This week on The Veg Grower Podcast, I’ve been busy both at home in the kitchen garden and down on the allotment. Autumn is certainly upon us, and that means it’s time to tidy, store, and prepare for the months ahead. Kitchen Garden Update At home, my main focus has been on checking over our stored fruit and vegetables. I always try to do this regularly – especially the ones that aren’t in the freezer. Apples and pears are kept in crates in the garage where it’s cool, dark, and dry, with just enough space between each fruit for airflow. It’s important to remove any showing signs of rot before it spreads to the rest. The same goes for the onions in sacks and root vegetables stored in damp sand. It’s a simple but vital job to keep our homegrown produce lasting right through winter. The chickens have now fully integrated into one flock, all sleeping together in the same coop, which is great to see. They’re not quite laying yet, but they’re certainly settled in. I’ve also been preparing for the colder weather by moving tender plants such as my peach, lemon, and potted grapevine into the greenhouse. The fleece is on standby in case of frost. My grapevine in the ground, though, has been incredibly productive this year, producing a mountain of dessert grapes – small but delicious. Alongside that, we’re still harvesting spinach, mustards, beetroot, and cabbage, while the pumpkins and winter squash are now safely stored after a good year. Allotment Update Down on the allotment, I’ve been continuing the long-running task of tidying from the bottom of the plot upwards, a little at a time each visit. This week, the big project has been building a new compost bin. Using reclaimed corrugated iron from an old shed, I’ve bolted together panels with wooden posts to create a strong, practical bin about 1.5 metres long by 1 metre wide. It joins my existing bins, including one made from old fridge doors – not the prettiest, but it does the job! I’ve already begun filling the new bin with grass clippings and trimmings, and it’s satisfying to see the allotment looking tidier and more productive again. Another key job this week was planting out overwintering onions, both from sets and from seed. The sets go about 5 cm deep before being backfilled and watered. They’ll provide an early crop next year. It’s one of those repetitive tasks that feels endless at the time but pays off later. We’ve also still got a few tomatoes hanging on, though blight has begun to appear on the larger varieties, so those plants have been cleared and composted. The smaller tomatoes are still ripening slowly, and we’re continuing to harvest apples, pears, chillies, peppers, and late carrots. Kitchen Garden Recipe – Autumn Ratatouille This week’s Recipe of the Week is my Autumn Ratatouille – a great way to use up the last of the summer harvest. It’s a simple mix of onion, garlic, aubergine, courgette, peppers, and tomatoes, all gently cooked down with olive oil and herbs into a rich, warming dish. It’s perfect with pasta, as a side to a roast, or even spooned onto toast with a poached egg. You’ll find the full recipe on our website. In the Potting Shed Back in the shed, I’ve been sorting through my seed collection – a job I do every autumn. My seeds are stored in labelled boxes inside an old fridge to keep them cool, dry, and safe from mice. This week I’ve been checking expiry dates, removing old packets, and making a list of what I already have before I start looking through seed catalogues. It saves money and prevents duplication. Out-of-date seeds often still germinate but at a lower rate, so I donate them to local gardening charities or use them to feed the birds. If you fancy a bit of homework this week – go through your own seed collection, see what’s missing, and start planning what you’d like to grow next year. It’s a great way to get ahead before spring arrives.
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30 mins