Kitchen garden

Where gardens are ephemeral, kitchen gardens remain steeped in outdated conventions and seemingly have yet to enjoy true botanical democracy. Gone are the days, where kitchen gardens were the sole domain of the gardener and cook, yet in most gardens, including ours, the kitchen garden is still strictly segregated from the ornamental garden. The benefits of poly- and permaculture are widely known, yet we still prefer to grow produce in [...]

There really is no other way of saying it, this year the kitchen garden has been pants. Record breaking hot March weather, subsequent and unremitting torrential rain, persistent cold temperatures, fuming storms, in addition to exceptionally lethal slug vandalism and uncanny pigeon mutilation, amount to the perfect recipe for disaster. With the bulk of painstakingly grown produce mullered, and end of June nearing, one can’t help but wonder if there [...]

Deciding on the varieties of fruit and vegetables to grow is a delightful undertaking. Experienced kitchen gardeners tend to base their choices on; taste, (seasonal) yield, ripening period, soil suitability and disease resistance to limit/prevent use of pesticides. Nostalgia often also plays a part, where (local) heritage varieties may be chosen over modern (F1) hybrids. However, one can’t help but notice the ever increasing pressure to grow the trendier; unusual, [...]

What a difference a little rain makes. Alas, little being the operative word. Despite reports of storms, rainy weather forecasts, we have just had one, admittedly good, shower two weeks ago. Since then, we have only been cruelly beguiled by thick luscious clouds, but none since have dropped any of their precious cargo. Fortunately for our, still dry, garden though, temperatures have dropped, which gives us all, plants included, a [...]