Kitchen Garden Magazine

NEWS

6 FIRST PICKINGS
A ll the latest news and views from the world of kitchen gardening

YOUR PLOT

10 JOBS FOR MARCH
Essential tasks for your plot from the KG team

14 UNDERCOVER
Sue Stickland's seasonal tips on growing in polytunnel and greenhouse

16 LET THE SOWING BEGIN
Try our top tips to getting good results with sowing outdoors or in pots

22 BACK TO BASICS – TOMATOES
Your how-to-grow guide with new expert writer, Joe Maiden

25 101 WAYS TO A SLUG-FREE GARDEN
Gaby Bartai has plenty of ideas to control slugs organically

30 YOUR LETTERS AND TIPS

32 VEG PLOT ANSWERS
Your fruit and veg questions answered

34 READERS’ EXCHANGE
Ask a question or help other readers

35 WEBWATCH
Helen Gazeley reviews some great gardening-related websites

36 BACKYARD BOTANY – TOMATOES
Botanist, Lucy Halliday, on the benefits of eating tomatoes

38 VEG GROWING ON A BIG SCALE
Steve Ott visits a veg farmer in Boston, Lincolnshire, to get some growing tips

ALLOTMENT LIFE

42 THE BEGINNER'S VEG PLOT NEW SERIES
Former professional gardener Graham Uney takes you through the making of a new fruit and vegetable plot

44 GETTING TO THE ROOT
Leading showman Medwyn Williams on growing long carrots and parsnips

46 A PLOTTER'S YEAR – NEW SERIES
We follow the growing diary of Andrew Tokely on his Suffolk plot

48 TECHNIQUES ON TRIAL – NEW SERIES
Joyce Russell looks at traditional gardening tasks. This month making lazy beds

52 AUTUMN CABBAGES PUT TO THE TEST
Results of the cabbage-growing trials at the RHS gardens and the varieties given awards

ORGANIC GARDENING

54 GROW A TASTE OF WARMER SHORES
Tender fruits are fascinating and easy to grow says Bob Flowerdew

58 DIGGING DEEPER
John Walker airs his views on the proposed partnership between a garden retailer and the charity Garden Organic

60 REVISION – OR GRAND VISION?
Bob Sherman gives Garden Organic's viewpoint on the collaboration with a garden centre

62 GARDEN ON A BUDGET
Andy Hamilton has some tips to make your gardening pound go further. This month finding free advice and growing your own hops

64 VEGAN VEG – PERENNIAL PLANTING TIME
Lonnie and Richard Morris increase their more permanent crops

66 BUTTERCRAMBE GOES BACK TO ITS ROOTS
Emily Webber visits a market garden in Yorkshire that is being restored

70 BEDS FOR BEGINNERS – NEW SERIES
Joyce Russell follows a year in the life of a raised bed from creation through to growing different crops each season.

74 SPEARS OF JOY
Asparagus: Follow Steve Ott's guide to planting this delicious long-term crop
PLUS OFFER on quality crowns

76 MAKING CUTS FOR BETTER TOMS
Tomato specialist, Terry Marshall, explains the benefits of tomato grafting

80 NATURE NOTES – ROOM WITH A VIEW
Barbara Thompson of Cumbria Wildlife Trust recommends putting up nest boxes

SEASONAL RECIPES

82 COLD COMFORT
There are plenty of imaginative ways to cook cauliflower, as Christina Maxfield explains

WHAT TO BUY

84 IN THE GARDEN SHED
This month, some great product ideas for kitchen gardeners

90 THE SEED POTATO STORY
Gaby Bartai visits a seed potato producer in the Scottish Borders

READERS’ SAVERS

88 CLAIM YOUR 5 FREE PACKETS OF HERB SEED (just pay p&p)

88 SAVE OVER £55 ON KG OFFERS
Check out special offers on onion sets, sweet potato slips, Jerusalem artichokes, apple, plum and pear trees, early spring seed collection

94 GIVEAWAYS WORTH OVER £1099
Your chance to win tickets to Harrogate Spring Flower Show, EcoCharlie Natural Slug and Snail Deterrent, de Jager lily bulbs

CHICKENS

96 BIRD WATCHING
Professional chicken keeper, Caroline Mills, offers some advice on chicken care

OTHER FEATURES

86 SUBSCRIBE TO KITCHEN GARDEN

98 NEXT MONTH
What’s in store for your April issue of Kitchen Garden

102 MUCK RAKING
Edwin Oxlade has the last say on all things growing

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