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A Hot Weekend Ahead – And a Few Garden Plans

It’s been a scorcher of a week here on the south coast, with record‑breaking temperatures and no sign of things cooling down just yet. With the heat set to continue into the weekend — and with my sister’s wedding on Saturday — I’ve been doing a bit more forward‑planning than usual. The early mornings have actually been a blessing. I’ve been waking naturally around 5.30am, and by 6am I’m already out in the garden before work. There’s something special about that cool, quiet hour of the day, and I’ll be keeping that up this weekend. First stop will be the allotment. I’ve harvested all my cherries this week, which has been brilliant, and now it’s the perfect moment to prune the stone fruit trees. I’ve also got the grass to strim — though not too early, for the neighbours’ sake — and a stubborn corner of brambles that needs clearing. It’s one of those jobs you don’t look forward to, but you feel great once it’s done. Despite the heat, watering hasn’t been too bad thanks to...
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Episode 663- Gardeners’ World Live 2024: Inspiring Designs, Mushroom Magic & Growing for Every Space

This week on the Veg Grower Podcast, I took you with me on my annual pilgrimage to Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC in Birmingham — for the very last time at this venue before the show moves to a new location next year. And what a send‑off it was. Right from the moment I stepped into the Beautiful Borders , it was clear that grow‑your‑own is becoming more deeply woven into garden design. As I said in the episode, “I’m already in the beautiful borders and I can already see there’s lots of vegetables incorporated in the design of these gardens.” From chard and strawberries to pumpkins, herbs and even buckets of potatoes, veg was everywhere — and it looked fantastic. Lucy’s ‘Make a Meter Matter’ Garden One of the highlights of the show was catching up with the brilliant Lucy , who created a stunning grow‑your‑own themed border built around the idea that one square metre can make a difference . Her horseshoe‑shaped layout featured nine individual 1m² zones , each pack...
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Episode 662 — A Week of Growth: Garlic Harvest, Garden Tidying & Feeding Our Plants

This week on the Veg Grower Podcast, I’ve been making the most of a week off work — and it’s amazing how much difference a few focused days can make. Daily visits to the allotment have helped me get on top of all those little jobs that build up, and the plot is looking better than it has in a long time. It really has been a week of garlic harvest and garden tidying , and everything is thriving for it. Allotment Progress The highlight of the week has been the garlic harvest . The bulbs grown on the allotment have outperformed those at home, with bigger bulbs and stronger stems. They’re now curing in the greenhouse ready for long‑term storage. I’ve also been cutting back large clumps of comfrey for the compost bin. It’s growing vigorously at the moment, and while the bees love the flowers, the leaves make fantastic compost material. Kitchen Garden Improvements Back home, the kitchen garden has had a proper tidy and reset. I’ve moved the HotBin composter to a more pra...
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Recipe of the Week: Pea & Mint Crostini

Peas are one of those crops that suddenly arrive all at once in June. Whether you’re picking them fresh from the garden or using a handful from the freezer, this recipe is a brilliant way to celebrate that sweet, early‑summer flavour. Pea & Mint Crostini is light, bright and perfect for a quick lunch, a garden snack, or something to enjoy after a morning on the plot. It’s also a great reminder that simple ingredients can make something really special — especially when the herbs are home‑grown. Ingredients 200g peas (fresh or frozen) A small handful of fresh mint 1 garlic clove Olive oil Lemon juice Salt & pepper Bread for toasting (baguette, sourdough, or whatever you have) Method Blanch the peas in boiling water for 2–3 minutes, then drain and cool. Add the peas to a bowl with chopped mint, crushed garlic, a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Smash lightly with a fork — you want texture, not a purée. Season ...
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Episode 661: Early June Chaos: Wild Weather, Busy Bees and Successional Sowing

Early June has brought that classic mix of heavy rain, strong winds and sudden sunshine — and the garden has certainly felt it. In this week’s episode, I’m sharing how the weather has shaped everything from seed sowing to weeding, plus an exciting update from the beehive as the colony continues to grow. Kitchen Garden Update: Wild Weather and Big Sowing Sessions The kitchen garden has taken a real battering from the weather this week, but the plants are still powering on. Inside the shed, I’ve been making the most of the rain by sowing cucumbers, sweetcorn, kale, cabbage and beans in plug trays. Out in the Veggie Pod, more spring onions, radish and carrots have gone in — ideal quick crops for this time of year. There’s also been another round of cutting back the invasive climber along the fence line, which has taken full advantage of the warm, wet conditions. Allotment Update: Growth Spurts, Weeds and Potato Progress Down on the allotment, everything has that early‑sum...
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Early‑Summer Chard & New Potato Frying Pan Dish

A simple, comforting recipe that celebrates the very start of summer on the veg patch. Early June is that in‑between moment in the garden — the last of the overwintered crops are hanging on, the first new potatoes are ready to lift, and the chard is just starting to think about bolting. This quick frying‑pan dish is a brilliant way to use both while they’re at their best. It’s one of those meals that tastes like the garden: soft new potatoes, wilted chard, a bit of garlic, and a squeeze of lemon to brighten everything up. It works as a side dish or a light lunch on its own. Ingredients (Serves 2–3) 400g new potatoes, scrubbed and halved A large handful of chard (stems and leaves), roughly chopped 1 small onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tbsp olive oil A knob of butter Salt and pepper ½ lemon (juice only) Optional: chilli flakes or grated hard cheese Method Boil the potatoes in salted water for 10–12 minutes until just...
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Episode 660: Embracing Tomato Fortnight & Sowing French Beans in Early Summer

Early summer has truly arrived, and with it comes one of my favourite celebrations in the gardening calendar— Tomato Fortnight . As I shared in this week’s Veg Grower Podcast, the allotment and kitchen garden are bursting with activity, from staking tomatoes to sowing French beans, harvesting peas, and even spotting new life on my citrus tree. Tomato Fortnight: Why I Grow So Many Varieties Down on the allotment, the heat has been intense, but the tomatoes are thriving. I grow around eight different varieties , each chosen for a specific purpose—beefsteaks for sandwiches, salad tomatoes for everyday use, cherries for hanging baskets, and plum tomatoes for passata. As I said in the episode: “There are so many different varieties, hundreds and hundreds of varieties… that is why I grow so many different varieties of tomatoes.” Between home and the allotment, that adds up to around 30 plants —and honestly, I could still grow more. Greenhouse vs. Outdoor Tomatoes Greenho...
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