BBC Gardeners World Magazine 2026-04-01T12:28:21.000Z https://www.gardenersworld.com/garden/veg-plot/feed/atom BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[From bag to bumper crop - how to grow potatoes anywhere]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/news/from-bag-to-bumper-crop-how-to-grow-potatoes-anywhere/ 2026-04-01T12:28:21.000Z 2026-03-12T10:44:35.000Z This article has been checked for horticultural accuracy by Oliver Parsons.

From earthy new potatoes and bite-sized salad varieties, to floury bakers and roasters, the humble potato remains the nation’s favourite vegetable. If you’re a potato aficionado, there's a huge number of exciting potato varieties you can grow that you’ll never see in the shops. You don't even need a garden to grow them – many grow very happily in large bags or pots on a balcony or patio.

There are three main types of potato to grow, named according to when you plant and harvest them.

First early or ‘new’ potatoes are the earliest to crop, in June and July. They don't store for long so are best eaten fresh.

Second earlies (also called ‘new’ potatoes) take a few more weeks to mature and are harvested in July and August. These also don't store for long, so are best eaten fresh. 

Maincrop potatoes take the longest to mature and are harvested from August to October. They are suitable for baking, roasting and mashing, and can be stored for a few months.

How to grow potatoes at home

Potatoes are easy to grow – one seed potato will produce many potatoes to harvest. Prepare the soil by digging and removing weeds, and then dig straight trenches 12cm deep and 60cm apart. In spring, plant seed potatoes 30cm apart and cover them with soil to fill the trench. When the shoots reach 20cm tall, use a rake, hoe or spade to mound soil up around the bases of the shoots, covering the stems half way. This is called earthing up. You can also grow first early and second early potatoes in a large bag on a patio or balcony, regularly covering the bottoms of stems with more compost as they grow.

More expert advice on growing potatoes:

Growing potatoes: jump links

When to plant potatoes

Chitting potatoes

First early potatoes can be planted from mid-March, while second earlies should be planted a couple of weeks later. Maincrop potatoes are usually planted in late April or early May and need to stay in the ground longer to produce a good crop. However, planting times vary across the country – planting in northerly areas should be delayed by a couple of weeks, depending on temperatures and risk of frost.

If you have a greenhouse it's possible to plant a second batch of potatoes in late summer, which will yield a crop for Christmas Day.

How to chit potatoes

Before planting, many people 'chit' their early potatoes. This involves letting the potatoes grow short, strong, stubby shoots, which will allow them to start growing more quickly after planting. Place seed potatoes in trays or egg cartons with the end that has the most eyes uppermost. Stand in a cool, light spot until short shoots have formed, or when it's time to plant them out.

Should I rub shoots off my chitted potatoes?

Seed potatoes only need one or two shoots to grow, so if you've chitted your seed potatoes and they have more shoots, you can just rub off any extras with your fingers. Our video guide explains more about whether or not to rub extra shoots off your chitted potatoes.

View Green Video on the source website

How to plant potatoes

You can grow your own potatoes by planting out 'seed potatoes', which are small tubers rather than actual seeds. You can buy seed potatoes from late winter. Don't be tempted to use old potatoes from the veg rack as they won't produce reliable crops.

Home-grown potatoes do well in all types of soil, but the richer the better, so dig in plenty of well-rotted organic matter such as garden compost. An open, sunny site is best.

While maincrop potatoes grow well in the ground, early or salad potatoes will also do well in large pots and bags. Polypropylene potato growing bags are designed especially for this purpose and are handy if you're short of space. However, you can also plant potatoes in an old compost bag, with similar results.

Here, Monty explains how to grow potatoes in a bag:

View Green Video on the source website

When growing potatoes in the ground, plant earlies and salad types 10-15cm deep and 30cm apart, with 60cm between rows. Maincrop potatoes require more space to produce a decent crop. Plant them 40cm apart, with 75cm between rows. Plant potatoes with the shoots (or 'eyes') facing upwards.

Growing potatoes in a raised bed? Monty shows you how:

View Green Video on the source website

Where to buy potatoes online

Growing potatoes: caring for your crop

How to grow potatoes - earthing up potatoes

Water potatoes during warm, dry spells but avoid wetting the foliage unnecessarily, and keep the soil free of weeds. As the potato plants grow, use a spade or hoe to cover the shoots with soil to encourage the development of more tubers from the buried stems. This is called ‘earthing up’. Leave the top few centimetres poking out the top. As plants continue to grow you will need to earth them up again.

Watch Monty explain how to earth up potatoes growing in a bag:

View Green Video on the source website

Growing potatoes: problem-solving

How to grow potatoes - potato blight

Slugs can be a problem, especially if growing potatoes under black plastic.

Potato blight is a fungal disease which turns foliage yellow with dark patches and causes the tubers to rot. Grow a blight-resistant potato variety to avoid the problem. You can also cut the potato plants down at the first sign of infection, as the fungus will not have reached the tubers by that stage. Then harvest the tubers as soon as you can.

Never grow potatoes in the same soil year after year as this could lead to a build up of pests and diseases. These include potato eelworm, which causes stunted growth and poor cropping.

When to harvest potatoes

Harvesting potatoes

First early potatoes are harvested in June and July, when the potatoes are about the size of a large hen’s egg (gently rummage around in the soil to check). Cut the potato plants (also known as haulms) to the ground, then gently prise the plants out of the ground with a fork. First early potatoes don't store well, so dig them up in batches, as and when you want to eat them.

Second earlies are harvested in July and early August. Harvest in the same way as first earlies. Again, these potatoes don't store well, so dig them up in batches, as and when you want to eat them.

Maincrop potatoes are harvested from August to October, when the leaves on the plants have turned yellow and died down. Choose a dry day to dig up your crop so that they store better, ideally in the morning. Cut the plants to the ground and dig up your potatoes, discarding any that are bruised or have been attacked by pests. Leave them on the soil surface for a few hours in the sun to dry out properly, then brush off any soil before bagging them up.

Watch Monty Don's video guide to harvesting new potatoes:

View Green Video on the source website

To harvest potatoes grown in pots, simply tip out the contents and enjoy the rich – and easy – pickings.

Here Monty explains how to harvest potatoes grown in a bag:

View Green Video on the source website

Preparing and cooking potatoes

How to grow potatoes - baked potato

Wash and scrub potatoes before frying, boiling, baking, mashing, roasting or sautéeing – this has to be the most versatile vegetable!

Health note: never eat potatoes raw. Green potatoes contain a chemical called solanine, which they develop when exposed to light. It can cause severe stomach upsets.

Looking for inspiration on how to use your crop? Our friends at olive have curated a delicious collection of potato recipes, including their best-ever roast potatoes. And listen to our podcast episode, where Adam Frost and Good Food's Cassie Best share advice on growing and cooking potatoes:

View oEmbed on the source website

Storing potatoes

How to grow potatoes – how to store potatoes

Home-grown maincrop potatoes will store well for many months in a cool but frost-free place. Only store perfect tubers, removing any showing signs of damage, and don’t wash them before storage. All light must be excluded to avoid potatoes turning green and poisonous. Hessian or thick brown-paper sacks are available for the job. Check crops in store regularly, removing any rotten ones.

Watch Kevin Smith explain how to prevent stored potatoes from rotting, in our Quick Tips video:

View Green Video on the source website

Advice on buying potatoes

Where to buy seed potatoes online

Growing potatoes: potato varieties to grow

Early potatoes:

Salad potatoes:

Maincrop potatoes:

You could also try growing your own sweet potatoes, which although they are not really potatoes at all, are an excellent crop to grow in a more ornamental garden or a conservatory. Buy from Crocus, Thompson & Morgan and Suttons

Frequently asked questions

Help! My potato leaves have brown spots Brown spots on potato leaves could be caused by a number of things, including magnesium deficiency, early blight (caused by Alternaria fungi) or potato blight (also known as late blight), Phytopthera infestens. Magnesium deficiency can be more common on light and sandy soils, and is remedied with a foliar feed of Epsom salts. Early blight isn't a big problem in the UK and is more common in North America. Both early and late blight can devastate potato crops – remove all foliage immediately and harvest the potatoes quickly to stop the disease reaching the tubers. Help! My seed potatoes are sprouting and have gone soft Sprouting seed potatoes is perfectly normal, and is actually encouraged – the act of potato chitting is done to encourage sprouts to develop, which is thought to increase potato yields. Slightly soft seed potatoes are usually nothing to worry about but really soft tubers may be mouldy. Check your seed potatoes thoroughly before planting and discard any with sunken or white patches, as these are rotting and could infect your other potatoes. What can I plant immediately after harvesting potatoes? If you want to make the most of soil vacated by harvesting potatoes, you can plant a number of crops in their place, including carrots, leeks and brassicas. If you're practising good crop rotation then brassicas usually follow potatoes. If you don't have plants ready to plant out, see what young plants are available from the garden centre – many have broccoli, cabbage, kale and swede plants ready to plant straight away. Is it possible to save potatoes for seed next year? It is possible to save potatoes for seed the following year, but you run the risk of transmitting disease. Seed potatoes are grown in a cool, controlled environment, so are certified disease-free. If you want to save your own potatoes for seed, keep them in a cool, dark spot. In late winter they should develop shoots and you can plant them as you would normal seed potatoes, from late March.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[Find out your soil type]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/find-out-your-soil-type/ 2025-12-05T11:09:27.000Z 2025-12-03T15:57:14.000Z Knowing your soil type is very important, as it determines which plants will thrive and to choose the plants best suited to your garden.

There are six main types of soil: chalky, clay, loamy, peaty, sandy and silty. To test your soil, you need to take a look at it and feel it. Add water and try rolling it between your hands. Observe how your soil looks and feels, and whether it's sticky, gritty, friable, or slimy. Watch our video guide to testing your soil texture.

Depending on the size of your plot, test the soil from different areas, as it can vary enormously. If possible, create main planting areas where the soil is good, saving poorer conditions for hard landscaping, where soil quality is less important.

Most soils benefit from some improvement. You can improve soil by incorporating organic matter, such as manure or home-grown compost.

In addition to knowing your soil type, you'll also need to check its pH. In this No Fuss Guide, David Hurrion shows how to test the soil in your garden to check whether it is acid, alkaline or neutral. He describes the different kits on the market and shows how to collect the soil from your garden:

View Green Video on the source website

Here's how to identify the main soil types.

Chalky soil

Chalky soil

Chalky soil is alkaline, stony and free draining, as it often overlays a chalk or limestone bedrock. Minerals such as iron and manganese will quickly leach out of the soil, but this can be remedied to an extent by regularly adding fertiliser. Chalky or lime-rich soil may be light or heavy. Find out more about plants for alkaline soils.

Clay soil

Clay soil

Clay soil warms up slowly in spring and goes hard and cracks when dry. It also drains poorly. Although it's hard to dig, it's very high in nutrients. It feels lumpy, slimy and sticky when wet. It rolls into a ball easily and stays in shape. Find out more about flowering plants for clay soil.

Loamy soil

Loamy soil

Loam is the perfect soil type, as it's easy to work, is not too free draining or prone to waterlogging, and is packed with nutrients. It also warms up quickly in spring. Loam is made up of a mixture of clay, sand and silt, which each have differently sized soil particles. It rolls into a ball easily, but won't keep its shape as well as clay soil.

Peaty soil

Peaty soil

Soils containing lots of peat are acidic and high in organic matter, but low in nutrients. Peaty soil holds plenty of moisture and can get waterlogged, but it's ideal for growing acid lovers such as rhododendrons and azaleas. Peaty soil is dark in colour and feels spongy if squeezed. It's rarely found in gardens.

Sandy soil

Rubbing sandy soil between thumb and fingers

Sandy soil is free draining, easy to work and warms up quickly in spring. However it dries out rapidly and leaches nutrients when it rains, so it needs plenty of added organic matter to retain moisture and feed the plants. It's gritty to touch. A rolled ball of sandy soil will crumble away easily. Discover plants for light and stony soil.

Silty soil

Silty soil is made from quite fine particles, so is free draining but also retains moisture. It's also higher in nutrients than sandy soil. It can get compacted easily. Silty soil is smooth to the touch. It rolls into a ball easily, but won't keep its shape as well as clay soil.

Get to know more about soil on World Soil Day.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[What to plant in December]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/what-to-plant-december/ 2025-12-05T11:14:29.000Z 2025-12-01T11:23:21.000Z Plenty of vegetable and flower seeds can be sown in the UK in December. Some can be sown outside, direct in the ground, while others need to be sown in a heated propagator indoors. Young plants of some hardy varieties can be planted, too.

December is a good time to plant as it means you can get ahead before spring. Sowing vegetables and flowers early can result in earlier harvests – winter-sown broad beans are ready to harvest from May, while hardy annual flowers sown in December can flower several weeks sooner than those sown in spring. Sowing and planting in December can mean fewer empty beds and more roots holding the soil together, which can prevent a loss of soil nutrients and erosion in winter rains.

As well as starting plants from seed, there's plenty of fruit bushes, shrubs and trees that can be planted during mild spells in December. It's a good time to buy bare-root trees, which can be planted between October and March. We've listed some ideas below including garlic, blackberries and gooseberries for crops to enjoy next year, or shrubs and trees like skimmia and acer for autumn and winter interest.

Vegetables to sow in December

Broad beans

Sowing broad beans. Tim Sandall

When to harvest: May to August

How to grow: sow broad beans in December for a crop as early as May. Sow direct outdoors if conditions are mild – broad bean seeds should germinate within a couple of weeks and will then stop growing and enter dormancy until temperatures pick up in spring. In cold conditions or areas, sow into pre-warmed soil beneath cloches or fleece, or in multi-celled trays in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, which you can plant out later.

Onions

Sowing onion seed. Neil Hepworth

When to harvest: June to September

How to grow: Boxing Day is the traditional day to sow onion seeds. Choose seeds, rather than sets, and start them off in pots indoors or undercover, to aid germination. Plant the young onion plants out in spring, spacing them 10cm apart.

Garlic

Planting garlic. Jason Ingram

When to harvest: June to August

How to grow: in mild regions, you can plant garlic sets outdoors in well drained soil. If you have a heavy soil then start them off in a multi-celled tray, planting one clove per cell. Water well and keep in a greenhouse or similar until spring, and then plant them out 10-15cm apart.

Lettuce

Lettuce 'Winter Gem'. Paul Debois

When to harvest: May to November

How to grow: certain lettuce cultivars, such as 'Winter Gem', have been specially bred for their ability to grow at low temperatures and provide a harvest. Sow in pots in an unheated greenhouse or a cold frame, for the best results.

Lamb's lettuce

Corn salad. Tim Sandall

When to harvest: October to February

How to grow: lamb's lettuce, also called corn salad, has been grown and eaten for centuries in the winter months. Simply sow the seeds in an unheated greenhouse, and enjoy the freshly picked leaves soon after.

Mizuna

Harvesting salad leaves such as mizuna. Sarah Cuttle

When to harvest: January to December

How to grow: mizuna can be sown in the greenhouse, or on the windowsill, and will crop throughout winter if temperatures remain mild (if they enter dormancy they will start growing again when temperatures increase). The young salad leaves can be used to pep up dishes like soups, salads and stir fries.

Microgreens

Harvesting microgreens. Jason Ingram

When to harvest: January to December

How to grow: microgreens are the seedlings of leafy herbs and plants that we would usually allow to grow to full size before harvesting. Sow and grow them indoors for a burst of flavour on dishes throughout winter.

Fruit to grow in December

Rhubarb

Rhubarb 'Timperley Early'. Jason Ingram

When to harvest: June to July

How to grow: bare-root rhubarb crowns can be planted between November and March, but avoid any time that the ground is frozen or waterlogged. Plant so that the tip of the crown (which will be where the leaves come from) is just above the soil surface. Firm in well after planting.

Gooseberries

Gooseberry 'Pax'. Sarah Cuttle

When to harvest: June to August

How to grow: plant bare-root gooseberry plants between October and March, avoiding any times when the soil is frozen or waterlogged. Plant so that the soil mark on the stem is level with the soil surface and firm in well. Planting this month will give plants time to establish before the spring.

Raspberries

Harvesting raspberries. Neil Hepworth

When to harvest: June to October

How to grow: plant raspberry canes between October and March, apart from when the ground is frozen or very wet. Line up the soil mark on the canes with the soil surface, covering the roots with about 5cm of soil. Firm in gently and water in.

Blackberries

Blackberry 'Adrienne'. Tim Sandall

When to harvest: June to October

How to grow: plant bare-root blackberries (stools) between October and March. Soak the stools before planting and bury them up to the old soil mark. Firm the plants in and water well.

Flowers to grow in December

Sweet peas

Pink sweet peas. Sarah Cuttle

Flowers: June to October

How to grow: although sweet peas are usually sown in autumn or early spring, it's fine to sow in December as long as you keep the seedlings frost free. They will need to be sown under cover, whether that's in a greenhouse, cold frame or porch. Sow into root trainers or cardboard tubes to help minimise root disturbance.

Laurentia

Laurentia. Sarah Cuttle

Flowers: June to October

How to grow: laurentia are bushy, half-hardy annuals, with star-shaped, scented flowers. The seeds can be sown under glass in winter, in a bright spot. These are usually sown January to March but could be sown at the end of the month in a heated propagator. This will help to warm the soil when sowing.

Geraniums (pelargoniums)

Scented leaf pelargonium. Tim Sandall

Flowers: June to October

How to grow: Geraniums are often propagated by taking cuttings, but why not try growing them from seed, too? Ideally, surface sow in a heated propagator, in a bright spot out of direct sunlight.

Snapdragons (antirrhinum)

Snapdragon 'Appleblossom'. Paul Debois

Flowers: June to September

How to grow: though usually grown as annuals or biennials, snapdragons are actually short-lived perennials. They're easy to grow, and can be sown under glass near the end of December, to flower from June onwards.

Shrubs and trees to grow in December

Skimmia japonica

Skimmia japonica 'Foremanii'. Sarah Cuttle

Flowers: April to May

How to grow: plant skimmia in a partially shaded spot in well drained, fertile soil. These evergreen plants have scented flowers in spring and many varieties also have bright berries in the autumn. 'Rubella' has red flower buds that last through autumn and winter, with white scented flowers in the spring, while Skimmia japonica subsp. reevesiana has bright red berries in winter.

Sarcococca confusa (sweet box)

Sarcococca confusa, sweet box. Jason Ingram

Flowers: January to March

How to grow: plant this evergreen shrub for scented flowers in late winter. It's evergreen so a useful plant for adding structure to borders or a container, and it can thrive in dry shade once established. Plant it in well-drained soil, with the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil. Water regularly until it has put down roots.

Japanese maple

Acer palmatum. Japanese maple. Jason Ingram

How to grow: Japanese maples, also known as acers, can be planted between October and March. Choose a sheltered position. Maples will thrive in most soils but avoid any sites that are prone to waterlogging. Compact varieties can also be grown in containers. Fill these with loam-based compost or a compost that is specifically for trees and shrubs.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[How to grow blackberries]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-blackberries/ 2025-10-30T16:40:15.000Z 2025-10-30T16:20:15.000Z Blackberries are easy to grow and are highly productive, producing bumper crops of delicious fruit from just one plant. Unlike wild blackberries, which are the fruit of brambles and are commonplace in hedgerows and are free to forage, cultivated blackberries are larger and have a better flavour. What's more, cultivated blackberries tend to have a vigorous rather than rampant growth habit, and many varieties are thornless.

Blackberries are a good crop to grow in small gardens as they can be trained vertically, giving lots of productive growth from just a small area of ground.

Where to grow blackberries

Blackberries are hardy and grow throughout the UK. For best results grow in full sun, in fertile soil enriched with compost or well-rotted manure. Most blackberry varieties produce long vigorous stems, known as canes, and need to be trained on a system of wires. This can be against a wall or fence, or a post and wire framework within a garden or allotment. For pots, choose a compact variety that reaches around a metre in height.

How to sow blackberry seeds

To successfully grow blackberries in the UK it's best to buy plants that will fruit within a year or two, rather than raising a blackberry plant from seed, which can take several years to produce fruit.

If you're determined to grow blackberries from seed, buy seed or use seed from the berry of a named variety. Sow at any time of year in pots or trays of loam-based seed compost with added grit or sand to create an open, free-draining mix. Cover the seed lightly with grit. Stand in a cool place outside or in a cold frame and be patient as seedlings can take months to appear. Once large enough to handle, pot up the seedlings individually and grow on before planting out.

How to plant blackberries

Before planting, use vine eyes to attach support wires to a wall, fence or set of sturdy posts. Fix wires horizontally and space them 30cm apart, with the lowest one at 90cm from the ground.

Autumn is the best time to plant blackberries, so they become established in time for the growing season. This is the only time to plant bare-root blackberry plants. Pot grown plants are available all year-round but are still best planted in autumn.

Before planting, cut the stems to 30cm and soak the roots in a bucket of water for a couple of hours. Plant at the same depth as growing previously – on bare-root plants look for the soil 'tide mark' at the base of the stem, and plant pot-grown plants so the top of the rootball sits at soil level. Firm the soil gently around the roots and water thoroughly.

Spacing between plants depends on the ultimate size of a variety, which varies considerably. More compact blackberries like ‘Loch Ness’ can be spaced 2m apart while more vigorous varieties need spacing of up to 4m.

To grow blackberries in pots, choose compact varieties such as ‘Opal’ or ‘Coolaris Late’. Containers should be at least 30cm wide and deep. Use a soil-based potting compost with some added grit for drainage, and plant as per the instructions above. Compact varieties don't need to be trained up support wires.

How to care for blackberries

During the first growing season, water during dry spells to help plants establish. Also in the first year, cut off any flowering shoots to allow the plant to concentrate energy on establishing a good root system. Thereafter, only water plants in periods of drought, unless you're growing them in a pot.

Tie in new stems to the support as and when you need to.

Mulch soil in spring with well-rotted garden compost or manure, keeping the mulch clear of the stems. This boosts the soil’s water-holding capacity and suppresses weeds. Feeding is rarely necessary unless growth looks poor and stunted.

Pot-grown blackberries need regular watering – typically around three times a week during the growing season, and a fortnightly feed using liquid tomato food. In spring, scrape away the top 5cm of compost and replace with fresh, to replenish the natural stock of nutrients.

How to prune blackberries

Prune blackberries annually to remove the canes that have borne fruit, and to create space to tie in new ones that will bear fruit the next year.

Blackberries fruit on two-year-old canes which need to be cut out completely after fruiting, down to soil level. Do this anytime from when fruiting finishes until late winter. New canes should have been produced already and should be tied onto the support framework.

Make the job easier by keeping new canes separated from the fruiting ones. Either gather the new canes into two groups lying on the ground, to left and right, securing with pegs if necessary. Or, tie the fruiting canes onto the framework in a fan shape with a gap in the middle, where you can temporarily tie the new growth, so once the old canes are pruned out, the new ones spread out along the wires.

Pests and diseases

Blackberries are vigorous plants and aren’t susceptible to pests or diseases. Ripe fruit is likely to turn mouldy if left unpicked, or in prolonged wet weather. If this happens early in the fruiting period, pick off the mouldy fruits to avoid them affecting adjacent berries in the fruit cluster. In very hot summers the fruit can be burned.

Birds are likely to eat the ripe fruit. While there’s usually enough to go around, you can protect your crop by growing soft fruit plants in a netting enclosure or fruit cage, or hang bird scarers to deter them. Avoid covering plants with loose netting where birds are likely to get entangled.

What are hybrid berries?

Usually a cross between raspberries and blackberries, these include loganberries, tayberries, tummelberries and boysenberries. Fruiting is usually earlier than blackberries, but they’re grown in the same way.

CUT-OUT-1024X1024-garden-gloves-GettyImages-500840488

Harvesting blackberries

Harvesting blackberries. Jason Ingram

For maximum sweetness, let the fruits swell to full ripeness with an even, dark colouring. Gently pull them off the canes and pop them into a shallow dish to avoid crushing them. Watch that the juice doesn’t stain your clothing.

Storing blackberries

Blackberries bruise very easily and won’t keep fresh for long. Store in the fridge where they’ll keep for a few days. They do, however, freeze well. Wash fruits and allow to drain in a sieve or colander. Spread out in a single layer on trays, pop in the freezer, then transfer to bags or tubs after a few hours. This keeps individual fruits separate so you can take a few out as needed.

Preparation and uses

Wash well and remove the hull (stem) before using to make summer-fruit pudding, coulis, smoothies, jam, pies, crumbles and home-made wine. Try this easy recipe for apple and blackberry crumble.

Advice on buying blackberries

Where to buy blackberries online

Blackberry plants:

Blackberry seed:

Blackberries varieties to grow

Blackberry 'Adrienne'. Tim Sandall

‘Adrienne’ – delicious fruit on strong, thornless stems. Height x Spread: 2.5m x 2.5m

‘Coolaris Late’ – extremely compact growth, suitable for containers. H x S: 1.2m x 1.2m

‘Loch Katrine’ – extra-large and sweet-tasting fruits on a fairly compact growing bush. H x S: 2m x 2.5m

‘Loch Ness’ – moderate size and vigour, with high yields of large fruits on thornless canes. H x S: 2m x 2.5m

‘Merton Thornless’ – large crops of well-flavoured berries on thornless stems. H x S: 2.5m x 3m

‘Obsidian’ – one of the earliest to fruit, in July or sometimes even June, and is of moderate size. H x S: 2m x 2.5m

Frequently asked questions

Can I grow a blackberry bush from a blackberry?

A single blackberry fruit contains multiple seeds that germinate readily, which is why bramble bushes are so abundant in the wild. However, seedlings from cultivated blackberries won’t be the same as their parent. Buying a blackberry plant of a named variety is the best way to guarantee a good plant that crops well.

How long does it take to grow a blackberry?

Blackberries fruit on two-year-old shoots, or canes, and should not be allowed to fruit in the first year after planting to allow the bush to establish fully. So, it takes at least two years from planting for a plant to start producing a crop.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[How to grow purple-sprouting broccoli]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-purple-sprouting-broccoli/ 2025-10-21T15:05:47.000Z 2025-10-21T14:49:38.000Z Purple sprouting broccoli has great flavour, a long harvesting season and is extremely good for you – a single portion provides half your daily requirement of carotenoids, plus high levels of folic acid and vitamins A and C. Purple sprouting is similar to, but not the same as broccoli or calabrese, as it produces smaller heads in early spring, which are purple (although they turn green when cooked).

Purple sprouting broccoli crops over a longer period than broccoli harvested in summer, and is hardier, tolerating temperatures as low as -12°C. If you choose the right varieties, and stagger your seed sowing times, you can harvest purple sprouting broccoli from autumn through to early summer the following year. White sprouting broccoli is the same as purple sprouting broccoli, but its heads (immature flowers) are white, instead of purple.

Like other brassicas, purple sprouting broccoli thrives in a fertile, firm, alkaline soil. Avoid growing it on an exposed site, where the wind will buffet the stems and loosen the soil around the roots.

How to sow purple sprouting broccoli

Sow in pots under cover from late winter to spring, or outside in the soil in summer. Unless you have lots of room, don’t sow broccoli in its final position – starting broccoli in pots or a seedbed and then transplanting to its final position is best, because broccoli takes up a lot of space in the garden.

You Will Need

Step 1

Sow the seeds into small pots or multi-cell trays, using a good quality multi-purpose or loam-based seed and cuttings compost. If sowing seeds together in a pot, prick out once your sprouting broccoli seedlings are large enough to handle. Transplant them into single 9cm pots and water in well.

Sowing purple sprouting broccoli seed

Step 2

Prepare the soil by forking over, removing large stones, debris and perennial weeds. Bulky organic matter is essential on lighter soils and even where soil is heavy, it’s worth adding to improve moisture retention, fertility and texture. You may need to add lime if your soil is acidic. Brassicas dislike loose soil, so prepare the ground several months in advance of planting, if you can. If not, tread over the ground to firm it before planting.

Forking over the soil

Step 3

Transplant when the plants are well grown with several true leaves and around 10cm tall. Water well beforehand, and plant them 50-60cm apart, with a similar distance between the rows. Once planted, firm all around the roots with your foot. Water again after planting. Grow six plants if you want enough broccoli to feed a family of four. Plant out sprouting broccoli throughout summer and into early autumn, though planting as late as September is best avoided in cold areas.

Transplanting the young plants

Step 4

Always keep the soil moist to encourage optimum growth and to avoid plants bolting (prematurely producing shoots which run to flower) during hot dry spells of weather. Remove weeds to reduce competition. If growth is slow and stems of purple buds fail to appear, use a liquid feed to give them a boost. Cover with fleece or mesh to keep out insects and birds.

Watering the broccoli plants

How to care for purple sprouting broccoli

Water during dry spells. Keep the soil around the plants clear of weeds, which would compete for water and nutrients. Remove any yellowing leaves which could become the source of diseases.

Stake or support the plants to prevent wind rock loosening the roots.

Cover the crop with fine insect mesh to protect against caterpillars and birds.

Harvesting purple sprouting broccoli

Harvest when the flower shoots are well developed but before the flowers have started to open. In the UK, this can be from  summer to late autumn for early spring-sown plants, or late winter to spring for later-sown crops.

Cut the central spear with a sharp knife first, as this encourages sideshoots to develop quickly. Regular picking of the sideshoots boosts production of more shoots and will extend the cropping time, too.

Storing purple sprouting broccoli

Use broccoli as soon as possible after harvest, for optimum taste and nutrition. Sprouting broccoli keeps for several days in the fridge and is best stored in the salad drawer.

To freeze sprouting broccoli, first blanch (part boil) otherwise it will be soggy when defrosted. Prepare by washing first and separating bulky stems into smaller pieces. Place in a large pan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then drain and transfer to iced water. Drain well, spread out on a baking sheet to freeze for a few hours, then store in freezer bags or lidded plastic containers.

Preparation and uses

Broccoli is simple to prepare and cook. Simply wash, then steam to use as an accompanying vegetable to many dishes. Broccoli is also good when sliced or broken into little spears and added to stir-fries, stews, or casseroles. Or use purple sprouting broccoli as the main item in dishes such as gratins and pasta – it partners particularly well with ingredients such as parmesan, blue cheese, anchovies, leeks and mushrooms. Find purple sprouting broccoli recipes from our friends at Olive Magazine.

Advice on buying purple sprouting broccoli

Where to buy purple sprouting broccoli

Frequently asked questions

How tall does purple sprouting broccoli grow?

Most purple sprouting broccoli varieties grow up to 90cm high and wide.

How long does purple sprouting broccoli take to grow?

Purple sprouting broccoli can take up to eight months to crop, where plants stand dormant over winter, and then regrow for harvesting in early spring.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[How to grow cabbages]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-cabbages/ 2025-10-15T10:57:42.000Z 2025-10-15T10:50:59.000Z Cabbages are a versatile vegetable belonging to the brassica family, and come in a range of different colours and shapes, and with different leaf textures. They take up a lot of growing space and are slow to mature, but there's such a huge range of types to grow that you can harvest cabbages almost all year round. Cabbage can be used in many ways, including shredded in salads and coleslaw, added to stir-fries or mixed into soups, as well as a side dish to accompany main courses.

Cabbages are rich in vitamins and high in fibre, aiding general health as well as a healthy digestive system. Be careful eating cabbage and drinking boiled cabbage water if you have a sensitive digestive system, including IBS. Some studies have shown that a high fibre diet aids gut flora and protects your digestive system against bacteria, while others advocate avoiding cabbage and other high-fibre leafy plants as they can cause bloating and wind. Treat any new vegetable with caution and consume in small doses to test your gut responses before consuming significant quantities.

Where to grow cabbages

Red cabbage. Jason Ingram

Grow cabbages in a sunny spot in deep, fertile soil. The soil pH must be alkaline to neutral, so if you think your soil may be acidic then do a soil pH test before planting, and add lime to the soil if necessary, or grow in a raised bed where you can control the growing medium more easily. Bear in mind that cabbages take several months to harvest, so grow them where you won't need to use the space for something else.

How to grow cabbages from seed

Sow cabbage seeds at different times of year, depending on the type – check the back of the seed packet for details.

In autumn or spring, sow in seed trays or small pots of peat-free compost, placing two seeds per pot or module. Keep under cover in a greenhouse, polytunnel, glass porch or on a well-lit windowsill. Thin seedlings, leaving the  the stronger one, when the seedlings have appeared and grow on until the plants have four or five leaves. At this stage your cabbage plants are ready to plant out – harden them off to acclimatise them to the outdoors for a week or so before planting.

From mid-spring to early autumn, sow outside in rows in a seedbed and then thin the seedlings to 8-10cm apart to grow on for transplanting. Alternatively, sow cabbage seed direct in rows 30-45cm apart, and thin plants to 30-45cm.

How to plant cabbages

Cabbage plug plants ready to be planted out. Tim Sandall

If the soil is loose, tread over before planting. Plant at 30-45cm spacings – check the seed packet for advice on planting spacings, as different varieties should be spaced at different intervals. Firm the plants well to secure the roots and help prevent cabbage root fly laying eggs in the soil around the stem. Adding a root collar immediately after planting also helps keep cabbage fly at bay. Water in well.

How to care for cabbages

Keep cabbage plants well-watered during dry spells so the soil never dries out, but don't let it get waterlogged either. Keep the soil around the crop clear of weeds which would compete for water and nutrients. Remove any yellowing leaves, which could become the source of diseases.

Pests and diseases

Large white caterpillar. Sarah Cuttle

Cabbages are liable to several pests and diseases that commonly affect plants in the brassica family.

The caterpillars of large and small white (cabbage white butterflies) usually cause damage, making holes in the leaves and eating into the heart of the plant. You can pick caterpillars off by hand or use insect-proof netting. However, you may find that wasps take most of the caterpillars from the plants to feed their young, and the plants recover after the caterpillars have completed their lifecycle. You can also grow closely related nasturtiums nearby and transfer the caterpillars onto the nasturtium leaves, to protect your crop.

In winter, pigeons may eat your cabbages. Protect plants by covering with netting, stretched taut to avoid the risk of the birds becoming entangled. Hanging up bird scarers such as fluttering fabric on strings may deter birds, but this depends on the type of scarer and how hungry the birds are. Netting is the safest bet.

Cabbage root fly lays its eggs in the soil and these hatch into small white larvae which tunnel into the roots. Protect young plants by using brassica collars, which prevent egg-laying. Covering mature plants with insect mesh also provides good protection.

Club root is a soil-borne disease occurring mostly in the warmer months. It infects the roots, causing them to become swollen, affecting the growth of cabbages above ground. Improving drainage can help, as can adding lime to make the soil more alkaline. If your plants are affected, remove and destroy them, and avoid grow brassica plants in the same spot for at least four years.

In this video, Alan Titchmarsh explains why cabbages suffer from club root and how to avoid it.

View Green Video on the source website

How to harvest cabbages

Newly harvested cabbage 'Marner Large Red'. Sarah Cuttle

Once your cabbage plants are mature and well formed, use a sharp knife to sever the cabbage from its roots. If time and space permit, try leaving the plant with a 10cm stalk, as you may get a smaller, second crop from it. Simply score a shallow cross in the stump to encourage smaller cabbages to form.

Preparing and cooking cabbages

Discard any floppy outer or yellowing leaves. Cut out the hard central stalks from the leaves. Wash well, then shred and use raw in salads and coleslaw, pickled in sauerkraut, braised or lightly steamed as a side dish with a knob of butter. Take care not to over-cook cabbage as it can taste and smell bitter.

Storing cabbages

Cabbages are best eaten as soon as they are picked for the best texture and flavour. Most will keep in the fridge for several days, with those that form firm heads keeping for weeks.

Advice on buying cabbages

Where to buy cabbages

Cabbage varieties to try

‘Earliest Of All’ – compact, pale green heads ready for picking from July

‘Langedijk’ – tender heads with a white heart for use over autumn and winter

‘Primero’ – blackish-purple summer cabbage

‘Savoy King’ – autumn/winter cabbage, hardy

Frequently asked questions

Are cabbages poisonous to pets?

Cabbage is nutritious and safe for pets to eat, although in small quantities only, because it can cause bloating and flatulence. For dogs and cats, chop cabbage into small pieces and steam or boil first.

How long do cabbages take to grow?

As a rough guide, cabbages take around 20 weeks to grow from sowing to harvest. Winter cabbage, including red and white cabbage, take longer.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[How to grow broccoli]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-broccoli/ 2025-10-28T12:01:29.000Z 2025-10-14T07:33:35.000Z Broccoli is easy to grow, providing you with a delicious, nutritious crop of blue-green heads, which can be harvested from summer to autumn, depending on when you sowed the seed. There are several types of broccoli to grow, including calabrese, which is the most common type of broccoli sold in supermarkets. This is named after the Italian region of Calabria and has one large head, but smaller heads develop after the central head is cut.

Sprouting broccolis, including purple sprouting broccoli, produce smaller heads but can be harvested over a longer period.

Broccoli is a popular vegetable, thanks to its vitamin content and its versatility in the kitchen. It can be used in anything from salads to curries, as well as steamed and served as a side dish.

Where to grow broccoli

Grow broccoli in fertile soil in a sunny spot. You can grow broccoli in open soil or in raised beds at least 75cm deep, or in large containers.

Broccoli benefits from crop rotation, and does best in soil where beans or peas were growing previously. This is because peas and beans are legumes, which fix nitrogen in the soil, aiding leaf growth in plants that are in the brassica family.

Broccoli needs to grow in alkaline soil, so use a soil pH test kit to measure its alkalinity before you start. Acid soil can be made alkaline by adding lime – this is easier to do in raised beds or containers.

How to sow broccoli seed

Sowing broccoli seed. Amanda Rawling

Broccoli is easy to raise yourself from seed. If you have a growing space such as a greenhouse, polytunnel or glass porch, start early by sowing broccoli seeds in modules or small pots, from late winter to early spring. Sow sprouting broccoli a little later, from early spring to early summer. Sow in small pots or modular trays of peat-free compost, placing two seeds per pot or module. Thin to the stronger one when the seedlings have appeared and grow on until the plants have four or five leaves. At this stage your broccoli plants are ready to plant out.

To sow broccoli outdoors from early spring, sow in rows in a seedbed and thin the seedlings to 8-10cm apart to grow on for transplanting. Unless you have lots of room, don’t sow broccoli in its final position. Starting broccoli in pots or a seedbed and then transplanting to its final position is best, because broccoli takes up a lot of space in the garden.

How to plant out broccoli

Planting out broccoli. Jason Ingram

Prepare the soil for broccoli several months in advance of sowing or planting, so the ground has time to settle. Unless your soil is already rich and fertile, add plenty of well-rotted compost or manure. Broccoli needs to be planted firmly in the soil, so if it's loose at planting time, tread it over to firm and consolidate the ground.

Plant broccoli around 3cm deeper than the plants were growing in pots or the seedbed, so the stem is well supported. Space plants 30cm apart with 45cm between rows. Sprouting broccoli needs a bit more room, at 45cm spacings, so there's plenty of space for side shoots to develop. Firm the soil well around the roots – this is important as broccoli doesn’t thrive in loose soil – and water well.

How to care for broccoli

Netted broccoli plants with collars against root fly. Neil Hepworth

Regular watering during dry spells is important as broccoli shouldn’t be allowed to go short of water. Keep the soil around the crop clear of weeds, which would compete for water and nutrients. Remove any yellowing leaves which could become the source of diseases.

As broccoli develops into large plants, securely stake or support the crop to avoid the plants rocking in the wind and loosening the roots.

Covering the crop with fine insect mesh is good practise to ensure protection against pests and birds.

Pests and diseases

Large white caterpillar on broccoli plant. Sarah Cuttle

Broccoli is prone to several problems that commonly affect plants in the brassica family.

The caterpillars of large and small white butterflies frequently cause damage, making holes in the leaves and eating into the heart of the plant. You can pick caterpillars off by hand or use insect-proof netting. However, you may find that wasps take most of the caterpillars from the plants to feed their young, and the plants recover after the caterpillars have completed their lifecycle. You can also grow nasturtiums nearby to attract caterpillars from your brassicas onto the nasturtium leaves.

Club root is a soil-borne disease occurring mostly in the warmer months. It infects the roots, causing them to become swollen, affecting the growth of the broccoli plants above ground. Improving drainage can help, as can adding lime to make the soil more alkaline. If your plants are affected, don't grow brassica plants.

Harvesting broccoli plants

Harvesting purple sprouting broccoli. Jason Ingram

Depending on the type of broccoli you're growing, you can start cutting spears about 10-12 weeks after sowing, when they’re well-formed but before the buds open into flowers. Cut the main, central head, first, which will trigger the development of side shoots. Then continue to cut side shoots regularly over the next four to six weeks. Use a sharp knife to cut where the base of the spear meets the main stem.

Preparation and uses

Looking for inspiration on how to use your crop? Our friends at olive have curated a delicious collection of broccoli recipes, including their easy baked gnocchi with broccoli, blue cheese and walnuts.

Storing broccoli

Ideally, use broccoli as soon as possible after harvest, for maximum taste and nutrition. However, broccoli heads keep for at least a week in the fridge and sprouting broccoli keeps for several days. Storing in the salad drawer is best.

To freeze broccoli, first blanch (part cook) otherwise it will be soggy when defrosted. Prepare your broccoli by washing the heads and chopping or breaking up into small florets. Place in a large pan of boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and transfer to iced water. Drain, then spread out on a baking sheet to freeze, transferring to freezer bags or plastic containers after a few hours.

Advice on buying broccoli

Where to buy broccoli

Broccoli varieties to grow

Purple and white sprouting broccoli. Sarah Cuttle

Broccoli 'Green Magic' RHS AGM – an early maturing variety with a good flavour and rust resistance

'Brokali Apollo' – a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale, with tasty, tender stems similar to those of sprouting broccoli

White sprouting broccoli – white-sprouting broccoli has a slightly milder flavour than purple or green

‘Early Purple Sprouting’ – purple-sprouting broccoli is tasty and nutritious and the leaves are also edible

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to grow broccoli?

Once young broccoli plants are in the ground, it takes from around 10-12 weeks to start producing a crop. This does depend on the variety and time of year – purple sprouting broccoli takes longer because it stands in the ground over winter and crops in spring.

Can you grow broccoli from broccoli?

You can grow a new crop of leaves, and perhaps small broccoli heads, by putting the waste stems from broccoli flower heads in jars of water on the windowsill. Cut off a small section from the base of the stem to ensure good water uptake. While this won’t produce a big crop, it’s a fun thing to do with either home-grown or shop-bought broccoli. This only works with the chunky stems of calabrese broccoli, not the slender stems of sprouting types.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[How to grow blueberries]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-blueberries/ 2025-09-23T09:07:12.000Z 2025-09-12T09:00:19.000Z Blueberries are not only delicious and highly nutritious, they're also attractive shrubs, with white flowers in spring and lovely leaf colour in autumn. Blueberry bushes are easy to grow in the UK in acid soils but also grow very well in pots of lime-free or ericaceous compost if your soil isn’t suitable.

Blueberries are ideal for smaller gardens, as the most compact varieties reach under 1m in height and taller ones grow to just 1.5m. Blueberries don’t take long to grow, and reach full size within about five years. It's best to grow at least two blueberry varieties close to each other for the best crop. While many blueberry varieties are self-fertile and a solo plant will generally fruit, if you grow two or more together, they tend to produce higher yields and bigger fruit. This often means you can extend the cropping season, too, as some varieties fruit in July, while others don’t fruit until August.

Where to grow blueberries

The best place to grow a blueberry bush depends on your soil pH. Blueberries need acidic soil so require a soil pH of between 4 and 5.5. If you don’t know how acidic your soil is, you can do a simple pH test using a soil testing kit. If your soil is neutral or alkaline, with a pH of 6 or more, plant blueberries in pots or raised beds of peat-free ericaceous compost.

For the best results, choose a sunny and sheltered position. Blueberries will fruit in partial shade but will do best in a warm, sunny environment.

How to sow blueberry seeds

With skill and patience, blueberries can be grown from seeds extracted from fruit, but there’s no guarantee of success and it takes years to produce a small bush. For a more reliable method of propagating blueberries, take cuttings from young, non-flowering shoots – either softwood cuttings in spring, or semi-ripe cuttings in summer.

When and how to plant a blueberry bush

Planting a blueberry bush in a pot. Sarah Cuttle

You can plant a blueberry bush at any time of year, except when the ground is frozen or wet. However, the best month to plant blueberry bushes is around October, when the soil is warm and moist. This gives the plants time to become established before winter, giving them a head start on the following year’s growth.

If planting blueberries in the ground, prepare the area first by removing weeds. Poor soils can be improved with low-pH organic matter such as leaf mould or pine bark – avoid using manure which may be alkaline and too heavy in texture. Space blueberries 1.5m apart for taller varieties and 75cm apart for shorter ones. Dig a hole that's a little larger than the plant's previous pot. Plant to the same depth as the top of the root ball, or to the soil ‘tide mark' at the base of the stem of a bare rooted plant. Water in generously.

If growing blueberries in pots, choose a container with a diameter of at least 30cm, and use a peat-free, ericaceous compost mixed with an equal volume of sharp sand or grit. Plant at the same depth the plant was growing in the field or in its previous pot. Firm in well and water in.

How to care for blueberries

Feeding blueberries

Blueberry bush care is not demanding, although blueberries in pots need regular watering. Blueberries growing in the ground should be watered during dry spells for the first couple of years until established. Use rainwater to water blueberries whenever possible, because tap water contains lime and this can make the soil more alkaline over time. A spring mulch of pine tree needles, leaf mould or bark chippings is a good way to maintain soil acidity, while helping to retain moisture in the soil or compost.

Feed pot-grown blueberries weekly during the growing season with a liquid feed designed for acid-loving plants. If necessary, repot into a slightly larger pot in spring. In subsequent springs, remove the top layer of compost and replace with fresh compost – a process known as top dressing.

Blueberries are hardy down to around -12֯C for short periods but blueberry bushes in pots are more vulnerable as the whole plant is above ground. Insulate pots by wrapping them in an insulating material such as thick fleece, hessian, bubble polythene or straw.

Keep an eye out for chlorosis, which appears as yellowing leaves. This is due to a change in the pH of the soil and will kill your blueberries if you don't act quickly. Be vigilant if growing blueberries in a pot. It's worth checking the pH of the soil annually to monitor conditions. To remedy the problem, repot with fresh ericaceous compost, water with rainwater and add a liquid fertiliser for ericaceous plants.

How to prune blueberries

For the first two years, remove only crossing, rubbing or damaged branches so the bush develops a balanced framework. During that time, take off any fruit buds so the plant puts its energy into growing.

Thereafter, blueberry bushes benefit from regular pruning to keep them healthy and productive. Prune while the plants are still dormant in late winter, aiming to keep the younger, more productive branches that are two or three years old – they should be reddish brown, with lots of fat fruit buds on them. Firstly, tidy the plant by removing any dead, diseased or crossing branches. Then cut out around a quarter of the less productive, older branches, which are thicker and pale grey in colour. Remove any horizontal branches close to the ground and any spindly tips of branches to keep the plant more compact.

Pests and diseases

Blueberries don't generally suffer from many pests and diseases. Powdery mildew may appear if conditions are too dry or too wet. This shouldn’t affect the plant too much, but remove affected leaves and stems and burn them, to kill the fungus and prevent its spread the following year.

Vine weevil can be a problem for container-grown blueberries. The adults eat notches in the leaves but rarely cause significant damage, but the grubs eat the roots of the plant and can do a lot of harm if present in large numbers. You can dig around the roots to remove the grubs by hand or use nematodes, which naturally destroy the grubs. Avoid using pesticides as these are systemic, meaning they’re taken up by the plant’s roots and will therefore be present in the flowers that are pollinated by bees, and the fruit you eat.

Aphids can cluster on new young shoots but are rarely a problem so are best left for natural predators like ladybirds and hoverflies to deal with.

How to harvest blueberries

Harvesting blueberries. Sarah Cuttle

Blueberries are ready to harvest from midsummer. They ripen gradually so check back every few days and remove the ripe ones. Gently pick off the deepest blue berries, leaving the greener ones to continue ripening. It will take several years for your plant to crop heavily.

Where to buy blueberries online

Storing blueberries

Blueberries are best eaten freshly picked, but freeze very well. Frozen blueberries work well when baking or when used in smoothies, jams or compotes.

Advice on buying blueberries

Where to buy blueberries online

Where to buy peat-free ericaceous compost online

Blueberry varieties to try

Blueberry 'Bluecrop'. Sarah Cuttle

'Earliblue' – an early ripening variety, producing a good crop of large, light blue sweet berries, plus good autumn colour. H x S: 1.8m x 1.8m

‘Brigitta’ – with large fruits that ripen later in the season, at the end of August. It needs to be grown with other blueberry varieties, as it needs cross-pollination for a good crop. H x S: 1.8m x 1.8m

'Bluecrop' – produces masses of fruits in August. It's self-fertile, but for best results grow with a pollination partner. H x S: 1.2m x 90cm

‘Spartan’ RHS AGM – an early- to mid-season cropper, with large, sweet fruits. H x S: 2m x 1.5m

‘Duke’ RHS AGM – a very popular variety, that produces good yields of medium to large fruit. It flowers later but fruits early, so it is good for areas with a shorter summer season. H x S: 1.5m x 1.5m

‘Pink Sapphire’ – a new variety with pink-white, bell shaped flowers in spring and fruit that ripens to a deep pink. With bright orange leaves in autumn, that fade to deep red, it offers a lot of ornamental interest too. H x S: 1.5m x 1.5m

Frequently asked questions

Are blueberry bushes better in pots or in the ground?

Blueberries grow well either in the ground or in pots, as long as the soil type and conditions suit them. Check your garden soil pH using a test kit to make sure it is sufficiently acid for blueberries. If so, it’s less work to grow blueberries in the ground as plants growing in pots will require regular watering.

Can you grow blueberries from fruit?

Determined gardeners may like to have a go at growing blueberries from seeds extracted from within the berries, but it's a long process with low chance of success. Buying a blueberry bush will give you a plant that crops in a much shorter time.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[How to grow Swiss chard]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-swiss-chard-2/ 2025-11-11T09:09:30.000Z 2025-08-16T06:56:27.000Z A delicious alternative to spinach, Swiss chard is easy to grow. In the UK it's usually referred to as chard, but it's also known as leaf beet. With its ornamental leaves and often colourful stems, it looks just as good in containers and borders as the vegetable plot. Packed with vitamins, mature leaves make a colourful addition to stir-fries and soups and young, tender leaves are great in salads. The stems can be cooked separately and are equally tasty. Swiss chard is hardy and can be overwintered for early pickings in spring. Although it's not a perennial vegetable, if you leave chard to self seed, it will come back every year.

Where to grow Swiss chard

The best place to grow chard is in a sunny position, in well-drained soil that has been enriched with organic matter such as homemade compost.

Sowing Swiss chard seeds

Sowing chard. Sarah Cuttle

Growing chard is easy. Make a shallow drill in well-prepared soil in a sunny spot and sow your Swiss chard seeds thinly, approximately 1.5cm deep. Cover seeds with soil and water well. Sow in rows 40cm apart. You can sow chard from March to September. To get crops throughout the year, sow in spring and again in July. Chard can be left over winter to provide early pickings in spring.

How to plant Swiss chard

Plant out Swiss chard seedlings once they are about 5cm tall. Harden the plants off first for about two weeks, placing seedlings outside during the day and bringing them in at night. Plant chard seedlings in the ground, around 30cm apart. Growing chard in pots is also straightforward. Plant chard seedlings into a container filled with peat-free, multi-purpose compost. Choose a large container if possible, around 40cm wide and at least 25cm deep.

Caring for Swiss chard

Chard seedlings. Jason Ingram

As the seedlings begin to grow, thin out the plants so that they're 25-30cm apart. Water well after thinning. Keep an eye out for pests, but apart from watering, this is an easy vegetable to look after. Sow seeds every few weeks for a continuous crop that'll see you through the winter months, with just a little protection.

Swiss chard can be grown successfully in containers and even in among your flower borders, where it will complement the hot colours of late summer flowers.

Pests and diseases

Swiss chard is a relatively trouble-free vegetable apart from attacks on seedlings by slugs and snails, so do put some protection in place after sowing.

Some varieties, particularly the ones with red stems, can be prone to bolting.

Beet leaf miner can also affect chard. These are flies whose maggots tunnel inside the leaves creating blotches that eventually turn brown and affect the growth of the plant, particularly early in the season. The best way to deal with this problem is to try to squash the maggots in the blotchy areas or to net crops. Crop rotation is also important as this can help prevent overwintering leaf miner larvae from affecting your chard crop.

Harvesting Swiss chard

Protect chard over winter. Jason Ingram

Young chard leaves are delicious eaten fresh and you can use early thinnings for salads. The fully-formed leaves will be ready to harvest about 10-12 weeks after sowing, but late summer sowings may take a little longer. Cut individual leaves as you need them and the plant will keep producing new growth. Chard can also be left in the ground over winter. It won't produce new leaves in cold weather, but you should get some early harvests in the spring.

Storing, preparing and using Swiss chard

Swiss chard is best eaten soon after picking. However, leaves can be blanched and frozen for later use in soups. Cook the stems and leaves separately, as the stems are tougher. When preparing the leaves, you may need to remove the ribs from the largest leaves as these can also be tough. Both the leaves and stems can be boiled, steamed or stir fried. Cook the stems for a couple of extra minutes. Chard is a delicious ingredient in dishes such as gratins, pies, stews, soups and stir fries.

Looking for inspiration on how to use your crop? Our friends at olive have curated a collection of chard recipes.

Swiss chard varieties to try

‘Bright Lights’ RHS AGM – with rainbow-coloured stems and green and leaves of green or bronze. Good for harvesting into the late autumn months, it can also be overwintered for an early spring crop.

‘White Silver’ RHS AGM – with thick white stems and dark green leaves this is a classic Swiss Chard. A hardy variety, good for cropping through early winter.

‘Bright Yellow’ RHS AGM – with golden yellow stalks, this is a lovely variety that's slow to bolt and very hardy over winter. It'll also produce an early spring crop after the last of the late-autumn harvest.

'Fordhook Giant' – a big variety that grows up to 6ocm tall with dark green leaves and cream to ivory stalks.

Frequently asked questions

What should not be planted near Swiss chard? 

There is no need to avoid planting any particular vegetable next to Swiss chard. There are pests, such as leaf miner, which are attracted to both Swiss chard and beetroot. The best way to avoid a build up of pests such as beet leaf miner is to rotate crops. Leaf miners overwinter as pupae in the soil with adult flies emerging in the spring. Moving crops should mean that pest populations decrease as they don't have a host crop to feed on.

How do you pick Swiss chard so it keeps growing? 

To treat Swiss chard as a cut and come again crop, pick the outer leaves regularly to encourage new leaves to grow. Alternatively, you can cut the whole chard plant near the base and it should resprout.

]]> BBC Gardeners' World Magazine <![CDATA[Fast-growing veg for quick harvests]]> https://www.gardenersworld.com/premium/fast-growing-veg/ 2025-10-15T10:40:04.000Z 2025-06-27T10:02:17.000Z Some veg crops can take months of cossetting before you can enjoy your harvests, but others are ready in a matter of weeks - ideal if you're the impatient type or are growing with kids.

Discover easy-care crops to grow.

Some speedy crops, such as radish, are also ideal for growing as 'catch crops' - quick growing crops that can be grown in between slower-growing veg before they get too large, or on temporarily bare patches of soil.

Here are some speedy veggies to try.

Radish

Radishes

Radishes are one of the easiest crops you can grow and take up very little space. They're ideal for growing with kids and come in a range of shapes and colours. Discover the best radish varieties to grow.

Time to harvest: four weeks

Rocket

Rocket

Another easy crop, peppery rocket can be grown in the ground or in pots. Sow in batches from March to September for crops from April to October. Find out how to grow rocket from seed.

Time to harvest: four weeks

Beetroot

Beetroot grows in most soil types and comes in a variety of colours

Beetroot comes in a range of shapes and sizes, and you can harvest the baby beets when they are golf ball size. You can also eat the peppery leaves. Sow from mid-April to late June. Read our beetroot Grow Guide.

Time to harvest: from 12 weeks

Salad leaves

Salad leaves

Freshly harvested salad leaves are a world away from the bagged leaves you can buy in the supermarket - and you can 'cut and come again' - harvest the leaves you need, then allow them to regrow. Read our salad leaves Grow Guide.

Time to harvest: four weeks

Turnips

A bunch of turnips freshly pulled up

Turnips are vastly underrated vegetables but they're delicious to eat and easy to grow. Try harvesting the baby roots when they are golf ball sized. Discover how to grow turnips from seed.

Time to harvest: six weeks

Spinach

Spinach

Spinach isn't only good for you - it's versatile in the kitchen and easy to grow. Sow in batches from early spring to early autumn to enjoy crops for many months. Discover how to grow spinach.

Time to harvest: six weeks

Dwarf beans

Dwarf beans

Dwarf beans are compact plants that are easy to grow from seed, in the ground or in pots, and are quick to crop. Sow in batches from April to July for harvest from July to October. Discover how to grow dwarf beans in pots.

Time to harvest: nine weeks

Microgreens

Harvesting microgreens

Microgreens are mini versions of regular leafy crops, such as pea shoots, rocket, radish and coriander and offer a burst of flavour and nutrients. They can be grown on a windowsill and are ready to harvest in a matter of days. Alternatively, eat the thinnings from herbs or salads that you've sown in the ground, such as purslane, as microgreens. Discover how to grow microgreens.

Time to harvest: from 7 days

]]>