CREATING A WORKABLE KITCHEN GARDEN

Garry and Alison’s advice on growing food for the table:

We would recommend growing crops that are either expensive to buy or have a far superior flavour to shop-bought varieties. Onions, for example, look lovely, but can be problematic and, being so cheap to buy, are simply not worth the effort. Raspberries are easy to grow and freeze well, lasting all year for baking and jams.

Growing more than can be eaten leads to waste. In the past, we have ended up with 30 cabbages all ready to eat at the same time. If too many are germinated, a few can be planted and the remaining seedlings used as microgreens in a salad. Several seed sowings are recommended so that as one crop finishes, another follows in succession.

Larger seedlings have a better chance of surviving attacks from slugs, snails and pigeons. We germinate all seeds in the greenhouse, in cell seed trays or guttering, and plant out when they are bigger.

Growing companion plants can help to deter pests. We grow borage, marigolds and masses of herbs among our vegetables because they attract beneficial insects and birds that ultimately help reduce the number of pests.

It is essential to net vulnerable crops, such as brassicas, because once butterflies have laid their eggs, it is very difficult to remove all the caterpillars.

Regular hoeing between crops is key to keeping down weeds at the seedling stage.