When a seed has a story, it takes growing to the next level of significance. In January 2020 I was lucky enough to meet with seed guardian extraordinaire Adam Alexander and was thrilled when he gifted me some seed varieties from all over the world. I was given beans and peas, lettuce, courgette and some of the juiciest cucumbers that I have ever encountered… but most exciting of all were the tomatoes, chillies and sweet peppers.
Anyone who knows me well will tell you how a significant chunk of my year is devoted to the propagation and cultivation of tomatoes. Not only are they my favourite food bar none, but I pride myself on growing huge amounts of sweet fruit for myself in my small greenhouse at home, as well as at work, where I have the run of a large, traditional glasshouse. I had grown heritage varieties before I met Adam, but never any with personal stories attached.
Chillies and sweet peppers hold a similar place in my heart (and my greenhouse), but for different reasons. While I love a sweet pepper and some of the milder varieties of chilli peppers, I am, like many others, wary of the hotter ones. A hint of heat and a fruity zing is about my limit but I adore their aesthetic. I believe them to be one of the most attractive of greenhouse plants.
Denne historien er fra July 2021-utgaven av Kitchen Garden.
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Denne historien er fra July 2021-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!
