Show Notes
This week’s podcast is a bit longer than usual, but there’s plenty going on both in the garden and beyond. From steady progress on the allotment, to seed sowing at home, and a fascinating deep dive into beekeeping, it’s been a good week all round.
Down on the Allotment
After a very wet week, I was pleasantly surprised by how well the allotment had dried out. With no major infrastructure projects planned this year, I’ve been concentrating on tidying problem areas.
The space by the shed, where my gooseberries grow, is now almost finished. Brambles and self-seeded trees have been removed, and the gooseberries given a proper prune to remove dead and crossing branches. It already feels like a far more manageable and productive area.
I’ve also been doing light tidying in front of the greenhouses and checking over the concrete pipes I’ll be using this year for carrots and parsnips. Speaking of which, I lifted a few carrots, parsnips and leeks for dinner and was impressed by how well the carrots are still holding up in the ground.
Next on the list are the autumn raspberries, which need cutting back to ground level, and tackling brambles creeping in from neighbouring plots.
In the Kitchen Garden
At home, seed sowing is continuing at a steady pace. Alongside the Supporters Club seeds, I’ve been sowing something every day, including basil, dill, cress, tatsoi, sunflower microgreens, sorrel and celery.
Some earlier sowings, particularly the chillies started back in December, have now been potted on. Space is starting to become a bit tight under lights and on heat mats, but everything is growing well for now.
One of the bigger home jobs this week has been continuing work on the elm tree. It’s slow, careful progress, but safety comes first. While we were outside, the chickens were also allowed to free-range around the garden again, which they thoroughly enjoyed.
Beekeeping – A Fascinating Conversation
The main feature this week is a long and very interesting chat with Mark from Buzz Into Beekeeping.
Beekeeping is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and Mark explains it all brilliantly – from how to get started, to what equipment you really need, how much space a hive takes up, and what’s involved in looking after bees throughout the year.
We also talked about swarming, neighbours, garden suitability, and the many benefits of keeping bees, from pollination to honey and beeswax. It’s definitely left me even more inspired to give it a go.
Marks email is [email protected]
You can also find Mark on his instagram https://www.instagram.com/buzzintobeekeeping/
Recipe of the Week
This week’s recipe is a creamy garlic and herb root vegetable tray bake, using a mix of potatoes, parsnips, carrots, swede and onions. Simple to make, perfect with a roast, and just as good reheated the next day.
If you’ve been thinking about beekeeping, or you’re just curious about how it all works, this is an episode well worth listening to.
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.