MICHAEL AND MYFANWY ELLARD FROM NORFOLK
Michael tends an allotment with his wife Myfanwy and also enjoys sharing his growing experiences writing for his local garden club. We chat to him here.
How long have you been growing veg?
I was influenced from my schooldays and helped in the garden in Cornwall and had my first allotment at the age of 16, which my parents got for me.
What do you find most challenging about growing your own veg?
The weather and going away, especially soft fruit time, and we need to mulch and water plants for when we're away. We stand pots in trays, so they have a reservoir of water to tide them over.
Have you one piece of advice you could pass on to other readers?
Talk to your fellow plotters on the allotment as they might give you a better solution in what they are doing.
Can you name some of your favourite crops to grow?
Strawberries are our favourite. And we've started growing Daubenton's kale. I took some cuttings last year as they don't make seed, and these are a great standby for fresh greens all the year round and fairly pest-resistant. We even have a variegated variety now but it is not so vigorous.
We grow autumn raspberries as these don't require protection from birds and the season lasts a long time. We can eat them all the time for breakfast on our cereals and dinner as a dessert. We even started making food bars with them in. It's nice to decide what you want and collect it from the allotment. Of course, we can't grow everything, so we tend to eat seasonally and there is always something to harvest. We grow more in pots now and extend the season with a polytunnel and have started growing samphire for fish dinners.
Do you grow flowers on the plot?
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June 2024-Ausgabe von Kitchen Garden.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June 2024-Ausgabe von Kitchen Garden.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
PICK STRAWBERRIES - FOR HOME-GROWN FLAVOUR
When it comes to getting value for money and the best flavour, strawberries are hard to beat, says fruit expert David Patch
A GARDEN FOR EVERYONE!
This month Hannah Reid shares her experience of redesigning a garden for those with a range of disabilities and how it has benefited them
ROOM TO GROW
We meet Rhiannon Alcock from Devon, whose plot provides a place to relax and learn. It also inspired a wonderful community project growing produce for local food banks
Just how much food?
Top organic gardening influencer Huw Richards explains how to maximise the pickings from growing spaces big and small
PREDATORS ON YOUR PLOT
Garden Organic's Anton Rosenfeld explores the range of beneficial predators that you can encourage into your garden, keeping pests at bay
GIVE THEM A HELPING HAND
Some of our most popular crops come from much warmer climes and need a little extra TLC before being exposed to the UK's changeable conditions. Editor Steve Ott offers some top tips to help get them off to a great start
Digging for tomorrow
Encouragement to grow your own is being passed on to the next generation, as Sally Clifford discovered when she visited a former Dig for Victory site in the historic city of York
MAKE YOUR OWN GIN GARDEN
Become a gin genius by growing your own key ingredients. Becky Searle shows you how
KNOW YOUR ROOTS
Maincrop roots are a staple of autumn and, with care, should last well into winter too. Don't miss your opportunity to start them! Benedict Vanheems shares his tips to keep the larder stocked with nourishing, home-grown roots
SOMETHING FOR THE WINTER
This month 'squashbuckler' Rob Smith takes a look at winter squash varieties - old, new, coming soon and something different with advice on sowing, growing, harvesting and storing