hilton garden

This week on The Veg Grower Podcast , Richard enjoys a productive weekend of gardening, with mild autumn weather, a few fireworks for the dog to contend with, and plenty of composting, tidying, and planning for the colder months ahead. In the Kitchen Garden After a lovely weekend of good gardening weather, Richard shares how it’s left him smiling — the kind of days that remind us why we love being outside this time of year. With the dog and chickens safely tucked away during the firework noise, the focus has been on tidying up the beds and adding more compost to improve the soil before winter sets in. Most of the compost used is home-made — the result of months of careful recycling and turning — but for anyone needing to top up, Richard recommends PSA100 compost bought in bulk as a cost-effective alternative. The same approach has been used in the Vegepod area , where the beds have been cleared and prepped ready for the next round of sowing. It’s all part of setting the garden...

With pumpkins still plentiful, this week’s recipe is a variation of ‘pumpkin bread’—a moist, cake-style loaf rich with autumn flavour, made using self-raising flour for ease and speed. Ingredients 250g peeled and cubed pumpkin (or squash) 450g self-raising flour 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon mixed spice (optional) 100g light muscovado sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 50ml olive oil or melted butter 125ml milk Optional: 50g chopped walnuts or pumpkin seeds for added texture Method Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line a 2lb (900g) loaf tin. Steam or roast the pumpkin cubes until soft, then mash to a smooth purée. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, mix the self-raising flour, ground ginger, mixed spice (if using), sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, oil (or melted butter), milk and mashed pumpkin together until well combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. If you’re using w...

This week on The Veg Grower Podcast , Richard shares another busy few days of tidying, planning and preparing for the colder months ahead — and reflects on where he finds his garden design inspiration. Allotment Update: Storing Canes Down on the allotment, the big tidy-up continues. With the days drawing shorter, time after work is now limited, so Richard has been making the most of every dry spell. This week he’s been tackling weeds, laying down mulch, and organising tools and materials ready for winter. Straw has once again proven to be a fantastic mulch — keeping weeds at bay and making maintenance much easier. He’s also been sorting through canes and supports, using a simple but clever trick for storing them neatly: fixing a bungee cord to the shed wall and slipping the canes behind it. It’s easy, quick, and stops everything falling about in the wind — a great tip for anyone short on shed space. Plastic pots have also had a bit of a tidy. While Richard prefers to reuse rather...

As the weather turns colder, I always find myself craving something warm, simple, and full of flavour — and this Spicy Autumn Potato Soup fits the bill perfectly. It’s a great way to use up a few stored potatoes along with those last chillies and peppers from the greenhouse. It’s hearty, naturally creamy, and has just enough warmth to take the chill off an autumn afternoon. Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil or butter 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 small chilli, finely chopped (or to taste) 1 pepper, chopped (red or yellow adds lovely colour) 500g potatoes, peeled and diced 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock 100ml milk or cream (optional, for extra richness) Salt and pepper to taste Fresh parsley or chives, chopped, to serve Method Prepare the base Heat the olive oil or butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the garlic, chilli, and pepper Stir in the garlic and chi...

This week on The Veg Grower Podcast , it’s been a wild and windy one as Storm Amy rolled through the south coast — but that didn’t stop progress in the allotment or the kitchen garden. I’ve been tidying up, sowing broad beans, and starting to make some exciting plans for the 2026 growing season. Kitchen Garden Update Back home in the kitchen garden, the stormy weather certainly made things interesting. Thankfully, there was no serious damage — just a few wind-fallen apples and pears. With the strong winds making outdoor jobs difficult, I took refuge in the greenhouse. The tomatoes had reached the end of their season, so it was time for a tidy-up and clear-out. Once the spent plants were composted, I realised how much space I had for winter crops such as winter lettuce and land cress . A good reminder came to light during this process — a clean greenhouse lets in far more light. Over the year, dirt builds up on the glass, blocking valuable sunlight. So I gave the glass a thoroug...