What first got you interested in growing your own food?
I first got into GYO when I was 10 years old (I’m now 37). It just seemed like a natural curiosity at the time although I would hide this from my schoolmates. We had a patch of garden at the very top of my mum’s house that I transformed from brambles to a vegetable patch. My grandfather and other family members got wind of this and offered help. My grandfather has always grown food in his garden which I always saw growing up and he would often encourage me and this included a Christmas present of manure one year (lucky me). What I did not know, until a couple of years ago when my grandfather passed away, was that he grew up on a plant nursery and at the outbreak of the Second World War, his headmaster got him to teach his classmates to grow food too. I have since inherited his greenhouse, which has a very special feeling when I’m working in there.
You mention on your website that you have a veg garden and an allotment – what do you particularly like to grow?
I am only really interested in growing edibles. I find it hard to given a definitive answer to one thing I especially like to grow – my favourites are always what are in season at that time. The first strawberries, the first peas etc. are always the best. I guess if I had to choose a particular favourite, it would have to be chilli plants.
You keep chickens on your allotment. Do they pose any particular challenges? Any top tips?
Bu hikaye Kitchen Garden dergisinin April 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Kitchen Garden dergisinin April 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
EASY DOES IT!
As the growing season gathers pace there's one thing often in short supply: time! Ever feel like you're chasing your tail? Benedict Vanheems offers some tips to save valuable time and effort
A NEW Kitchen garden!
It's time for sowing and planting in the new garden and while Martin is busy with that, Jill is making a tasty asparagus soup
OUR PLOTTER OF THE MONTH
Kitchen Garden readers rose to the challenge when we asked for pictures of their plots to appear in the magazine this year. It's time to meet another of our talented competition winners
MANAGING WEEDS, NATURALLY
Weeds are never far away but you can keep them at bay without recourse to weedkillers
Meet the apple doctor
KG editor Steve Ott chats to Glyn Smith, head gardener for the National Trust's Erddig estate in Wrexham, about his career and love of the garden he has tended for 38 years
A CORNUCOPIA OF COURGETTES
It's time to sow a first batch of tender crops such as courgettes for picking through the summer months. KG editor Steve Ott has some tips for a super harvest
FLAVOURSOME FRUIT CURRANTS
you If I want to plant some soft fruit that is easy to grow and will give you plenty of flavour, how about trying currants?
TRY AMARANTH! The dual-purpose veg
Garden Organic's research manager Anton Rosenfeld extols the virtues of amaranth and how to grow it
A SPACE APART
Instagrammer James Martin shares his love of gardening and how much it has helped him and his family both mentally and physically under very difficult circumstances
HITTING THE SWEET SPOT
Welcome to the wonderful world of sweetcorn as Rob Smith takes a look at both old and newer varieties, with some growing advice too
