The Veg Grower Podcast

This week’s episode of The Veg Grower Podcast was packed with those subtle but exciting signs that the growing season is waking up. After a rare dry spell on the south coast, I finally managed a full day in the kitchen garden — and it felt good to get stuck in.

Kitchen Garden: Early Growth & Essential Tidying

With the soil warming, weeds have started to appear, which is always a positive indicator that spring is on the way. Even more surprising was spotting the first early shoots of asparagus pushing through — far earlier than expected, but very welcome.

I mulched the asparagus bed with rich worm compost from the wormery, although I did discover a small mouse living beneath the bin. Thankfully, not a rat — and a reminder to keep an eye on things, especially with chickens nearby.

I also planted out some strong young leeks that were originally destined for a cancelled project. These were sown in May and have grown beautifully in pots, so they’re now filling an otherwise empty bed. I’ve also started another batch of leek seeds using my usual polystyrene‑box method.

Seedlings & Temperature Monitoring

Seedlings are everywhere at the moment — chillies, peppers, onions sown on Boxing Day — and they’re finally putting on growth after a slow start. My Bluetooth thermometer in the potting shed continues to be invaluable for tracking temperatures and deciding when to sow.

Allotment: Winter Jobs & Greenhouse Prep

Despite the rain, I pushed on with allotment jobs. February is always a strange month — half winter, half spring — but I managed to clear prunings, weed, and top up beds with compost.

When the rain set in, I moved into the greenhouse for a full clean and sterilise. Broken panes were swept up, frames washed, and everything disinfected with a natural biodegradable cleaner. It’s now ready for the season ahead.

The second greenhouse, “The Sergeant,” still needs glazing, but I’m leaning toward covering it with polytunnel plastic — a practical and affordable solution that should get it functional quickly.

In the Kitchen: Crispy Veg Pancakes

With Shrove Tuesday and Chinese New Year coinciding, I cooked up crispy vegetable pancakes filled with homegrown leeks, cabbage, carrot and onion, finished with a sweet chilli and soy dressing. A delicious way to use winter veg.

Grow Lights: Why They’re Becoming Essential

This week I also talked about grow lights — something I once thought unnecessary but now consider vital for year‑round growing, especially with limited winter daylight.

My older IKEA lights are fading after a decade of use, and last year’s cheap Amazon set hasn’t impressed. But this week I received a sample from a new company, Oasis Grow Lights, and the build quality and brightness immediately stood out.

One key feature I love: adjustable chains. My own experiment this year showed that seedlings grown with lights 10cm above them were stockier and stronger than those grown with lights 60cm away. Light distance matters — a lot.

I’ll be trialling these new lights properly over the coming weeks, but first impressions are excellent.

It’s been another wet and windy week here in Littlehampton, and once again the weather has been calling the shots. Outdoor jobs have been limited, but plenty has still been happening both indoors and on the allotment.

In this week’s episode of the Veg Grower Podcast, I’m sharing an update from the kitchen garden, how seed sowing and potting on are progressing, a slightly frustrating allotment visit, and answering a listener’s question about crop rotation.

In the kitchen garden

The constant rain has been a bit of a worry this week, particularly for the chickens. Even with a covered run, the clay soil is holding a lot of moisture and becoming boggy underfoot. For now, it’s a case of managing things as best as possible and planning improvements for drier conditions later in the year.

Elsewhere in the garden, everything is ticking along nicely. Garlic, chard and purple sprouting broccoli are all growing well, which is always reassuring at this time of year.

With outdoor gardening limited, most of my focus has been indoors. February is a great time to get ahead with seed sowing if you’ve got a warm windowsill or propagator. Aubergines, celery, celeriac, leeks, chillies, cauliflowers and cabbages have all been sown, setting things up nicely for the months ahead.

Seed compost, mixes and potting on

I keep seed sowing simple. A fine seed compost mixed with a small amount of perlite provides good drainage without overfeeding young seedlings.

Once plants are established, they’re potted on from plug trays into individual pots using multi-purpose compost, again with added perlite and just a light sprinkle of a general feed. Starting plants in plug trays has made potting on quicker, tidier, and reduced waste, which has been a real bonus.

Everything is still growing indoors under heat and grow lights for now, but the aim is steady, strong growth rather than rushing plants too early.

Harvests and preserving produce

Despite it still being winter, there’s plenty to harvest. Kale, chard, Brussels sprouts and purple sprouting broccoli are all being picked regularly, along with a good amount of parsley.

Some of the parsley has been dried using a small dehydrator set to around 35°C. It’s a simple way to preserve herbs and extend the usefulness of what’s grown in the garden. I mention the dehydrator I use in the podcast and this ca be found here.

Recipe of the week: Creamy Leek & Mustard Pasta

This week’s recipe uses one of those reliable winter staples – leeks. They quietly earn their keep all winter and work brilliantly in simple, comforting meals.

The recipe is a creamy leek and wholegrain mustard pasta that’s quick to cook, flexible, and perfect for using home-grown leeks.

You can find the full recipe here: Creamy Leek & Mustard Pasta

Down on the allotment

A brief dry spell made it possible to visit the allotment, and the raised beds and no-dig approach are once again proving their worth. Despite all the rain, the soil remains workable and free-draining.

Most of the time this week has been spent dealing with a problem area near neighbouring plots that have been left unattended. Brambles and weeds continue to creep in, along with dumped pots and debris. Cutting things back while everything is dormant helps keep the situation manageable.

There are also clear signs that spring isn’t too far away. Buds are appearing on the thornless blackberry, garlic and onions are looking strong, and recent work on the potato beds is holding up well.

Listener question: Is crop rotation still necessary?

This week’s listener question comes from Lynn, who asked whether crop rotation is really necessary on an organic, no-dig plot, especially in a small space with perennial crops.

Traditional crop rotation helps reduce pest and disease build-up and manage soil fertility, but in smaller gardens and allotments it isn’t always practical or essential.

Welcome back to another episode of The Veg Grower Podcast. This week has very much been about working with the weather, preparing for the season ahead, and slowing things down where patience is required.

From soggy allotment soil and potato bed preparation, to sowing celery in the potting shed, plus a cracking book all about composting, there’s plenty to catch up on.

Down on the Allotment: Preparing the Potato Beds

It’s been a wet one this week. The ground has been absolutely saturated in places, but despite that, progress has still been made.

The main focus on the allotment has been preparing the potato beds. Over winter, green manures have been growing on these beds, and now they’ve been cut down to soil level. Rather than removing the material, everything has been left in place and covered with a couple of inches of compost. This will break down over the next few weeks, adding organic matter and nutrition ready for planting.

Potatoes usually go in around 20 March, so this preparation gives the soil time to settle and start doing its thing.

Seed potatoes are being handled slightly differently this year too. Instead of buying early and storing them for weeks, they’ve been ordered to arrive towards the end of February. This reduces the need for long chitting and avoids weak, leggy shoots developing too early.

Despite the noise from a new nearby road, it’s good to feel like the allotment is moving forward and winter jobs are finally being ticked off.

Seed of the Month: Celery

Back home in the potting shed, this month’s seed of the month is celery — a crop that often gets an unfair reputation.

Celery isn’t difficult, but it is slow and very honest about what it needs. Home-grown celery has far more flavour than shop-bought, and you don’t even need to wait for full heads. Young stems and leaves are perfect for soups and stocks.

Celery has been sown early because it needs a long growing season. The seeds are tiny and need light to germinate, so they’re scattered on the surface of the compost rather than covered. They’re then placed into a heated propagator and left alone — patience is key, as germination can take a few weeks.

One important point with celery is consistency. It hates drying out and dislikes any checks in growth. This makes sense when you realise celery is a coastal plant by origin, so steady moisture is essential throughout its life.

Once seedlings are large enough, they’ll be potted on gradually, grown steadily, and planted out towards the end of April into rich, moisture-retentive soil. With regular watering and feeding, harvesting can begin in late summer.

In the Kitchen: Crispy Potato & Leek Hash

This week’s recipe is a simple, humble favourite — crispy potato and leek hash with garlic and herbs.

With plenty of potatoes in store, leeks still coming out of the ground, and herbs to hand, this felt like the perfect quick midweek meal.

Parboiled potatoes are crisped up in a pan before adding leeks, garlic and herbs, finished with seasoning, butter, and a sprinkle of cheese. It’s cheap, filling, adaptable, and ideal for growers cooking from what they’ve got rather than following strict recipes.

Book of the Month: Composting by Bob Flowerdew

January’s book of the month has been Composting by Bob Flowerdew, and it’s been a thoroughly enjoyable read.

The book covers what actually happens inside a compost heap, the different ways compost can be made, and the pros and cons of each approach. Rather than telling you how to compost, it gives you the information and lets you decide what works best for you — something that feels very true to gardening as a whole.

It’s an easy, readable book that still manages to inspire confidence and encourage you to do more with compost, whether at home or on the allotment.

February’s read will be No Dig by Charles Dowding, borrowed from the library and ready to get started.

As the winter months stretch on, many gardeners find themselves dreaming of warmer days and bountiful harvests. In this week's episode of the Veg Grower Podcast, host Richard takes listeners on a journey through his kitchen garden and allotment, sharing valuable tips and insights that will inspire anyone to grow their own food, regardless of space or experience.

Richard starts with an update from his kitchen garden, where he has been facing challenges with his lemon tree. After experiencing some harsh winter temperatures, the tree has shown signs of distress, with brown, crispy leaves and blackened branches. Richard discusses the importance of protecting citrus trees during cold spells, emphasizing the need for extra care in unheated greenhouses. This candid update serves as a reminder that even seasoned gardeners must adapt to changing climates and learn from their experiences.

Next, Richard ventures down to his allotment, where he has been busy pruning his raspberry bed. He explains the simplicity of caring for autumn raspberries, which only require cutting down to ground level for optimal growth. The podcast highlights the importance of mulching, especially during winter, to retain moisture and promote healthy plant growth. Richard's practical advice on maintaining a tidy allotment amidst winter's challenges is invaluable for aspiring gardeners.

In addition to gardening tasks, Richard participates in the RSPB Big Bird Watch, a community science project that encourages people to observe and record the birds visiting their gardens. He shares his experience of sitting quietly in his shed, waiting for birds to land, and reflects on the lessons learned from observing wildlife. Richard's enthusiasm for encouraging birds into the garden is infectious, as he discusses their role in pest management and the overall health of his vegetable patch.

The episode also features a delightful recipe from Chef Scott, who presents a warming chicken root vegetable, bean, and barley broth—perfect for those chilly winter days. Scott's culinary creations are a wonderful reminder of the joys of cooking with homegrown produce.

Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. Tune in to discover how to overcome winter gardening challenges, protect your plants, and embrace the beauty of nature in your own backyard. Don't miss the chance to learn from Richard's experiences and take your gardening journey to the next level!

If you would like to support this podcast then please consider becoming a member of our supporters club or use some of affiliate links below for items you might be buying. We might get a little commission

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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.