What first got you interested in growing your own food?
I first got into GYO when I was 10 years old (I’m now 37). It just seemed like a natural curiosity at the time although I would hide this from my schoolmates. We had a patch of garden at the very top of my mum’s house that I transformed from brambles to a vegetable patch. My grandfather and other family members got wind of this and offered help. My grandfather has always grown food in his garden which I always saw growing up and he would often encourage me and this included a Christmas present of manure one year (lucky me). What I did not know, until a couple of years ago when my grandfather passed away, was that he grew up on a plant nursery and at the outbreak of the Second World War, his headmaster got him to teach his classmates to grow food too. I have since inherited his greenhouse, which has a very special feeling when I’m working in there.
You mention on your website that you have a veg garden and an allotment – what do you particularly like to grow?
I am only really interested in growing edibles. I find it hard to given a definitive answer to one thing I especially like to grow – my favourites are always what are in season at that time. The first strawberries, the first peas etc. are always the best. I guess if I had to choose a particular favourite, it would have to be chilli plants.
You keep chickens on your allotment. Do they pose any particular challenges? Any top tips?
Denne historien er fra April 2020-utgaven av Kitchen Garden.
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Denne historien er fra April 2020-utgaven av Kitchen Garden.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
This month, with sweetcorn, figs and blackberries on the menu, Anna Cairns Pettigrew is not only serving up something sweet and something savoury, but all things scrumptious
FLAVOURSOME FRUIT AUTUMN RASPBERRIES
September - is it late summer or the start of autumn? David Patch ponders the question and says whatever the season, it's time to harvest autumn raspberries
SOW GREEN THIS AUTUMN
Covering the soil with a green manure in winter offers many benefits and this is a good time to sow hardy types, says KG editor Steve Ott
A HISTORICAL HAVEN OF FRUIT AND FLOWERS
KG's Martin Fish takes time out from his own plot to visit a walled garden in Lincolnshire which has been home to the same family for more than 400 years
RESTORING THE BALANCE
The phrase regenerative gardening is often heard in gardening circles, but what is it? Can it help you to grow better veg? Ecologist Becky Searle thinks so, and tells us why
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
Garden Organic's Anton Rosenfeld shares his expertise on using compost made from green bin collections with handy tips on getting the right consistency and quality
Celebrating Organic September!
In this special section we bring you four great features aimed at improving your crops and allowing nature to thrive
SEEING RED
Do your tomatoes have a habit of remaining stubbornly green? Or perhaps you're lucky to enjoy lots of lovely fruits - just all at once. Either way, Benedict Vanheems is here with some top tips to ripen and process the nation's favourite summer staple
NEW KIDS ON THE BROCCOLI!
Rob Smith is talking broccoli this month with a review of the different types available and suggestions for some exciting new varieties to try
A NEW kitchen garden
Martin Fish is getting down to plenty of picking and planting on the garden veg plot, while Jill is rustling up something pepper-licking good!
