Author: Steve Ott

Steve Ott is editor of Kitchen Garden magazine and started his career as a professional grower, producing everything from cut flowers to vegetables. He has been growing fruit and veg all his life and spends most of his spare time in his garden in the East Midlands. He loves to experiment with crops and varieties he has never grown before and when he isn’t gardening is to be found out in the countryside bird watching and walking his dog Ted.
Free trees courtesy of the Woodland Trust

FREE TREES FOR SCHOOLS

News
Just days away from the application deadline closing, the Woodland Trust still has 300,000 trees up for grabs as part of its free trees scheme. Schools or community groups can get their hands on these trees which can bring huge benefits – from boosting nature, combating flooding, providing shelter and reducing pollution. Steve Shill, senior project lead in woodland creation…
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Jazz up your sprouts!

Jazz up your sprouts!

Recipes
They don’t want, or need, to be soggy, tasteless or grey… liven up your Christmas dinner with this zingy recipe from the team at YesPeas! Peas And Brussels Sprouts With Hazelnut And Orange Glaze Ingredients 200g prepared Brussels sprouts 400g frozen peas 50g butter 50g hazelnuts, roughly chopped Zest and juice of one orange 1tsp sugar Sea salt and black…
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In the Dutch Garden at Belton, the Father Time sundial is encroached by water. (C) National Trust

Storm Babet’s causes widespread damage to landscapes, gardens and properties says NT

News
Storm Babet’s widespread damage a taste of things to come, says National Trust Volume of water temporarily overwhelms hydro at Cragside in Northumberland Deluge erodes pathways in the Peak District Gardens and parkland waterlogged by swollen rivers, damaging bridges and children’s play areas Swift action by collections teams safeguards historic books and significant wallpaper at Hardwick Hall and Belton House…
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Evelyn Community Gardens, Deptford, London (C) Paul Harris

Plant fruit trees this autumn! New partnership urges communities to dig in

Diary Dates, News
Thousands of Coronation Gardens for Food and Nature pledged since June New partnership encourages communities to plant fruit trees this autumn Events, recipes and harvesting tips – join us to celebrate Apple Day on 21st October! Over 2,200 Coronation Gardens for Food & Nature pledged since June Communities are being encouraged to plant fruit trees and to revitalise community orchards…
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The Tormentil mining bee is receiving help from an unlikely source

Cutting edge science in project to save endangered bees

News
A remarkable project to protect a unique ‘hopping’ bee facing extinction, having declined in number by more than 50% over recent years, is underway in Yorkshire.    The extraordinary collaboration between The Species Recovery Trust and Agritech innovators AgriSound is using a newly developed bespoke AI-driven algorithm to detect and protect a nationally rare and declining species of mining bee…
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AUTUMN JAM WITH DAMSON, APPLE & PEAR

AUTUMN JAM WITH DAMSON, APPLE & PEAR

Recipes
Here’s our recipe for a lovely seasonal jam that will brighten up your breakfast table as the months get colder and wetter. Around now is the perfect time for picking damsons and September is the best month for apple and pear picking, so we thought there’s no time like the present to re-share our popular Damson, Apple & Pear Jam…
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Kitchen gardens are a gardening priority this year says gardening expert, Huw Richards

Advertising Features, Features, News
Following the prolonged wet weather, over half of Brits (53 percent) said they will be focussing on ‘maintaining’ their garden this year, whilst 44 percent will plant and grow fruit and vegetables and 38 percent will be planting ‘low cost’ plants and flowers, according to the YouGov research for Readly digital magazine and newspaper app.Other gardening priorities include planting bushes…
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