5 minute read
Fresh Harvest
from THE HANDLE 2024
Ah, the kitchen garden… where one can pop outside to pluck tomatoes for a flavoursome lunchtime salad, pick a spot of spinach for supper, or snip some scented herbs for the final flourish to a cocktail. Here’s a beginner’s guide...
Many PoB hotels have enviable kitchen gardens, which not only look dreamy (Peter Rabbit, eat your heart out), but also ensure guests enjoy the freshest, most seasonal, produce – from plot to plate in just seconds.
It is perfectly possible to create your own kitchen garden at home – bringing much enjoyment, more flavour (nothing compares with the taste of homegrown tomatoes) and saving on the cost of the weekly shop. You don’t need acres of space to do it, either. Here are some tips for getting started.
Plan your plot
Kitchen gardens are often smaller than a vegetable patch and – the clue is in the name – are close to your kitchen. This ensures it’s easy to both tend to plants and, of course, harvest them. They can be a great choice for a first growing venture.
Spring is the best time for planting but you can start planning well ahead of this. A sunny, sheltered spot with easy access to water and away from trees and fences is the ideal. Sketch out a rough design to fit the space – dividing beds into squares or rectangles works well, and make sure every area is accessible for weeding by putting in narrow pathways. It’s best to have beds for different types of planting – one for root vegetables, one for herbs and salads, etc.
Consider the type of ground you have. Free draining soil full of nutrients is the aim, but we are not all blessed with that. You can dig in well-rotted compost and manure but, if you have heavy clay or poor sandy soil, a better option could be to put in some raised beds. That way, you can fill them with a mix of topsoil, compost and grit or sand. Raised beds also provide better drainage, help keep the soil warmer and save your back.
Start small
A common rookie error is to plant too much too soon. Do so and you risk total ooverwhelm. Also remember that you only need what you and your family can feasibly eat…the novelty will soon wear off if you end up eating courgettes for lunch and dinner every day for a month just to get rid of a glut. Start with perhaps three to five options (see Beginner's luck)– and do think about growing varieties you may not have come across before to keep it interesting. If you don’t have a garden, or just have a balcony, concentrate on tomatoes, herbs and strawberries in pots or on a windowsill. Consider some companion plants between and around your crops, too – lavender with carrots, for example, or borage with strawberries. They will repel damaging insects (and some will even attract beneficial ones), look pretty and fill in gaps that would otherwise probably be filled with weeds.
Beginner's luck: here are our top 10 for surefire (ish!) success…
▸ Tomatoes
▸ Lettuces
▸ Radishes
▸ Beetroots
▸ Carrots
▸ Spring greens
▸ Potatoes
▸ Strawberries
▸ Chives
▸ Raspberries
Grow, grow, grow
Seeds are the cheapest option, but if you don’t have a greenhouse or a propagator, plug plants are your friend and will reward with quicker results – ideal to build your confidence when you are at the start of your journey. Start them off in a pot on a sunny windowsill before transferring outdoors as the weather warms. When planting, read up on the height and spread of each plant when fully grown to ensure you are allowing it enough space.
Once you’ve planted, remember that kitchen gardens work best with ‘little and often’ maintenance to keep on top of weeds – and occasional mulching will help with that, too. Water regularly but not too often – a good soaking once a week is often better and leads to more vigorous plants than just a little every day. Rotate your crops between beds each year. This helps deter pests and diseases.
Stick with it and you will soon get to know what works for you and your garden…and what doesn’t. What’s more, you’ll be hooked!
Jennifer Danbury, Head Gardener, Barnsley House, Gloucestershire
“Reuse cardboard boxes - cardboard is a fantastic weed suppressant. We use it to form our paths between crops, saving hours weeding. We then top this with wood chippings from our local tree surgeon to enhance the visual effect and soil condition.
Seonaid Macpherson Raffell, Head Gardener, The Torridon, Ross and Cromarty
“Do not be daunted. Just go for it. See your blank space as an opportunity to experiment. You will have successes and the odd disaster – that is gardening. But you will soon realise why people hang the enamel sign ‘Homegrown tastes better’.”
Phil Mennel, Head Gardener, Rockliffe Hall, County Durham
“Plan the arrangement of your plants. Consider the mature height and spread required for the different plants. Remember to leave room to access your plants for harvesting.”
Tom Coward, Head Gardener, Gravetye Manor, West Sussex
“If you have crops that fail, don’t give up. Learn from what went wrong - the plants are the teacher!”
Sarah Jones, Gardening Team Member, Whatley Manor
“Ditch the spade and buy peat-free compost – the ‘no dig’ method keeps your soil happy and healthy and avoids damaging its natural structure.”
And finally, don't give up! No one has a green thumb. The people who you think are good with plants are usually the ones who have killed the most, they’ve just persevered over the years.”
Words | Emma O'Reilly
