How long have you been growing your own food? The first time I grew vegetables was when I was 19, we had just bought our first house with a tiny urban garden that only had two raised flower beds. I sowed a packet of carrot seeds in one and broccoli in the other. That was more than 20 years ago and I haven’t stopped since!
How long have you had your Somerset allotment? I only took on my allotment late last summer so this is my first full growing year at this site. It was shoulder high with weeds, which took some time to clear back first. It’s going to be a bit of trial and error to see what will grow well at the plot. I’m also incredibly lucky to have a garden with a veg patch at home too!
Do you have any help from friends, family… or pets? I do all the gardening and allotmenteering on my own, however I’m lucky to have my husband to help with any projects or jobs that are too difficult for me to do. He can turn his hand to most things and is very supportive of my hobby. I also have two terriers which can make gardening a lot harder! I have one who likes to sunbathe with little regard to what plants he may be lying on! And one who loves nothing more than to dig... especially in the newly prepared vegetable beds! That said, gardening wouldn’t be the same without them, they’re my garden companions and it’s as much their space as it is ours.
This story is from the October 2022 edition of Kitchen Garden.
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This story is from the October 2022 edition of Kitchen Garden.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A FOOD FOR ALL SEASONS
Another Christmas has passed in a whirl of twinkling lights, naff jumpers and Brussels sprouts. No doubt we smug kitchen gardeners were patting ourselves on the back after another year of home-grown delights on the dinner table. Frost-sweetened parsnips dripping with butter, tender carrots and potatoes grown and roasted by our good selves. Not to mention the swede, turnips, cabbages and other winter treats. If you're reading this while Christmas memories are fresh, you might feel your waistline expanding just thinking about it. For some, it might even be too soon to talk about food full stop!
DIGGING THE DIRT THINGS THAT GO CLUNK IN THE LIGHT
John Holloway finds the mechanical and electrical tools on his allotment site somewhat 'challenging', shall we say. But has he found the perfect solution?
THE BIG (OR LITTLE) PARSNIP GROW-ALONG
Back in December we included a free packet of parsnip seeds with every issue and invited readers to join us in growing the longest root. Here are some top tips to get you started
DIGGING FOR DEVON!
Rhiannon Alcock thought gardening was definitely not for her. So who could have foreseen that one day she would go on to found a thriving community project growing food for food banks?
WINTER WONDERFUL
This month Anna Cairns Pettigrew has prepped a range of delicious and nutritious dishes for us all to try, with mustards, Savoy cabbage and 'Cavolo Nero' kale on the menu
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR COMPOST
Dr Anton Rosenfeld from Garden Organic shares some great ideas for ways to use your composted waste effectively
A wildlife pond is born
Jane Kelly finally got round to making her own pond in the hope that it would attract a variety of wildlife. And it did!
UNDER COVER
HARVEST WINTER SALADS - Winter salads, whether they have been growing outside, on a windowsill or under cover in the garden, will be starting to grow faster as the day length increases. Regular picking of the outer leaves helps to keep the plants healthy and producing for much longer.
HERB OF THE MONTH: SAGE ADVICE
Sage has been an important culinary and medicinal herb for centuries but it also comes in a range of leaf colours that makes it a real treat for the eyes (and nose) in borders and pots
CREATING A POTAGER GARDEN
Creating vegetable beds in patterns with dividing pathways can be an attractive and practical way to grow. Emma Rawlings offers some tips on making a potager
