Bit of a video of the herb area of the allotment. The tall plant I didn't id at the end of the video is Valarian. #gyo #allotment #herbs #gardening @growwithkg.bsky.social

A quick post to the local gardening community, a trailer full of unwanted bits, and everything was gone within the hour! It's good to see things given a second life rather than going to waste. ~We do love upcycling!

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗲 𝗼𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀. 🐝 So today, we’re celebrating the humble bee!

𝗔 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘆: damp down paths & hard surfaces in the morning to raise humidity & help deter red spider mite. They thrive in hot, dry conditions, so a little moisture helps. Don’t leave things damp late in the day, or you may invite slugs instead.

𝗔 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘆: Keep harvesting rhubarb by gently pulling the stalks away from the main crown rather than cutting them. The large leaves can go straight onto the compost heap — they’re poisonous to eat, but harmless in compost. #GrowYourOwn #Rhubarb #KitchenGarden

Thinking of growing potatoes? Check out this potato growing tower, as featured in the latest issue of Kitchen Garden Magazine. 🫶🥔 #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden #gardenlove #gardeninspiration

𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘆: CLEAR OLD CROPS Clear winter crops, chopping them up with a spade into 15cm pieces before adding to the compost heap, to speed up decomposition 🫶 #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown

A big Kitchen Garden shout-out to Carolyn Goodliff who features in this month's Kitchen Garden Magazine! 🫶 #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden #gardenlove #gardeninspiration

Some extra hands on the plot today, May the 4th be with you 😂😎 Anyway, we hope you're having a lovely bank holiday weekend. What have you been doing on the plot? Photos, if you have them, please! #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment

A sneaky peek at the contents page of the May issue of Kitchen Garden Magazine! #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden #gardenlove #gardeninspiration

Before you move tender crops outside, check the night-time temperatures, not just the daytime sunshine. • Hold off planting out tomatoes, courgettes and beans • Keep fleece or cloches handy for overnight protection • Harden plants off gradually before they go outside

Cats + seedlings = trouble 🐾🌱 Warm heat mats make the perfect snooze spot… but cats can squash young plants or knock trays over. 👉 Shut the door to propagating areas 👉 Use lids on trays to protect them Save your seedlings before they become a cat bed.

A big shout-out to Kitchen Garden follower Hannah Bance and her (almost) 16-year-old daughter - Building and filling raised beds for her dad to access from his mobility scooter. 🫶 What are you up to on the plot at the moment? Photos appreciated!

A big shout-out to Kitchen Garden follower Hannah Bance and her (almost) 16-year-old daughter - Building and filling raised beds for her dad to access from his mobility scooter. 🫶 What are you up to on the plot at the moment? Photos appreciated!

When the sun's out, is there a more perfect place to be than in your garden! Here's a lovely photo from Kitchen Garden follower Jess Crowden 🫶 Show us your 'happy place' photos 🫶📷 #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁! Tired of guesswork? Get accurate planting dates for your location with VegPlotter: Online Vegetable Garden and Allotment Planner . 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗞𝗚𝟮𝟱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟭 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘂𝗯 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘! vegplotter.com?kg25

Kitchen Garden Magazine follower Colin Smith has been busy! Keep us posted with pics of the progress Colin! #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden #gardenlove #gardeninspiration

From KG follower Samantha Cook's Instagram: Early potato varieties planted in a no-dig bed. Samantha tested this method last year, and it worked well. 🥔 #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden #gardenlove #gardeninspiration

A nice surprise for KG follower Sharon Ritchie: "Clearing out some pots and bags today and came across these potatoes! Didn’t think anything had grown in the cold/wet!" #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden #gardenlove

Hiding in the greenhouse with Kitchen Garden magazine - perfect weekend reading for KG follower Tash Hamilton! #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden #gardenlove #gardeninspiration

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹: 4️⃣ 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒔: regular light weeding now prevents beds becoming overwhelming later in the season 🫶 Have a great weekend! What are your plans on the plot? #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹: 3️⃣ 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒅𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒔: Add compost, rake soil level and warm beds with cloches or fleece ready for planting! Check back tomorrow for another job! We'll get them done, weather permitting!😆

🚤 One of just THREE in the UK… An apprentice at Banbury’s historic Tooley’s Boatyard has become one of the first people in the country to qualify in a brand-new heritage marine engineering role 👏 👉 Read the full story: www.towpathtalk.co.uk/uk-first-for...

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹: 2️⃣ 𝑺𝒐𝒘 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒏: Succession sow carrots, beetroot, lettuce, spinach, radish, and spring onions for continuous harvests Check back tomorrow for another job, we'll keep you busy 😉 #kitchengarden

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹: 1️⃣ 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒆𝒔: Finish planting maincrop potatoes and begin earthing up early varieties once the shoots appear. Check back tomorrow for another job! #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown

Got a snail in the wrong place? Move it kindly, not roughly. Let it release, lift by the shell, and relocate it well away from your plants. 🌿🐌

What a great use of space for growing your own! Situated on a corner, in the village local to us. Are you using space wisely? Drop us a photo or two... 👇 #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden

Martin Fish helps to demystify the seemingly complicated world of fertilisers... A fascinating read over at our website, just look under 'articles' 🫶 #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden #gardenlove

Worth thinking about: Starting to save water, now! Drier summers are becoming the norm. Consider: Water Butts, guttering on sheds, greenhouses, fixed to side bars on polytunnels, even fences! #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood

Look after those buds! The year before we started doing this, the pesky pigeons stripped THE LOT. This reflective bird-scare tape (less than £10 for a roll from Amazon) really does work! 🕊 #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown

Feeling peckish? How about this lovely risotto from Anna Cairns Pettigrew! Plenty more in each issue of Kitchen Garden Magazine and on our website! #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden #gardenlove

𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: CROP- Brussels sprouts, winter cabbage, cauliflowers, celeriac, chicory, endive, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, leeks, parsnips, sprouting broccoli, swedes, winter radish, winter salad leaves #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood

It's Sarah! You can grab Sarah Purser's fabulous column in Kitchen Garden Magazine , and for more great insight follower her on Instagram at @sundaysinthegardenuk 🫶

𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: PLANT - Garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, rhubarb, shallots, soft and tree fruits. #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden #gardenlove #gardeninspiration

𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥! MICE! 🐁 Watch for small holes near newly sown beans, peas and sweetcorn — mice may be digging down to eat germinating seedlings. If it’s a recurring problem, start seeds indoors and transplant later, as rodents tend to ignore more mature plants. 🌱

40+ Masterpiece Green Longpod broad bean plants that should be ready to plant out at the allotment next week, that'll make 120 plants in three beds. The Alderman climbing pea plants are growing quickly in the greenouse too and should be ready to plant out soon after.🌱

𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: SOW! Aubergine, broad beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, summer cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chillies, cucumber, kohl rabi, leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers, radish, salad leaves, spinach, spring onion, tomato, turnips

🌱 𝙆𝙂 𝙏𝙊𝙋 𝙏𝙄𝙋 🌱 CHECK FLEECE Check supplies of horticultural fleece and other row covers to ensure they are clean and in good condition before the main spring sowing and planting begin. #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown

🌱 𝙆𝙂 𝙏𝙊𝙋 𝙏𝙄𝙋 🌱 Hoe weeds! Keep hoeing and weeding seed beds to remove any germinating weeds. It’s surprising how quickly weeds can flourish after a day or two of March sunshine! #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden

𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥! PESTS THAT LIKE TO HIDE... Slugs, snails and woodlice love sheltering under trays and pots, especially module trays. If you spot them, relocate them to a wild area of the garden so they can continue their role as beneficial recyclers in the food chain

𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗢𝗨𝗧!🌱 Sparrows love young beetroot, lettuce & spinach seeds & can quickly devour a whole bed of tender leaves. Protect young plants with fine veg mesh/butterfly netting over the beds. Make sure all netting is secured to prevent creatures from becoming tangled

Our final 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗽 for seed sowing success. 🔟 Store cans inside to warm the water and reduce shock Anything that avoids ‘shocking’ seeds and seedlings with rapid temperature changes is good, so keep a full watering can in the greenhouse or wherever you keep the seedlings.

In case you've not seen it yet, here's a peep inside the March issue of Kitchen Garden Magazine 😎 #kitchengarden #growing #growyourown #gardening #plot #allotment #growyourownfood #allotmentsuk #homegrown #garden #gardenlove #gardeninspiration

Next 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗽 for seed sowing success: 9⃣Don’t over/underwater Some types of compost are particularly difficult to gauge how moist it is. Coir compost sometimes dries out on the surface but can still be quite damp underneath. Pushing your finger in is often the best way

Next 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗽 for seed sowing success 🌱 8️⃣ Avoid water butt water for seedlings. Freshly sown seeds can be sensitive to pathogens. Use tap water or fresh rainwater at first. Once seedlings are stronger, it’s less of an issue.

Next of our 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 for seed sowing success: 7️⃣ 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳𝗳 Damping off makes seedlings rot and collapse. Avoid overwatering, use clean trays and sterile compost. Cooled chamomile tea may help as a preventative. 🌱

Next 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗽 for seed sowing success 🌱 6️⃣ Keep watering cans & misting bottles clean. Disinfect occasionally with a product like Agralan Citrox — a citrus-based cleaner safe for equipment used on seeds and seedlings. More tips in our feed 👀

Next 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗽 for seed sowing success 🌱 5️⃣ Use a free-draining compost. Check the bag — some multipurpose composts aren’t ideal for sowing. Look for seed compost (e.g. John Innes) that drains well, holds moisture and isn’t too nutrient-rich. Or make your own.

Next 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗽 for seed sowing success: 4️⃣ Use clean trays and pots It is always good practice to clean seed trays, pots or cell trays before using for sowing seeds. A wash in some soapy water and then rinsing well will suffice or you could use something like Citrox.

Next 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗽 for seed sowing success 🌱 3️⃣ Water from the base to avoid disturbing small seeds. Sit pots in a tray of water & let them soak it up through the drain holes. Once compost darkens, lift out & let drain. This evenly moistens compost without washing seeds away.