Marshalls garden

Welcome

April is such a wonderful month in the garden and the time when keen and casual gardeners alike get outside and get stuck in

TOP JOBS FOR APRIL

STEPHANIE HAFFERTY OUTLINES THE ESSENTIAL TASKS FOR YOUR VEG PATCH AND PROTECTED CROPS

STEP BY STEP CLEAR GROUND USING POTATOES AND POLYTHENE

STEP 1: Growing potatoes through polythene is a simple and thrifty way to clear ground

WATCH OUT FOR!

■ COLD TEMPERATURES It’s still several weeks until the last frost dates for most of the UK

TRY GREEN MANURES

Green manures are an excellent way of increasing biodiversity in the garden, feeding the soil and helping to keep weeds at bay

UNDER COVER

START CUCURBITS It’s time to sow warmth-loving courgettes and summer and winter squash under cover

STEP BY STEP THREE DIFFERENT WAYS TO SOW SEEDS

STEP 1: How seeds are sown depends on factors such as time of year, space and the hardiness of the plants

BEGINNING WITH BEANS

For much of the UK the soil in early April is not quite warm enough for direct sown beans other than broad beans to thrive

THE KEY JOBS FOR APRIL

■ Sow leeks in rows 20cm (8in) apart

WHAT'S NEW?

ALL THE LATEST NEWS, PRODUCTS & FACTS FROM THE WORLD OF KITCHEN GARDENING

HAVE YOUR SAY

CONTACT US WITH YOUR LETTERS AND TIPS: TFLANAGAN@MORTONS.CO.UK

QUESTION TIME

GOT A FRUIT OR VEG PROBLEM? ASK KG FOR HELP

OUR TOP PLOTTERS

LOVE FOR PLANTS

GARDEN RESCUE – A DIARY

In this bi-monthly diary entry – covering January to April – Chris and Karen Cronin recount the latest progress they have made in their loving restoration of Croome Court Walled Gardens in Worcestershire

ON THE PLOT WITH THE 3 Mudketeers

The KG team offer chat, tips and gardening gossip

GROW WITH BELLE

TASTY TOMATOES

MAKE YOUR OWN POTTING COMPOST

Compost is so important to what we sow and grow, so why not take this masterclass in DIY composting with gardening expert Martin Fish

THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS FOR DIY MIXTURES

■ SPENT POTTING COMPOST – I now save old potting compost when I remove plants from their pots at the end of the season

WHAT YOU NEED FOR POTTING PERFECTION

Seed compost ingredients Seed compost ready to go

CHAMPION CAULIS

Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that sometimes gets overlooked but it has a fascinating history and a world of possibilities in the kitchen, as Rob Smith explains

TOP TOMATOES EVERY TIME

Nothing says summer like the tempting trusses of a tomato in full fruit. If you’re hoping for your best season yet, look no further – Benedict Vanheems offers some ideas to max out your harvest

GARDENING FOR RECOVERY

Gardening can offer valuable therapeutic activity for those in need of mental health support. Fundraising and communications officer Rachel Green from Bridewell Gardens, a six-acre site in Oxfordshire, explains what goes on there

SPRING FOR AGING

Jill Fish picks out three of her favourite plants to forage to make a delicious pesto and two refreshing cordials

LARGO WALLED GARDEN – A NEW BEGINNING

Anna Cairns Pettigrew visits an historic estate in Fife where its disused walled garden is being brought back into productivity by a dedicated team

How do I know if I have a healthy soil?

Dr Anton Rosenfeld from Garden Organic digs into the importance of healthy soil and what it means for your garden

HOW TO GROW … Asparagus

This crop is easy to grow and, being a perennial vegetable, will reward you for years with the most delicious, tender spears

TRY MARVELLOUS MAINCROPS

Maincrop potatoes are a great staple crop that you can store for months – but there is a downside and that’s the potential for blight problems. Emma Rawlings looks at maincrops and varieties resistant to disease

PEST CONTROL – A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE

Ecologist, author and gardener Becky Searle explains how a small change in our attitude to pests can lead to better crops and help to support the wildlife we love

GIVE IT A GROW

In this extract from her super new book gardening author Martha Swales brings us a simple weekend project that is sure to succeed

HERB OF THE MONTH THYME

Thyme is such a pretty and fragrant herb and it’s easy to integrate into any garden, large or small. Here’s some advice to help you get the most from your plants

WHICH VARIETY?

Lemon thyme (Thymus citridorus ) is compact and

ROOTING FOR RHUBARB

David Patch explores the fascinating history behind the cultivation of rhubarb, how to get the best out of growing it and what problems to look out for

SAVE UP TO £8 ON ASPARAGUS PLANTS

A sparagus is expensive to buy in the shops but easy to grow

HOW TO ORDER

To order call 01255 440410 with your credit

CROP PROTECTION

Leaving crops to the vagaries of the UK weather and vulnerable to attack by a whole range of pests is always risky. So here are some great options to help you protect your seedlings, young plants and maturing crops

SOW NOW...

At last it's time to get some popular crops underway. Here are our top growing tips to help you get started with courgettes, cauliflower and broccoli

READER OFFERS

IN THE KG SHOP THIS MONTH...

GIVEAWAYS

WORTH OVER £1449

GARDEN STORE

Are you a subscriber to Kitchen Garden magazine? Then visit www.mudketeers.co.uk for details of how you can take advantage of the exclusive subscriber-only deals on these pages!

ABSOLUTELY APPETIZING!

There's something savoury and something sweet from Anna Cairns Pettigrew this month using a wide variety of seasonal ingredients including pak choi, asparagus and rhubarb

Marshalls garden

www.marshallsgarden.com

CLASSIC MAGAZINES

classicmagazines.co.uk/pre-order-kg

KINGSSEEDS

WWW.KINGSSEEDS.COM/KITCHEN-GARDEN

KINGS SEEDS

Envii

www.envii.co.uk

Agriframes

agriframes.co.uk

POLYECO GREENHOUSES

http://www.polyecogreenhouses.com

Greenhousesensation

www.greenhousesensation.co.uk

Polycrub

Polycrub.co.uk

easybuild

http://northernpolytunnels.co.uk/easybuild/

Gardenworld

www.gardenworld.co.uk

Pennardplants

www.pennardplants.com

Mortons

www.mortons.co.uk

Westland

Classicmagazines

classicmagazines.co.uk/pre-order-kg

Kitchen Garden

www.youtube.com/kitchengardenmagazine

YouGarden

www.yougarden.com

Pomona Fruits

PomonaFruits.co.uk

KINGS SEEDS

www.kingsseeds.com

Dtbrownseeds

dtbrownseeds.co.uk

RHINO

RHINOGREENHOUSES.CO.UK

Mudketeers Club

www.classicmagazines.co.uk/kg442

WALK-INWONDERWALL

http://WWW.WALK-INWONDERWALL.CO.UK

Kitchen Garden Prime

classicmagazines.co.uk/kg442

William James & Co Est. 1954

www.wmjames.co.uk

Wolfgarten-tools

www.wolfgarten-tools.co.uk

Polyecogreenhouses

www.polyecogreenhouses.com

Rosybee

www.rosybee.com

CAT Watch

www.conceptresearch.co.uk

Grazers

Strulch

www.strulch.co.uk

L'EQUIP

Kederdomestic

www.kederdomestic.co.uk

Keder

FERRYMAN POLYTUNNELS

www.ferrymanpolytunnels.co.uk

William James & Co Est. 1954

Envii

envii.co.uk

HARRIS DRYBOOT

www.thedrybootcompany.com

CROOME WALLED GARDEN

www.croomewalledgardens.com