Nature's larder: Alan Titchmarsh's tips on creating the perfect kitchen garden
FOR the ultimate kitchen garden, follow Alan’s guide to perfect picks.
For the ultimate kitchen garden, follow Alan’s guide to perfect picks
Broad beans
Sow: February-April
Plant: March-April
Harvest: June-July
Broad beans grow 3ft (91cm) tall and need supports. Crops sown in late spring are the most successful.
Problems: Blackfly.
Beetroots
Sow: March-June
Harvest: July-October
Tasty and good for you, sow beets a couple of centimetres apart.
Problems: Beetroot tends to run to seed if it is sown too early.
Broccoli, sprouting
Sow: April-May
Plant: June-June
Harvest: January-March
Broccoli is reliable and delicious. There are summer varieties, too.
Problems: None – it’s pest-free.
Cabbages
Sowing and planting: Depends on the variety. There’s lots of choice, but baby veg is very tasty. Weed well.
Problems: Cabbage white butterfly.
Carrots
Sow: March, July-August
Harvest: June-July,
October-November
Go for flavoursome organic or baby carrots. Avoid stony soil and sow on ground that’s had organic matter applied one or two winters earlier.
Problems: Carrot fly. Grow onions around carrots to mask the scent.
Chillies
Sow: February-March
Plant: May-June
Harvest: July-October
Chillies are popular and grow well in a greenhouse or conservatory.
Problems: Greenfly.
Courgettes
Sow: May-June
Harvest: June-October
This prolific veg is easy to grow.
Problems: Cucumber mosaic virus.
Summer gardening tips
Cucumbers
Sow: April
Plant: May-June
Harvest: July-October
Grow in a greenhouse or garden. It is well worth it for the flavour.
Problems: As for courgettes.
Garlic
Plant: February-March, November
Harvest: June-August
Easy to grow but go for named varieties and start afresh each year.
Problems: Rust disease.
Leeks
Sow: March-April
Plant: June
Harvest: September-March
The latest trend is for baby leeks.
Problems: Going to seed too early.
Potatoes
Maincrop plant: April
Harvest: September-November
Home-grown spuds can’t be beaten.
Problems: Slugs and potato blight.
Turnips
Sow undercover: March, August or September
Harvest: May-June or outside April-July
Harvest: July-September
Grow as a baby vegetable.
Problems: Flea beetle, club root.