Show Notes
This week on The Veg Grower Podcast, Richard reflects on another busy week in the garden and allotment. With mild weather still hanging on, there’s plenty of fresh food to harvest — from kale and leeks to the last of the tomatoes and chillies. But as winter creeps closer, Richard’s focus turns to preparing for the months ahead and keeping the growing going indoors.
In the Kitchen Garden
Despite the changing season, the kitchen garden is still producing well. Richard talks about his continued harvests of late crops and how the mild weather has delayed the first frost. He shares how vital homemade compost has been this year — improving soil moisture and helping crops like parsnips thrive even after a dry summer.
With 16 water butts already in place, he’s been busy transferring rainwater between them to make the most of every drop. Richard also discusses plans to add an IBC tank to boost rainwater storage and the benefits of composting for soil health, including his ongoing success with the Hotbin composter.
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There’s both good and bad news in the chicken coop this week. A compulsory housing order is now in place across the UK due to bird flu, meaning all poultry must be kept indoors. Richard shares how he’s keeping his flock safe — and the joy of discovering the very first egg from one of his new hens, a beautiful small blue-green egg laid by Panther.
Down on the Allotment
At the allotment, the focus has shifted to clearing and preparing beds for winter. Richard discusses the importance of green manures for protecting and improving soil health. He’s experimenting with different types — from phacelia to winter tares and forage rye — to see which works best in his soil.
He’s also noticed some of his raised bed timbers are starting to rot, a good reminder that winter is the perfect time for maintenance projects like replacing boards and refreshing bed edges.
Recipe of the Week
This we week we have a perfect seasonal recipe — Roasted Root Vegetable and Apple Soup. This simple dish combines carrots, parsnips, swede and apples for a sweet, hearty winter warmer that’s ideal for using up stored crops.
In the Potting Shed
Richard finishes the episode talking about growing indoors — from microgreens on the kitchen windowsill to experiments with hydroponics. He explains how grow lights, heated propagators, and even small hydro systems can keep gardeners growing all winter long.
Even when it’s cold and dark outside, the gardening doesn’t have to stop. With a few trays of microgreens or herbs, there’s always something fresh to enjoy — and plenty of ways to scratch that gardening itch through the winter.
More from The Veg Grower Podcast
I can cope with working in the cold. Working in the rain is another matter. With plenty of showers this week, I’ve found myself moving more of my gardening under cover — and growing food indoors has become the thread running through this episode.There are young plants filling the shed, cold frames back in position in front of the greenhouse and clear benches at the allotment where the tomato plants used to be. Inside the house, the kitchen windowsill and growing shelves are part of the picture too.It might be the middle of October, but I’m not putting the garden away. I’m making room for what comes next.
Autumn is full of useful materials that gardeners can turn into next year’s fertility. In episode 679 of The Veg Grower Podcast, Richard makes the most of fallen leaves, prepares to store wood ash safely and shares practical ways to keep growing costs under control.
October may bring shorter days and cooler temperatures, but there is still plenty to do in the productive garden. In this week’s episode, I’m sowing crops for winter and next spring, preparing allotment beds, making a warming marrow curry and checking in on Alysda and Lisa’s new vegetable garden.
The end of September can look like the garden is winding down, but this week it felt more like a fresh beginning. Moist weather brought a burst of growth to the kitchen garden, the allotment continued to provide generous harvests, and autumn sowings offered the promise of food through winter.
In episode 676, the focus is on looking ahead to the next growing season through essential autumn tasks. The small but important jobs of planting garlic, sowing hardy leaves, and preparing protected growing spaces for the shorter days are explored in detail.