Vegetables
How to Grow Broad Beans at Home in the UK
Grow broad beans in the UK â autumn and spring sowing, supporting the plants, pinching out for blackfly, and picking tender beans from one of the easiest crops.
14 min read
Guides
All growing guides
Practical, UK-focused guides to growing your own food. Pick a category or browse the latest below.
Vegetables
How to Grow Broccoli at Home in the UK
Grow broccoli in the UK â calabrese and purple sprouting types, raising firm plants, beating cabbage white caterpillars, and cutting heads and side-shoots.
14 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Cabbage at Home in the UK
Grow cabbage in the UK â spring, summer and winter types for year-round heads, with firm planting, pest netting, and beating clubroot and caterpillars.
14 min read
Vegetables
Growing Chillies on a Windowsill
How to grow chillies on a windowsill in the UK â the warmth and light they need, pollinating by hand, and getting a hot crop with no garden or greenhouse.
9 min read
Vegetables
Growing Cucumbers in Pots
How to grow cucumbers in pots in the UK â the right variety, pot size and support, plus watering and feeding for a patio or balcony crop.
5 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Cucumbers at Home in the UK
Grow cucumbers in the UK â greenhouse and outdoor ridge types, sowing, training and feeding, and a steady crop of crisp cucumbers all summer.
14 min read
Vegetables
Greenhouse vs Outdoor Cucumbers: Which to Grow
Greenhouse or outdoor cucumbers in the UK? An honest comparison of the two types â flavour, ease, space and reliability â to help you pick the right one.
7 min read
Vegetables
Overwintering Chilli Plants
How to overwinter chilli plants in the UK â keep them alive through winter for an earlier, bigger crop next year, with cutting back, watering and warmth.
5 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Peppers and Chillies in the UK
Grow sweet peppers and chillies in the UK â sowing early, the warmth they need, feeding for a heavy crop, and ripening fruit from a windowsill or greenhouse.
14 min read
Vegetables
Perpetual Spinach and Chard for Year-Round Leaves
How to grow perpetual spinach and chard in the UK â tough, bolt-resistant leafy greens that crop for many months, even through a mild winter.
7 min read
Vegetables
Growing Pumpkins for Halloween
How to grow pumpkins for Halloween in the UK â when to sow for an October harvest, the best carving varieties, and getting big, bright fruit in time.
5 min read
Vegetables
Growing Purple Sprouting Broccoli
How to grow purple sprouting broccoli in the UK â a hardy crop that fills the hungry gap with masses of tender spears in late winter and early spring.
7 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Radishes (the Easiest First Crop)
Grow radishes in the UK â the fastest, easiest crop for beginners and children, ready in weeks, with tips on sowing, spacing and avoiding all-leaf plants.
14 min read
Vegetables
Sowing Broad Beans in Autumn
How and why to sow broad beans in autumn in the UK â the hardy varieties to use, protecting young plants over winter, and getting an early summer crop.
5 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Spinach and Chard in the UK
Grow spinach and chard in the UK â tender true spinach and tough, colourful chard, with sowing times, beating bolting, and cut-and-come-again harvests.
16 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Pumpkins and Squash in the UK
Grow pumpkins and squash in the UK â summer and winter types, giving these hungry, sprawling plants what they need, and storing winter squash for months.
16 min read
Vegetables
Storing Cabbages Over Winter
How to store cabbages over winter in the UK â leaving hardy types in the ground, harvesting and hanging firm heads, and keeping cabbage for months.
4 min read
Vegetables
Harvesting and Storing Winter Squash
How to harvest and store winter squash and pumpkins in the UK â when to cut, how to cure the skins, and keeping them sound for months over winter.
4 min read
Vegetables
Why You Should Plant Sweetcorn in Blocks
Why sweetcorn is planted in blocks not rows in the UK â how wind pollination works, the spacing to use, and how it gives you full, well-filled cobs.
5 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Sweetcorn at Home in the UK
Grow sweetcorn in the UK â why to plant in blocks for pollination, sowing and spacing, and picking cobs at their sweetest straight from the plant.
17 min read
Vegetables
Growing Winter and Mooli Radishes
How to grow winter and mooli radishes in the UK â big, hardy roots for autumn and winter, with sowing times, spacing and storing for the colder months.
5 min read
Fruit
How to Grow Apples in a Small Garden
Grow apples in a small UK garden â dwarfing rootstocks, pollination partners, planting and pruning, and choosing trained forms that fit even a tiny plot.
20 min read
Fruit
How to Grow Blackberries and Hybrid Berries
Grow blackberries and hybrid berries in the UK â thornless varieties, training the canes, pruning, and heavy crops of late-summer fruit from one easy plant.
15 min read
Fruit
Choosing Apple Rootstocks
A simple UK guide to apple rootstocks â M27, M9, M26 and MM106 â and which to choose for a pot, a small garden or a full-sized tree.
6 min read
Fruit
How to Grow Blackcurrants, Redcurrants and Whitecurrants
Grow currants in the UK â blackcurrants, redcurrants and whitecurrants â with planting, the different pruning each needs, and heavy crops of summer berries.
17 min read
Fruit
Dividing Rhubarb Crowns
How to divide rhubarb crowns in the UK â rejuvenate a tired plant and make new ones for free, with the right timing and method for healthy, vigorous rhubarb.
5 min read
Fruit
Protecting Strawberries from Birds
How to stop birds eating your strawberries in the UK â netting, cages and other tricks that protect the crop while keeping wildlife safe.
6 min read
Fruit
How to Prune Apple Trees
How to prune apple trees in the UK â winter pruning for shape and health, summer pruning for trained forms, and the simple rules that avoid common mistakes.
10 min read
Fruit
Pruning Blackberries
How to prune blackberries and hybrid berries in the UK â the simple once-a-year cut that removes old canes and keeps the plant productive and under control.
5 min read
Fruit
How to Prune Currants
How to prune blackcurrants, redcurrants and whitecurrants in the UK â the two different methods explained simply for bigger, healthier crops of berries.
5 min read
Fruit
Growing Raspberries in Containers
How to grow raspberries in pots in the UK â the best types for containers, pot size and compost, and getting a real crop of canes on a patio or balcony.
5 min read
Fruit
Propagating Strawberries from Runners
How to propagate strawberries from runners in the UK â pegging down free new plants in summer to renew your strawberry bed and keep crops heavy.
6 min read
Fruit
Training Blackberries on Wires
How to train blackberries and hybrid berries in the UK â keeping the fruiting and new canes apart on wires for easy picking and heavy, healthy crops.
5 min read
Herbs
Growing Basil on a Windowsill
How to grow basil indoors on a windowsill in the UK â the warmth and light it needs, watering without killing it, and keeping a kitchen supply going for months.
9 min read
Herbs
How to Grow Chives at Home in the UK
Grow chives in the UK â an easy, hardy perennial herb with edible flowers, perfect for beds, pots and windowsills, with tips on dividing and harvesting.
16 min read
Herbs
How to Grow Coriander at Home in the UK
Grow coriander in the UK without it bolting â the right varieties, sowing for leaf, successional sowing, and harvesting both the leaves and the seed.
15 min read
Herbs
How to Divide Chives for More Plants
How to divide chives in the UK â split a tired clump into several vigorous new plants for free, keeping your chives healthy and productive year after year.
9 min read
Herbs
Drying and Storing Herbs from the Garden
How to dry and store herbs in the UK â air-drying, the oven and freezer, and which herbs keep best â so your summer harvest lasts right through winter.
8 min read
Herbs
Getting Parsley Seed to Germinate
Parsley not coming up? How to germinate slow parsley seed in the UK â soaking, warmth and patience â so you stop wasting seed and get reliable seedlings.
8 min read
Herbs
Growing Basil in Pots Outdoors
How to grow basil in pots in the UK â choosing a warm, sheltered spot, the right compost and watering, and getting a big summer crop on a patio or balcony.
9 min read
Herbs
Keeping Supermarket Herbs Alive
How to rescue supermarket herb pots in the UK â why they collapse, how to split and re-pot basil, parsley and coriander, and keep them growing for months.
8 min read
Herbs
How to Grow Thyme, Sage and Oregano in the UK
Grow thyme, sage and oregano in the UK â sun-loving Mediterranean herbs that thrive on poor, dry soil, with tips on planting, pruning and harvesting all year.
17 min read
Herbs
Growing Mint in Pots (and Containing It)
How to grow mint in pots in the UK â the best way to enjoy mint without it taking over, plus the sunken-container trick for growing it in a border safely.
9 min read
Herbs
Mint Varieties: Which to Grow
A UK guide to mint varieties â spearmint, peppermint, Moroccan, apple and chocolate mint â what each tastes like and the best uses in the kitchen and garden.
9 min read
Herbs
How to Grow Mint at Home in the UK
Grow mint in the UK â the best varieties, why you must contain it, growing in pots, harvesting and keeping it going for a constant supply of fresh leaves.
13 min read
Herbs
Overwintering Mediterranean Herbs in the UK
How to overwinter thyme, sage, oregano and rosemary in the UK â protecting sun-loving herbs from cold, wet winters so they come back strong in spring.
9 min read
Herbs
Growing Parsley on a Windowsill
How to grow parsley indoors on a windowsill in the UK â the right pot and light, watering, and keeping a kitchen supply of fresh leaves through the year.
8 min read
Herbs
How to Grow Parsley at Home in the UK
Grow parsley in the UK â flat-leaf and curly types, getting the slow seed to germinate, and a steady supply of leaves from a bed, pot or windowsill.
15 min read
Herbs
How to Prune Rosemary (Without Killing It)
How to prune rosemary in the UK â when and how to trim for a bushy, productive plant, and the golden rule that stops you cutting it back too hard.
8 min read
Herbs
How to Grow Rosemary from Cuttings
How to take rosemary cuttings in the UK â turn one plant into many for free, with a simple step-by-step method that works on a windowsill or in the garden.
9 min read
Herbs
How to Grow Rosemary at Home in the UK
Grow rosemary in the UK â a tough, evergreen Mediterranean herb for sunny spots and pots, with tips on planting, pruning, cuttings and surviving wet winters.
18 min read
Herbs
Successional Coriander Sowing for Year-Round Leaves
How to sow coriander in succession in the UK for a constant supply of leaves â timing, indoor and outdoor sowings, and dodging the summer bolt.
8 min read
Getting Started
The Best Compost for Growing Vegetables (UK)
The best compost for growing vegetables in the UK â peat-free multipurpose, seed and potting composts compared, plus when to use John Innes and ericaceous.
8 min read
Getting Started
The Best Crops for Small Gardens
The best crops for a small UK garden â the high-value, space-efficient vegetables, fruit and herbs that give the biggest harvest from the least room.
5 min read
Getting Started
The Best Herbs to Grow for Cooking
The best herbs to grow for cooking in the UK â the everyday culinary herbs worth a spot by the kitchen, and which are easiest for beginners.
5 min read
Getting Started
Choosing a Raised Bed Kit
How to choose a raised bed kit in the UK â timber, recycled plastic or metal, the best size and depth, and what to look for so it lasts for years.
6 min read
Getting Started
The Best Garden Tools for Beginners
The best garden tools for beginners in the UK â the handful that earn their keep, what to look for in quality, and the gadgets you can safely skip.
8 min read
Getting Started
The Best Vegetables to Grow with Kids
The best vegetables to grow with children in the UK â fast, fun, foolproof crops that keep kids interested and reward them with something to eat.
5 min read
Getting Started
How to Build Raised Beds (Cheaply)
How to build raised beds in the UK â materials, sizes and a simple build, plus how to fill them affordably and the no-dig way to set them up on grass.
9 min read
Getting Started
Companion Planting That Actually Works
Companion planting for UK veg gardens â the pairings with real evidence behind them, from carrots and onions to the Three Sisters, and the myths to ignore.
8 min read
Getting Started
Crop Rotation Explained (Simply)
Crop rotation explained for UK beginners â why you move crops around, a simple four-bed plan, and how it cuts pests and disease and keeps soil healthy.
9 min read
Getting Started
A First-Year Homestead Plan
A realistic first-year plan for setting up a UK homestead â what to tackle each season, what to leave for year two, and how to avoid taking on too much.
8 min read
Getting Started
Gardening Month by Month in the UK
A month-by-month UK gardening calendar â what to sow, plant and harvest from January to December, with a link to the right guide for every job.
11 min read
Getting Started
Green Manures Explained
Green manures explained for UK growers â fast-growing cover crops that protect and feed bare soil over winter, which to sow when, and how to dig them in.
5 min read
Getting Started
Grow Your Own: A Beginner's Year Plan
A beginner's year plan for growing your own food in the UK â what to grow, how to plan a productive plot, and a realistic path to a kitchen full of homegrown veg.
15 min read
Getting Started
Does Growing Your Own Save Money?
Does growing your own food save money in the UK? An honest look at the crops that pay, the ones that don't, and how to grow your own for far less.
5 min read
Getting Started
Setting Up a Homestead on a Budget
How to set up a homestead cheaply in the UK â the frugal, reuse-everything approach to building beds, soil, water and plants for very little money.
5 min read
Getting Started
How Much to Grow to Feed a Family
How much to grow to feed a family in the UK â realistic plant numbers for the crops that matter, so you grow enough without drowning in courgettes.
9 min read
Getting Started
Natural Pest Control Without Chemicals
How to control garden pests naturally in the UK â barriers, predators, biological controls and picking by hand â to beat slugs, aphids and caterpillars no-spray.
10 min read
Getting Started
Organic, No-Spray Growing for Beginners
How to grow food organically with no sprays in the UK â feeding the soil, working with wildlife, and managing pests and weeds naturally for a healthy plot.
14 min read
Getting Started
Organic Weed Control That Works
How to control weeds organically in the UK â mulching, hoeing, hand-weeding and no-dig â to beat annual and perennial weeds without weedkiller.
6 min read
Getting Started
Peat-Free Compost Explained
Peat-free compost explained for UK gardeners â why peat is being phased out, how peat-free performs, and how to get the best from it.
5 min read
Getting Started
Planning a Homestead Layout
How to plan a homestead layout in the UK â zoning beds, paths, fruit, compost, water and chickens around sun, access and your daily routes for an efficient patch.
8 min read
Getting Started
How to Save Your Own Seed
How to save your own vegetable seed in the UK â the easiest crops to start with, why F1 hybrids won't come true, and how to dry and store seed properly.
10 min read
Getting Started
Seed Trays vs Module Trays: Which to Use
Seed trays or module trays in the UK? An honest comparison for sowing â which suits which crops, and how to pick the right one to avoid root disturbance.
5 min read
Getting Started
How to Set Up a Homestead Patch (UK Guide)
A complete UK guide to setting up a homestead patch from scratch â planning the plot, what to include, where to get materials, and a realistic first-year path.
16 min read
Getting Started
Sourcing Manure and Organic Matter
Where to get manure and bulk organic matter in the UK â stables, farms and councils â plus how to tell if manure is well-rotted and safe for your veg.
6 min read
Getting Started
Storing Your Harvest Over Winter
How to store your harvest over winter in the UK â clamping roots, curing onions and squash, freezing and drying â so homegrown food lasts for months.
9 min read
Getting Started
Successional Sowing Explained
Successional sowing explained for UK beginners â sowing little and often so you harvest a steady supply instead of a glut, with the crops and timings that suit it.
6 min read
Getting Started
Water on the Homestead: Butts and Irrigation
How to set up water on a UK homestead â collecting rainwater in water butts, simple irrigation, and watering efficiently to keep a growing patch going in summer.
9 min read
Getting Started
Starting Out: What Tools and Kit to Buy
What to buy when you start growing food in the UK â the few tools and bits of kit that are genuinely worth it, and what you can skip or improvise to save money.
14 min read
Getting Started
What to Plant in April (UK)
What to sow, plant and harvest in April in the UK â a simple monthly job list for the vegetable garden, with links to the guide for every crop.
3 min read
Getting Started
What to Plant in August (UK)
What to sow, plant and harvest in August in the UK â a simple monthly job list for the vegetable garden, with links to the guide for every crop.
3 min read
Getting Started
What to Plant in December (UK)
What to sow, plant and harvest in December in the UK â a simple monthly job list for the vegetable garden, with links to the guide for every crop.
4 min read
Getting Started
What to Plant in February (UK)
What to sow, plant and harvest in February in the UK â a simple monthly job list for the vegetable garden, with links to the guide for every crop.
4 min read
Getting Started
What to Plant in January (UK)
What to sow, plant and harvest in January in the UK â a simple monthly job list for the vegetable garden, with links to the guide for every crop.
4 min read
Getting Started
What to Plant in July (UK)
What to sow, plant and harvest in July in the UK â a simple monthly job list for the vegetable garden, with links to the guide for every crop.
5 min read
Getting Started
What to Plant in June (UK)
What to sow, plant and harvest in June in the UK â a simple monthly job list for the vegetable garden, with links to the guide for every crop.
5 min read
Getting Started
What to Plant in March (UK)
What to sow, plant and harvest in March in the UK â a simple monthly job list for the vegetable garden, with links to the guide for every crop.
4 min read
Getting Started
What to Plant in May (UK)
What to sow, plant and harvest in May in the UK â a simple monthly job list for the vegetable garden, with links to the guide for every crop.
4 min read
Getting Started
What to Plant in November (UK)
What to sow, plant and harvest in November in the UK â a simple monthly job list for the vegetable garden, with links to the guide for every crop.
4 min read
Getting Started
What to Plant in October (UK)
What to sow, plant and harvest in October in the UK â a simple monthly job list for the vegetable garden, with links to the guide for every crop.
4 min read
Getting Started
What to Plant in September (UK)
What to sow, plant and harvest in September in the UK â a simple monthly job list for the vegetable garden, with links to the guide for every crop.
4 min read
Getting Started
Where to Get Garden Materials (Cheap and Free)
Where to get garden and homestead materials in the UK â timber, compost, manure, woodchip and tools â cheaply or free, from councils, stables, Freecycle and more.
9 min read
Getting Started
Year-Round Growing in the UK
How to grow and harvest food all year round in the UK â hardy winter crops, successional sowing and simple protection to keep the kitchen supplied 12 months.
8 min read
Containers
How to Make a Balcony Vegetable Garden
How to grow vegetables on a balcony in the UK â coping with wind, sun and weight, the best crops, and turning a small balcony into a productive food garden.
9 min read
Containers
The Best Compost for Containers
The best compost for containers in the UK â why peat-free multipurpose works, when to add perlite or John Innes, and why garden soil never belongs in pots.
5 min read
Containers
The Best Vegetables for Containers
The best vegetables to grow in containers in the UK â the most productive, reliable crops for pots, grow bags and window boxes, with pot sizes for each.
11 min read
Containers
Choosing Pots and Container Sizes
How to choose the right pots and container sizes for growing food in the UK â materials, drainage and the minimum size each crop needs to crop well.
9 min read
Containers
Growing Fruit Trees in Pots
How to grow fruit trees in pots in the UK â dwarfing rootstocks, pot size, compost and watering for apples, pears, cherries and figs on a patio or balcony.
10 min read
Containers
How to Grow Food with No Garden at All
How to grow food with no garden in the UK â windowsills, balconies, doorsteps and shared spaces â and exactly what to start with for real harvests indoors and out.
9 min read
Containers
Growing Herbs in Containers
How to grow herbs in containers in the UK â which herbs suit pots, keeping thirsty and drought-loving herbs apart, and a window box herb garden by the kitchen.
5 min read
Containers
Self-Watering Containers Explained
How self-watering containers work in the UK â the reservoir system, what to grow in them, and how to make your own, for fewer waterings and steadier crops.
6 min read
Containers
Vertical Growing for Small Spaces
How to grow food vertically in the UK â wall planters, trellises, hanging baskets and stacked pots that multiply what you can grow in a tiny space.
5 min read
Containers
Watering Containers Without Killing Your Plants
How to water containers in the UK â how often, the finger test, deep watering, self-watering tricks and holiday cover â to stop pots drying out or drowning.
9 min read
Problems
All Leaf and No Radish? Here's Why
Radishes growing lots of leaf but no swollen root? The UK causes â thick sowing, shade and too much nitrogen â and the simple fixes for fat radishes.
5 min read
Problems
Greenfly and Aphids: How to Get Rid of Them
Greenfly and aphids on your plants? How to control them organically in the UK â squashing, water jets, encouraging predators, and avoiding sprays.
5 min read
Problems
Why Has My Beetroot Bolted?
Beetroot running to seed in the UK? The causes â cold after early sowing and drought â and how to grow tender roots that do not bolt.
4 min read
Problems
Big Bud Mite on Blackcurrants
Swollen buds on your blackcurrants? Big bud mite explained â how to spot it, why it spreads reversion virus, and what to do to save your bushes.
5 min read
Problems
Why Aren't My Blueberries Fruiting?
Blueberry bush not cropping? The UK causes â wrong soil pH, only one variety, and pruning or watering issues â and how to get a heavy crop.
6 min read
Problems
Why Has My Broccoli Not Formed Heads?
Broccoli making leaves but no head? The UK causes â heat, loose planting and poor soil â and how to get calabrese to form a proper head.
5 min read
Problems
Why Are My Carrots Forked and Twisted?
Forked, split or twisted carrots in the UK? The causes â stony soil, fresh manure and transplanting â and how to grow long, straight roots.
4 min read
Problems
Clubroot in Brassicas: How to Manage It
Clubroot in cabbages and other brassicas in the UK â how to recognise the swollen, distorted roots, why it lingers in soil, and how to keep growing brassicas.
7 min read
Problems
Codling Moth: Maggots in Your Apples
Maggoty apples and pears? Codling moth explained â how the grubs get in, and the traps and timing that protect your crop the organic way in the UK.
6 min read
Problems
Why Does My Coriander Bolt? Causes and Fixes
Coriander bolting to seed before you can use it? The UK causes â heat, dry roots and transplant shock â and how to grow leafy coriander that lasts.
8 min read
Problems
Why Are My Baby Courgettes Rotting?
Tiny courgettes rotting and dropping off in the UK? The causes â poor pollination and damp â and how to get the fruit to set and swell.
5 min read
Problems
Why Are My Cucumbers Bitter?
Bitter cucumbers? The UK causes â stress, heat and pollination of greenhouse types â and how to grow sweet, crisp cucumbers instead.
4 min read
Problems
Damping Off: Why Seedlings Collapse
Seedlings flopping over and dying at the base? Damping off explained â the fungal cause, and the clean, simple steps that prevent it in the UK.
5 min read
Problems
Garlic Rust: What to Do About It
Orange spots on your garlic leaves? Garlic rust explained â why it appears in the UK, how it affects the crop, and how to limit it.
4 min read
Problems
Leek Rust: Causes and Control
Orange streaks on your leeks? Leek rust explained â why it strikes in damp UK gardens, whether the leeks are still usable, and how to reduce it.
4 min read
Problems
Why Are My Seedlings Leggy?
Leggy, stretched seedlings? The UK causes â too little light and too much warmth â and how to grow short, sturdy plants on a windowsill.
4 min read
Problems
Why Did My Onions Bolt?
Onions running to seed before they bulb up? The UK causes â cold spells and stress after planting â and how to stop onions bolting.
4 min read
Problems
Why Won't My Peppers Fruit?
Pepper plants flowering but no fruit? The UK causes â cold, poor pollination and too much nitrogen â and how to get peppers and chillies to set.
5 min read
Problems
Potato Scab: Causes and What to Do
Rough, scabby patches on your potatoes? Common scab explained â why it appears in the UK, whether the potatoes are still edible, and how to reduce it.
4 min read
Problems
Why Are My Potatoes Green? (And Are They Safe?)
Green potatoes in the UK â why they turn green, why the green parts are not safe to eat, and how earthing up stops it happening.
4 min read
Problems
Why Won't My Seeds Germinate?
Sown seeds not coming up in the UK? The common causes â cold, wet, dryness, old seed and sowing too deep â and how to get reliable germination.
4 min read
Problems
Slugs and Snails: Organic Control That Works
How to control slugs and snails organically in the UK â the wildlife-safe methods that actually protect seedlings, and why metaldehyde pellets are now banned.
5 min read
Problems
Why Has My Spinach Bolted?
Spinach running to seed before you can pick it? The UK causes â heat, long days and dry roots â and how to grow leafy spinach that lasts.
5 min read
Problems
Why Are My Tomatoes Splitting?
Tomatoes cracking and splitting on the plant? The UK cause â irregular watering â and the simple, steady routine that stops it for good.
4 min read
Problems
Why Aren't My Sweetcorn Cobs Filling Out?
Sweetcorn cobs with missing or gappy kernels? The UK causes â poor pollination and dry roots â and how to get full, evenly-filled cobs.
4 min read
Problems
Why Won't My Tomatoes Ripen?
Green tomatoes refusing to turn red in the UK? The causes â cold, too much foliage and end-of-season timing â and tricks to ripen them on and off the plant.
5 min read
Getting Started
Compost Problems: Smelly, Slimy or Not Rotting?
Why your compost is smelly, slimy, dry or just not rotting â the common UK compost problems, what causes each, and how to fix your heap fast.
11 min read
Getting Started
Composting Kitchen Waste: Bokashi and Caddies
How to compost kitchen waste in the UK â bokashi bins, caddies and council food recycling, including the cooked food, meat and dairy you can't compost normally.
12 min read
Getting Started
DIY Garden Projects from Things You'd Throw Away
Easy DIY garden projects from household waste in the UK â plastic-bottle cloches and drip feeders, pallet planters, bird scarers and more, all for free.
11 min read
Getting Started
DIY Seed Pots from Household Waste
Make free seed pots and modules from household waste in the UK â toilet roll tubes, newspaper pots, egg boxes and more, plus which crops suit each.
11 min read
Getting Started
Using Eggshells in the Garden: Do They Actually Work?
Do eggshells work in the garden? An honest UK look at eggshells as fertiliser, slug barriers and seed pots â what helps, what's a myth, and the best use.
10 min read
Getting Started
Homemade Plant Feeds: Comfrey, Nettle and More
How to make free plant feeds in the UK â comfrey and nettle tea, plus the honest truth about banana skins, wood ash and coffee grounds as homemade fertilisers.
11 min read
Getting Started
How to Make Compost at Home
How to make compost at home in the UK â greens and browns, building and turning a heap, what to add, and turning kitchen and garden waste into free soil food.
16 min read
Getting Started
How to Make Leaf Mould
How to make leaf mould in the UK â turn fallen autumn leaves into a free soil improver and seed compost, using just a bin bag or a simple wire cage.
10 min read
Getting Started
Gardening for Free: Reuse and Recycle in the Garden
How to garden for almost nothing in the UK â reuse household waste, make your own pots, feeds and compost, and cut the cost of growing your own food.
17 min read
Getting Started
Upcycled Containers for Growing Food
Grow food in upcycled containers in the UK â buckets, crates, tins and old sinks â plus the safety checks for which recycled containers are food-safe.
11 min read
Getting Started
What You Can and Can't Compost
A clear UK list of what you can and can't put in your compost bin â from veg peelings and cardboard to the things that cause smells, pests and weeds.
8 min read
Getting Started
How to Make and Use a Wormery
How to set up a wormery in the UK â compost kitchen scraps with worms for rich worm compost and liquid feed, even with no garden or just a small balcony.
11 min read
Wildlife
Attracting Beneficial Insects for Natural Pest Control
How to attract beneficial insects to a UK veg garden â ladybirds, hoverflies, lacewings and parasitic wasps that eat aphids and pests, the no-spray way.
9 min read
Wildlife
Bird Feeders in the Veg Garden: Help or Hindrance?
Should you put up bird feeders near your vegetables? How garden birds help with pest control in the UK, the catch with seedlings, and how to feed them well.
10 min read
Wildlife
How to Build a Bug Hotel for the Garden
How to build a bug hotel in the UK â what materials to use, where to site it, and which helpful insects like solitary bees and ladybirds it shelters.
11 min read
Wildlife
Companion Flowers to Grow Among Your Vegetables
The best companion flowers for a UK veg garden â marigolds, nasturtiums, calendula and borage that pull in pollinators and predators and confuse pests.
11 min read
Wildlife
Helping Hedgehogs: Your Garden Slug Patrol
How to help hedgehogs in a UK garden â highways, homes, food and water â so these natural slug-eaters protect your vegetables, and the dangers to avoid.
11 min read
Wildlife
Putting Up Nest Boxes for Garden Birds
How to put up nest boxes in a UK garden â the right hole size, height and aspect for tits, robins and sparrows that repay you by eating garden pests.
12 min read
Wildlife
The Best Pollinator Plants for the Vegetable Garden
The best plants to grow for pollinators in a UK veg garden â flowers for bees and hoverflies through the seasons, and why they boost your fruit and veg crops.
10 min read
Wildlife
Making a Mini Wildflower Patch
How to make a small wildflower patch in a UK garden â annual and perennial meadow mixes, how and when to sow, and why it boosts pollinators and your crops.
11 min read
Wildlife
Wildlife Gardening: How Nature Helps Your Veg Grow
How to garden for wildlife in the UK and grow more food â pollinators, natural pest control, ponds, bird feeders and bug hotels working for your veg patch.
15 min read
Wildlife
How to Make a Wildlife Pond (Even a Small One)
How to make a wildlife pond in a UK garden â from a half-barrel to a dug pond â to bring in frogs and toads that eat slugs and benefit your veg patch.
10 min read
Kids
The Bean in a Jar Experiment
How to grow a bean in a jar with kids â watch a seed sprout roots and a shoot through the glass, a simple UK science project that shows how seeds grow.
11 min read
Kids
How to Make a Bean Teepee (a Living Den)
How to make a bean teepee or sunflower den with kids in the UK â a living play den from runner beans or sweet peas that gives flowers, beans and adventures.
12 min read
Kids
The Celery and Food Colouring Experiment
How to do the celery and food-colouring experiment with kids â watch celery drink coloured water and learn how plants take up water, step by step.
9 min read
Kids
The Easiest Crops for Kids to Grow
The best easy crops for children to grow in the UK â fast, fun, foolproof vegetables, fruit and flowers that give quick results and keep kids interested.
11 min read
Kids
Gardening with Children: Fun Projects to Get Kids Growing
Fun, easy ways to get children gardening in the UK â quick-win crops, simple science experiments and projects that teach kids how plants really grow.
16 min read
Kids
Growing Cress with Kids (Cress Heads and More)
How to grow cress with children in the UK â on a windowsill, as funny cress heads or eggshell faces â a fast, foolproof first crop ready in about a week.
11 min read
Kids
Growing Avocado, Lemon and Apple Pips with Kids
How to grow plants from kitchen pips and stones with kids in the UK â avocado stones, citrus pips and apple seeds â fun, slow houseplant projects from scraps.
11 min read
Kids
Growing Sunflowers with Children
How to grow sunflowers with kids in the UK â sowing giant varieties, a tallest-sunflower contest, and saving the seeds for the birds, from spring to autumn.
10 min read
Kids
Regrowing Vegetables from Kitchen Scraps
Fun ways to regrow vegetables from scraps with kids in the UK â spring onions, lettuce, celery and carrot tops on the windowsill, free and foolproof.
10 min read
Kids
Sprouting Seeds and Microgreens on the Windowsill
How to grow sprouts and microgreens with kids in the UK â quick windowsill crops like pea shoots and mustard, ready to eat in days, with no garden needed.
10 min read
Fruit
Growing Blueberries in Pots (Ericaceous Compost)
How to grow blueberries in pots in the UK â the ericaceous compost they need, pot size, watering with rainwater, feeding and a reliable container crop.
10 min read
Fruit
How to Grow Blueberries at Home in the UK
Grow blueberries in the UK â why they need acidic ericaceous soil, the best varieties, growing in pots, watering with rainwater, and a heavy crop.
15 min read
Fruit
How to Grow Cherries in a Small UK Garden
Grow cherries in the UK â self-fertile varieties on dwarfing rootstocks, planting in the ground or a pot, protecting from birds, and pruning safely.
16 min read
Fruit
Forcing Rhubarb for Sweet Early Stems
How to force rhubarb in the UK for tender, sweet pink stems weeks early â when and how to cover a crown, and why forced crowns need a year to recover.
9 min read
Fruit
How to Grow Gooseberries at Home in the UK
Grow gooseberries in the UK â dessert and culinary varieties, planting and pruning for big crops, and beating sawfly and mildew on this easy soft fruit.
16 min read
Fruit
How to Prune Raspberries (Summer and Autumn)
How to prune raspberries in the UK â the simple rules for summer-fruiting and autumn-fruiting canes, when to cut, and how to get bigger crops.
8 min read
Fruit
How to Grow Raspberries at Home in the UK
Grow raspberries in the UK â summer and autumn types, planting canes, supporting and pruning, feeding, and getting fruit from June to the first frosts.
16 min read
Fruit
How to Grow Rhubarb at Home in the UK
Grow rhubarb in the UK â planting crowns, feeding a hungry perennial, harvesting without weakening the plant, and forcing for sweet early stems.
16 min read
Fruit
Growing Strawberries in Pots and Hanging Baskets
How to grow strawberries in pots, troughs and hanging baskets in the UK â the best varieties, compost and feeding, and keeping fruit off the ground and slugs.
9 min read
Fruit
How to Grow Strawberries at Home in the UK
Grow sweet strawberries in the UK â choosing summer and everbearer varieties, planting, feeding, protecting from birds, and propagating from runners.
15 min read
Chickens
Chicken Coops and Housing: What You Need
How to house chickens in a UK garden â coop size, ventilation, nest boxes and perches, fox-proofing the run, and choosing a coop that's easy to clean.
11 min read
Chickens
Chickens and Your Vegetable Garden
How to keep chickens and a vegetable garden together in the UK â using their manure and pest control, protecting your crops, and safe integration.
9 min read
Chickens
Choosing Chicken Breeds for Beginners
The best chicken breeds for UK beginners â friendly, hardy hybrids and pure breeds for eggs, plus bantams for small gardens, and how many to keep.
10 min read
Chickens
What to Feed Chickens (and What Not To)
How to feed backyard chickens in the UK â layers pellets, grit and fresh water, safe treats, how much, and why feeding kitchen scraps is illegal.
10 min read
Chickens
Keeping Chickens in Your Garden: A Beginner's Guide
A UK beginner's guide to keeping chickens in your garden â what you need, how many to keep, the rules, daily care, and getting your first fresh eggs.
15 min read
Chickens
Keeping Chickens Healthy: Common Problems
Keep backyard hens healthy in the UK â spotting a sick chicken, and preventing and treating red mite, worms, scaly leg and common laying problems.
11 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Beetroot at Home in the UK
Grow sweet, tender beetroot in the UK â the best varieties, sowing and thinning, avoiding bolting, and harvesting baby beets to maincrop roots.
14 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Garlic at Home in the UK
Grow big, healthy garlic bulbs in the UK â choosing softneck and hardneck types, autumn vs spring planting, feeding and harvesting and curing.
16 min read
Vegetables
Growing Cucumbers in a Greenhouse
How to grow greenhouse cucumbers in the UK â all-female varieties, warmth and humidity, training up strings, feeding, and avoiding bitter fruit.
9 min read
Vegetables
Growing Tomatoes in a Greenhouse
How to grow greenhouse tomatoes in the UK â the best varieties, training cordons, feeding and watering, ventilation, and avoiding blight and split fruit.
9 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Kale at Home in the UK
Grow hardy, productive kale in the UK â the best varieties, sowing and transplanting, beating cabbage white caterpillars, and picking all winter.
14 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Leeks at Home in the UK
Grow leeks in the UK â sowing, transplanting, blanching for long white stems, and harvesting a hardy crop that stands right through winter.
15 min read
Vegetables
Growing Onions from Sets vs Seed
Onions from sets or seed? An honest UK comparison â cost, ease, reliability, choice and timing â to help you pick the right method for your garden.
8 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Onions and Shallots in the UK
Grow onions and shallots in the UK â planting sets or seed, spacing, feeding, and harvesting and storing a crop that lasts through winter.
13 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Peas at Home in the UK
Grow sweet, tender peas in the UK â the best varieties, when and how to sow, supporting the plants, and picking for a heavy crop from June to August.
14 min read
Vegetables
Planting Garlic: Autumn vs Spring
Should you plant garlic in autumn or spring in the UK? How the cold requirement works, which varieties suit each, and the timing for the best bulbs.
8 min read
Vegetables
Successional Pea Sowing for a Long Harvest
How to sow peas in succession in the UK for a long, steady harvest â timing, the best varieties to stagger, and keeping pods coming from June to autumn.
8 min read
Getting Started
Greenhouse Growing for Beginners (UK)
A UK beginner's guide to greenhouse growing â choosing and setting up a greenhouse, what to grow through the year, and watering, ventilation and warmth.
14 min read
Getting Started
Keeping a Greenhouse Cool and Watered in Summer
How to stop a UK greenhouse overheating and drying out in summer â ventilation, shading, damping down and watering, to keep crops cropping in a heatwave.
9 min read
Getting Started
What to Grow in an Unheated Greenhouse Year-Round
Get the most from an unheated greenhouse in the UK â a month-by-month plan of what to sow, grow and harvest under glass through all four seasons.
10 min read
Problems
Cabbage White Caterpillars: How to Stop Them
Cabbage white caterpillars stripping your kale and cabbages? How to identify them, the netting that stops them, and organic ways to protect UK brassicas.
9 min read
Problems
Onion White Rot: How to Recognise and Manage It
Onion white rot in the UK â how to spot the fluffy white fungus and yellowing leaves, why it persists in soil for years, and how to manage it.
8 min read
Problems
Powdery Mildew on Peas: Causes and Fixes
White powder on your pea plants? Powdery mildew explained â why it hits late-sown UK peas in summer, how to slow it, and the resistant varieties to grow.
8 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Carrots in Pots and Containers
How to grow carrots in pots and containers in the UK â the best short-rooted varieties, the right compost and depth, and beating carrot root fly on a patio.
9 min read
Vegetables
Chitting Seed Potatoes: Why and How
How to chit seed potatoes in the UK â what chitting is, why it gives early potatoes a head start, and the simple egg-box method step by step.
8 min read
Vegetables
What to Do With a Courgette Glut
Drowning in courgettes? What to do with a courgette glut â the best ways to cook, freeze and store a summer surplus so nothing goes to waste.
8 min read
Vegetables
Earthing Up Potatoes: When and How to Do It
How and when to earth up potatoes in the UK â why it matters, how to do it, and how it protects tubers from frost and stops them turning green.
8 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Potatoes in Bags and Containers
How to grow potatoes in bags and containers in the UK â the best varieties, compost, watering and harvest for a patio crop with no garden needed.
9 min read
Vegetables
The Best Tomato Varieties for UK Gardens
The best tomato varieties for UK gardens â sweet cherry types, reliable cordons, blight-resistant picks and the best tomatoes for pots and patios.
8 min read
Vegetables
How to Water and Feed Tomatoes for a Heavy Crop
How to water and feed tomatoes in the UK for a heavy crop â how often, how much, when to start high-potash feed, and how to avoid split fruit.
9 min read
Vegetables
Growing Winter Salad Leaves in the UK
Grow salad leaves through a UK winter â the hardy varieties, sowing times and simple cover that keep you in fresh leaves from autumn into spring.
8 min read
Getting Started
The Easiest Crops to Grow for Beginners
The easiest crops to grow for UK beginners â ten hard-to-fail vegetables, herbs and salads that give a quick, satisfying first harvest with little fuss.
9 min read
Getting Started
No-Dig Gardening for Beginners
No-dig gardening for beginners in the UK â how it works, how to start a no-dig bed on grass or soil, and why it means less weeding and digging.
9 min read
Containers
How to Grow Food on a Windowsill
How to grow food on a windowsill in the UK â the best herbs, salads and microgreens for an indoor sill, plus light, watering and the right pots.
8 min read
Problems
Why Aren't My Runner Beans Setting Pods?
Runner beans flowering but no pods? The UK causes â heat, dry roots and too few pollinators â and how to get your beans setting pods again fast.
8 min read
Problems
Blackfly on Beans: How to Get Rid of Black Bean Aphid
Blackfly on your beans? How to deal with black bean aphid the organic way â pinching out, encouraging predators, and stopping it coming back.
8 min read
Problems
Blossom End Rot: Causes and the Simple Fix
Blossom end rot on tomatoes and courgettes explained â what causes the sunken brown patch at the base, and the simple watering fix that prevents it.
8 min read
Problems
Carrot Root Fly: How to Beat the Carrot Grower's Worst Pest
Carrot root fly is the UK carrot grower's biggest pest â how to spot the damage, and the mesh, barrier and timing tricks that keep your carrots clean.
9 min read
Problems
Why Has My Lettuce Bolted? Causes and Prevention
Why has your lettuce bolted? What makes lettuce run to seed in the UK, how to spot it early, and the varieties and tricks that prevent it.
8 min read
Problems
Potato Blight: How to Recognise and Beat It
Potato blight in the UK â how to recognise it, why it spreads in warm wet weather, and how to save your crop and prevent it coming back next season.
8 min read
Problems
Powdery Mildew on Courgettes: Causes and Fixes
White powder on your courgette leaves? Powdery mildew explained â why it strikes in late summer, how to slow it, and the resistant varieties to grow.
9 min read
Problems
Tomato Blight: How to Spot, Stop and Prevent It
Tomato blight in the UK â how to recognise it fast, why it strikes in warm wet summers, and how to slow it down and prevent it ruining your crop.
7 min read
Problems
Why Are My Tomato Leaves Turning Yellow?
Why are your tomato leaves turning yellow? The common UK causes â overwatering, hunger, cold and disease â and exactly how to fix each one.
8 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Beans (Runner & French) at Home in the UK
Grow runner beans and French beans in the UK â sowing times, supports, watering, and getting a heavy crop from May to October in any UK garden or pot.
17 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Carrots at Home in the UK
Complete beginner's guide to growing carrots in the UK â best varieties, sowing dates, thinning, and avoiding carrot root fly for a sweet, straight crop.
16 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Courgettes at Home in the UK
Grow courgettes in the UK â the right varieties, when to sow, planting out, feeding, and how to avoid the courgette glut every beginner experiences.
18 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Lettuce and Salad Leaves in the UK
Grow salad leaves and lettuce at home in the UK â which varieties to choose, how to sow, and the cut-and-come-again method for months of harvests.
18 min read
Getting Started
How to Start a Vegetable Garden at Home in the UK
A beginner's guide to starting a vegetable garden in the UK â choosing what to grow, preparing the soil, and getting your first crops in.
18 min read
Containers
Growing Food in Containers & Small Spaces (UK Guide)
No garden? No problem. Grow vegetables, herbs and fruit in pots, on balconies and windowsills â a UK beginner's guide to container growing.
19 min read
Herbs
How to Grow Basil at Home in the UK
Beginner's guide to growing basil in the UK â sowing, warmth, light, the pinching trick, watering, harvesting and beating bolting for months of fresh leaves.
17 min read
Vegetables
Growing Tomatoes in Pots & Containers
How to grow tomatoes in pots on a UK patio or balcony â container size, compost, deep planting, watering and feeding for a heavy crop in a small space.
10 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Tomatoes at Home in the UK
Beginner's guide to growing tomatoes in the UK â sowing, potting on, planting out, training cordons, watering, high-potash feeding and a heavy harvest.
18 min read
Vegetables
How to Grow Potatoes in Bags and Beds
Grow your own potatoes in the UK â chitting, planting, earthing up, blight and harvesting first earlies and maincrop, in the ground or in containers.
17 min read
Getting Started
Improving Your Soil: A Beginner's Guide
Find out what soil you have and improve it with compost, manure, mulch and no-dig â the simple UK guide to building rich, healthy ground that grows more.
17 min read