO-SURE VISIROOT TWIN PROPAGATOR SET This Gro-Sure Visiroot Twin Propagator includes 2 x 12 cell…

PRODUCT REVIEWS LET'S SOWING

ENJOY YOUR FREE SEEDS

LEEK ‘MUSSELBURGH’ What a great crop leeks are! They are a bit fiddly to start off with as the young seedlings are so delicately spindly but once they are planted out they will provide sustenance all the way through autumn and winter when there aren't many crops to harvest. ‘Musselburgh’ has its origins in the town of Musselburgh in East Lothian, Scotland. A popular and longstanding variety, it produces dark green foliage and thick, medium length stems. Sow in trays or pots January-February under cover, or March-April outside. If sowing indoors cover the seeds with a sprinkling of compost or vermiculite. Outdoors sow in drills 1.5cm (½in) deep. When the seedlings are big enough to handle they need to be moved onto bigger pots or transplanted so that they can…

ENJOY YOUR FREE SEEDS

(AGM is the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Under RHS garden trials these varieties performed particularly well) SAVE UP TO £17! FREE* WITH EVERY ORDER BLUEBERRY ‘ELLIOT’ FRUIT PLANT Blueberry ‘Elliot’ is a high quality, lateseason variety producing outstanding yields of medium-sized fruit. It's one of the latest cropping of all blueberries and grown with an early variety like ‘Earlibird’ gives an extremely long and rewarding continuous harvest season. With attractive white flowers in summer and red to orange leaves in autumn, they also make lovely specimen shrubs for large containers or ornamental borders. *Claim your free blueberry ‘Elliot’ plant when ordering at least one additional product from these pages. WORTH £15.95 ALSO IN THE KG SHOP THIS MONTH STRAWBERRY ‘SUMMER BREEZE ROSE’ FRUIT PLANTS This productive and free flowering…

WORTH OVER £939 GROW WITH COIR Committed to providing innovative and eco-friendly solutions for growers and gardeners, CoirProducts.co.uk offers the UK's largest portfolio of coir-based products. Its peat-free coir compost range combines quality and environmental responsibility, giving growers a biodegradable, easy-to-use alternative. Unique in the UK market, CoirProducts’ signature 5kg Coir Vital Grow brick provides over 80 litres of coir when hydrated. It enhances aeration, drainage and moisture retention, helping roots stay hydrated without becoming waterlogged. For growers looking for a nutrient boost, CoirProducts’ Coir Plus with NPK combines the natural benefits of coir with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, helping to promote stronger root systems, lush foliage and vibrant blooms. The revolutionary CoirNutri by Salike contains a specially formulated mix of decomposed coir enriched with NPK. Each of these all-purpose…

GARDEN STORE PLUS SUBSCRIBER SAVERS*

ALL KITTED OUT Simon's Seeds is a small family business – but boasts the largest selection of growing kits in the UK. Each features the company's own range of premium-quality seed, plus everything else you need to get growing. The Chilli Growing Kit contains six varieties, including the incendiary ‘Carolina Reaper’. There are three variations of the Sunflower Growing Kit, including one with runner beans to grow up your sunflower! There's also an Organic Herb Growing Kit, a Chilli and Tomato Kit, a Tomato Kit, a Salad Growing Kit and the newest offering, the Microgreens Growing Kit, with five varieties that can be grown on your windowsill. Simon's Seeds now also stocks an extensive range of vegetable, herb and flower seed, seed potatoes and onion sets. www.strawbaleveg.co.uk SUBSCRIBER SAVING: 20%…

GARDEN STORE PLUS SUBSCRIBER SAVERS*

GRILLED CHEESE AND LEEK SANDWICH This twist on the classic grilled cheese sandwich incorporates the subtle sweetness and earthy flavour of leeks, making for a savoury and cosy meal Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes SERVES 1 ■ 2 slices of bread (like sourdough or another artisan loaf) ■ 2 tbsp butter (softened) ■ 1 leek (white and light green parts only), thinly sliced ■ 1 tbsp olive oil ■ 1 garlic clove, minced ■ 100g (3½oz) grated cheese (cheddar, Gruyère, or a mix) ■ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional, for a bit of tang) ■ A few sprigs of thyme ■ Salt and pepper, to taste 1. Trim the root end of the leek and slice it thinly, then rinse well in a colander to remove any…

DIGGING THE DIRT NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

The ten allotments on our village plot have been worked by the same folk for quite a while now and Elaine and I have only seen one change in all that time. There's good comradeship between us, so it's akin to a community of soil toilers fighting the elements, living with hope and disappointments but cheerfully accepting of the fact that we can only take what nature throws at us – frequently the wrong stuff at the wrong time! We're still digging, sowing, reaping in an endless cycle, so we must be enjoying ourselves. At the very least it's fresh air and fitness. Several months ago, one allotment holder moved on and his plot rapidly deteriorated into a jungle of weeds, couch grass, brambles and emerging saplings. Unfortunately it became…

DIGGING THE DIRT NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

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