The Veg Grower Podcast

Richard
  • 4.8 (5)
  • Home & Garden
  • Updated Weekly

If you are interested in growing your own food , then this is the podcast for you. Each week Join Richard Suggett as he shares his experience of growing food in his allotment and back garden.

  1. 2d ago

    Episode 663- Gardeners’ World Live 2026: Inspiring Designs, Mushroom Magic & Growing for Every Space

    This week on the Veg Grower Podcast, I took you with me on my annual pilgrimage to Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC in Birmingham — for the very last time at this venue before the show moves to a new location next year. And what a send‑off it was. Right from the moment I stepped into the Beautiful Borders, it was clear that grow‑your‑own is becoming more deeply woven into garden design. As I said in the episode, “I’m already in the beautiful borders and I can already see there’s lots of vegetables incorporated in the design of these gardens.” From chard and strawberries to pumpkins, herbs and even buckets of potatoes, veg was everywhere — and it looked fantastic. Lucy’s ‘Make a Meter Matter’ Garden One of the highlights of the show was catching up with the brilliant Lucy, who created a stunning grow‑your‑own themed border built around the idea that one square metre can make a difference. Her horseshoe‑shaped layout featured nine individual 1m² zones, each packed with ideas for different types of growers. As Lucy explained, “If you can just convert one meter of your outdoor space into somewhere where plants can thrive and grow, then that’s a brilliant thing.” The Kids’ Growing Zones Lucy dedicated three metres to inspiring children to grow: Speedy veg with egg‑head planters, quick lettuces and tactile mint Pizza & pasta plants including basil, rocket and the adorable Micro Tom tomato Smoothie ingredients like blueberries, strawberries, kale and beetroot Her goal was simple: make growing fun, colourful and irresistible. Urban & Rental Gardeners Next came three metres designed for those with balconies, courtyards or tiny spaces: Eco‑warrior zone with coir pots, wooden labels and guerrilla‑gardening seed bombs Party‑goer zone complete with a mini ceramic BBQ (yes — the same one I own!) Gourmet zone featuring Malabar spinach, cucamelons, Japanese parsley and more Fruit in Small Spaces Lucy’s final three metres championed fruit — something she feels is underrepresented. She showcased: Beautifully trained apples Compact currants and strawberries A one‑metre forest garden of “super fruits” Micro‑fruit options for pots As she put it, “Fruit is so underrated and underrepresented in the gardening world.” Exploring the Show & New Ideas After dragging myself away from the show gardens (never easy!), I wandered the stalls, picked up a few tools and plants, and soaked up the atmosphere. I love how these events spark new ideas — even if they make me want to redesign my entire garden. Mushroom Growing with the K Brothers I also sat in on a fascinating talk by the K Brothers, known for their mushroom‑growing kits. Even though I’m allergic to mushrooms, I’m always intrigued by how accessible mushroom cultivation has become. Jodie explained that mushrooms will grow on almost any organic material: “They will grow on any organic material… books or straw or sawdust or cardboard or your old jeans.” Their kits use hardwood sawdust for maximum nutrition, and with daily misting you can harvest mushrooms in as little as three weeks. Plant Expert Stand with Saul Walker To round off the episode, I caught up with Saul Walker, who shared insights from the plant expert stand. Climate change, unpredictable weather patterns and plant establishment issues dominated the questions this year. As Saul noted, “The key with gardening is you need that stability… now that things are changing every year… I don’t know what to say sometimes.” Aphids, scale insects and general plant stress were also common topics — all reminders of how important diversity, observation and early intervention are in our gardens.

    33 min

  2. Jun 15

    Episode 662 — A Week of Growth: Garlic Harvest, Garden Tidying & Feeding Our Plants

    This week on the Veg Grower Podcast, I’ve been making the most of a week off work — and it’s amazing how much difference a few focused days can make. Daily visits to the allotment have helped me get on top of all those little jobs that build up, and the plot is looking better than it has in a long time. It really has been a week of garlic harvest and garden tidying, and everything is thriving for it. Allotment Progress The highlight of the week has been the garlic harvest. The bulbs grown on the allotment have outperformed those at home, with bigger bulbs and stronger stems. They’re now curing in the greenhouse ready for long‑term storage. I’ve also been cutting back large clumps of comfrey for the compost bin. It’s growing vigorously at the moment, and while the bees love the flowers, the leaves make fantastic compost material. Kitchen Garden Improvements Back home, the kitchen garden has had a proper tidy and reset. I’ve moved the HotBin composter to a more practical location and set up a new Autopot Spyder watering system — a product I genuinely rate highly. If you’d like to try Autopot yourself, you can use my affiliate code AUTO10RVG for 10% off on the Autopot website. I’ve also spent time checking supports, tying in plants, and trimming back anything getting unruly. We’ve even had a nest of bumblebees set up near the chicken coop, which has been fascinating to watch. Recipe of the Week This week’s recipe is a simple but delicious pea and mint crostini — perfect for using those early‑summer harvests and ideal as a quick garden‑side snack. In the Potting Shed In the potting shed, I’m talking all about feeding our plants — when to feed, what to use, and how to avoid overdoing it. If you’re looking for reliable plant feeds, I recommend Empathy products. They offer excellent seaweed feed, tomato feed, and specialist blends.

    29 min

  3. Jun 8

    Episode 661: Early June Chaos: Wild Weather, Busy Bees and Successional Sowing

    Early June has brought that classic mix of heavy rain, strong winds and sudden sunshine — and the garden has certainly felt it. In this week’s episode, I’m sharing how the weather has shaped everything from seed sowing to weeding, plus an exciting update from the beehive as the colony continues to grow. Kitchen Garden Update: Wild Weather and Big Sowing Sessions The kitchen garden has taken a real battering from the weather this week, but the plants are still powering on. Inside the shed, I’ve been making the most of the rain by sowing cucumbers, sweetcorn, kale, cabbage and beans in plug trays. Out in the Veggie Pod, more spring onions, radish and carrots have gone in — ideal quick crops for this time of year. There’s also been another round of cutting back the invasive climber along the fence line, which has taken full advantage of the warm, wet conditions. Allotment Update: Growth Spurts, Weeds and Potato Progress Down on the allotment, everything has that early‑summer energy. The rain has made weeding incredibly satisfying, and the beds are looking much tidier for it. My early potatoes are still recovering from the May frost, while the main crop is thriving with strong, healthy foliage. The beans are climbing well, the boundary weeds are putting up their usual fight, and I’ve even planted some forgotten seed potatoes for a late experiment. It’s one of those weeks where the plot feels full of potential. Recipe of the Week: Chard and New Potatoes This week’s recipe is a simple early‑summer dish using chard and new potatoes fresh from the garden. Soft potatoes, sweet onions, garlic and colourful chard, finished with butter and lemon — a quick, fresh plate that tastes like summer. You’ll find the full recipe on the podcast page. From the Podding Shed: Successional Sowing Explained There’s exciting progress in the beehive this week as I add the colony’s first super, giving them space to expand and store surplus honey. I’m also diving into successional sowing — how often to sow different crops, what you can still sow right now in the UK, and how this simple habit keeps food coming all summer long. If you want steady harvests and fewer gluts, this is the segment to listen to.

    31 min

  4. Jun 1

    Episode 660: Embracing Tomato Fortnight & Sowing French Beans in Early Summer

    Early summer has truly arrived, and with it comes one of my favourite celebrations in the gardening calendar—Tomato Fortnight. As I shared in this week’s Veg Grower Podcast, the allotment and kitchen garden are bursting with activity, from staking tomatoes to sowing French beans, harvesting peas, and even spotting new life on my citrus tree. Tomato Fortnight: Why I Grow So Many Varieties Down on the allotment, the heat has been intense, but the tomatoes are thriving. I grow around eight different varieties, each chosen for a specific purpose—beefsteaks for sandwiches, salad tomatoes for everyday use, cherries for hanging baskets, and plum tomatoes for passata. As I said in the episode: “There are so many different varieties, hundreds and hundreds of varieties… that is why I grow so many different varieties of tomatoes.” Between home and the allotment, that adds up to around 30 plants—and honestly, I could still grow more. Greenhouse vs. Outdoor Tomatoes Greenhouse tomatoes crop earlier but lack the depth of flavour of outdoor-grown fruit. Outdoors, I rely on blight‑resistant varieties like Crimson Crush and Crimson Blush to help avoid devastation from late‑season blight. “Any tomatoes growing outside, unless they are blight resistant, are susceptible… it can literally rot your crop within a week.” Watering & Feeding Consistent watering is key to avoiding split fruit and blossom end rot. I mulch heavily with straw to lock in moisture and feed weekly with seaweed until flowering, then switch to tomato feed. Sweetcorn, Squash & Straw Bale Growing The allotment beds are now fully planted. Sweetcorn has gone in as a block, not rows, to ensure good wind pollination. Squash and courgettes are thriving in the straw bales, settling in nicely after the recent cold snap. Interestingly, my maincrop potatoes have overtaken the first earlies due to that cold spell: “The cold snap… just set those first earlies back a little bit.” Catching Rainwater in a Dry Year Back home, I’ve been racing to put out buckets and containers ahead of the forecast rain. “It has been a very dry year so far… I want to catch as much rainwater as I can.” With 16 water butts running low, every drop counts. Seed of the Month: French Beans June’s seed of the month is one of my absolute favourites—French climbing beans. They’re fast, productive, and perfect for filling gaps as spring crops finish. Sowing is simple: Sow direct 2 cm deep or Start in modules for quick germination (7–14 days) Beans aren’t hungry plants, but they do need something to climb. I use hazel-stick frames, drilling holes with a soil auger to get the sticks firmly into the ground. “They simply curl their way up around the stick… I find it fascinating.” I also grow Borlotto for both fresh pods and dried beans—beautiful, versatile, and easy to store. Kitchen Harvests & Courgette Fritters Harvests are rolling in: lettuce, radish, spring onions, peas, strawberries, raspberries, and the first courgettes of the year. To celebrate the courgette glut, this week’s recipe is Early Summer Courgette & Mint Fritters with Lemon Yoghurt—crisp, fresh, and perfect for lunch. “These fritters are crisp on the outside, soft in the middle… lifted beautifully by fresh mint.” Bee Update: A Calm, Growing Colony My weekly apiary visit brought brilliant news: “The bees have incredibly settled in… we’re now up to eight frames of bees.” Even better—I finally spotted the queen. Supers will be going on soon, meaning honey isn’t far away. Book of the Month: Home Brewing by Kevin Forbes May’s unexpected Book of the Month was Home Brewing by Kevin Forbes. With elderflowers in full swing, I used it to make cordial and even started elderflower wine. “This book made it sound very, very easy.” For June, I’ll be diving into The Victorian Kitchen Garden by Jennifer Davies.

    31 min

  5. May 25

    Episode 659: Battling the Heatwave & Finding a Rustic Vision for the Kitchen Garden

    This week’s bank holiday brought record‑breaking heat, and like many gardeners, I’ve spent most of my time simply trying to keep plants alive. Between fast‑drying soil, thirsty young crops, and a greenhouse that felt more like an oven, it’s been a week of adapting, improvising, and learning a few new tricks to keep everything going. In the Kitchen Garden It’s been a scorching bank holiday, and most of my time has gone into simply keeping plants alive. Watering has been the big job this week, especially with young plants and pots drying out so quickly. The greenhouse has been a challenge too — my auto‑pots are brilliant, but even they struggled as the tank water evaporated in the heat. I’ve opened the window permanently and really should fit an auto‑vent. A small win: using the Ryobi stick pump with a hosepipe has cut watering time from an hour to about 20 minutes. That’s been a lifesaver. We’ve planted out beans, rosemary and sage, and harvested peas, rhubarb, and our first strawberries. On the Allotment Watering is harder here, with troughs several plots away, but the straw mulch continues to make a huge difference. A reminder from this week: not everything needs watering daily. Newly planted crops, yes. Established plants, no — a deep weekly soak is often enough. I’ve been working early mornings to beat the heat and planted out more beans using hazel supports. The soil is rock‑hard, so I used a drill and auger to get the canes in. Recipe of the Week New potatoes with garden greens and herb oil — simple, seasonal, and full of flavour. Full recipe is on the website. Bee Update My first hive inspection went well. More bees, new comb, nectar, and larvae — all signs the queen is laying, even though I didn’t spot her. A good start for the colony. Chelsea Flower Show & A New Direction A brief visit to Chelsea left me inspired. The gardens were stunning, and it got me thinking: why shouldn’t a vegetable garden look beautiful too? After also visiting Amberley Museum, I’ve settled on a more rustic kitchen garden style — hazel supports, herbs edging the beds, fan‑trained fruit trees, and reducing visible plastic where possible. It’s a long‑term project, but it finally feels like the right direction. If you want the full story, including all the details and thoughts behind these changes, have a listen to this week’s episode.

    32 min

  6. May 18

    Episode 658: The Week the Weather Turned… and I Finally Got My Bees

    This week’s episode of The Veg Grower Podcast is a real mix of surprises, setbacks, and exciting new beginnings. From unexpected frost damage on the allotment to big changes in the kitchen garden — and the moment Richard finally becomes a beekeeper — there’s plenty to dive into. If you want the full story, the sounds, and the emotions behind it all, make sure you give the episode a listen. Down on the Allotment Richard kicks off the week with a weather surprise — a mid‑May frost that caught many growers off guard. As he said, “This week we have had some frosts… temperatures have certainly dipped overnight.” Potatoes blackened, cucumbers wiped out, and a few tomatoes took a hit. It’s a lesson in not planting tender crops too early, even when the forecast looks safe. But it’s not all doom and gloom — Richard shares how he’s bouncing back and what he’ll do differently next year. Weeding, Asparagus & Garlic Watch With planting paused, Richard focused on weed control — essential at this time of year when everything grows at full speed. He also harvested rhubarb and asparagus, though the spears have been thinner than usual. On the garlic front, the straw mulch continues to help reduce leek rust, though a few spots have appeared. As he explains in the podcast, removing affected leaves now gives the bulbs the best chance to finish strong. In the Kitchen Garden Back home, the sheltered kitchen garden escaped most of the frost damage. Richard has been sorting through his many pots — and discovered that around 75% of his fruit bushes and trees didn’t survive winter. He talks through what happened, what he’s replacing, and why he’s switching to matching pots and decorative stone mulch. Seeds Still Going In There’s still time to sow plenty, so this week included: Cucumbers Nasturtiums Sunflowers Carrots Beetroot Spring onions Richard shares why he’s sowing these now and how they fit into his late‑spring plan. Recipe of the Week This week’s kitchen segment features a creamy spring onion and potato soup — simple, seasonal, and perfect if you’re harvesting early potatoes. Listen for the full method and tips. Beekeeping Begins The big moment has arrived — Richard is officially a beekeeper. He collected his nuc on Saturday, transported it safely, and transferred the frames into his hive. As he described, “Within another couple of hours, the bees seem to have settled in.” He also shares the full story of getting stung, settling the bees, and how he found the perfect field site.

    33 min

  7. May 11

    Episode 657: Sowing Winter Cabbage, Tackling Allotment Overwhelm & Our April Book Review

    This week has been one of those classic early‑May weeks where everything seems to need doing at once. I’ve been sowing our Seed of the Month, tackling slugs and snails in the kitchen garden, trying to stay on top of the allotment before inspections begin, and finishing our April Book of the Month: RHS Can I Grow Potatoes in Pots? by Sally Nex. There’s plenty to share, so let’s get into it. From the Kitchen Garden This week in the kitchen garden we’ve been sowing our Seed of the Month: Winter Cabbage. I’m a little later than planned, but May and June are still perfect months to get these hardy brassicas started. Winter cabbages are one of my favourite crops because they stand strong through the cold months and give you that wonderful feeling of harvesting fresh veg when everything else has slowed down. There’s nothing quite like cutting a crisp cabbage on Christmas Day. Somvarities I recommend are: Winter cabbage Tudra F1 Savoy vertus 2 Savoy Di Verona I sow mine in root trainers filled with a good quality seed compost, making a hole about a centimetre deep and dropping in one seed per cell. They don’t need heat at this time of year — just a cool, bright spot in the shed. Once the roots show at the bottom, they’re ready for potting on. I’ll be planting mine out in the bed where my first early potatoes have been growing, once those are harvested in June. Alongside the cabbages, the kitchen garden has been full of activity. Lots of plants have gone into the ground, but the slugs and snails have been causing havoc, especially on my squash and sweetcorn. Thankfully there’s still time to sow replacements, and I even picked up a couple of courgette plants from the garden centre — different varieties to what I usually grow, but I’m always happy to experiment. To help manage the slug problem, I’ve been using an upturned clay pot as a trap. The slugs hide inside during the day, making them easy to collect and feed to the chickens. It’s simple, effective, and nothing goes to waste. Some of my brassicas, especially the purple sprouting broccoli and kale, are still in flower and taking up a lot of space, but I’m determined to save more of my own seed this year, so I’m letting them finish their cycle before clearing the beds. Down on the Allotment It’s been incredibly busy on the allotment. We’re only a third of the way through the year, but everything seems to have hit at once. I’ll admit I’ve been feeling a bit overwhelmed — a combination of dry weather, lots of planting, and the knowledge that allotment inspections are just around the corner. To stay on top of things, I sit down every Thursday evening and write a list of weekend tasks, sorted by priority: Top priority: jobs that will cause damage if ignored — watering, planting out, anything urgent. Medium priority: tidying, mowing, weeding, keeping the plot looking cared for. Low priority: fun projects like cutting comfrey for compost or mulch. This week I’ve been planting out cucumbers, which are now climbing up hazel sticks harvested from my own tree. They look great once they’re in, even if the sticks are a bit of a battle to get into the ground. I’ve also been cutting back comfrey. It’s a brilliant plant for compost, mulch, and homemade plant feed, though it does have a habit of popping up everywhere. The leaves make a great mulch for tomatoes and cucumbers, adding potassium and helping retain moisture. The allotment is looking good overall. Potatoes are up, asparagus and rhubarb are coming thick and fast, and the garlic is looking excellent with no sign of leek rust. Even the elephant garlic is starting to form flower heads — which I’ll snap off and use in the kitchen. Recipe of the Week — Broad Bean Smash This week’s recipe is a simple but delicious Broad Bean Smash, perfect for early‑season broad beans that have overwintered beautifully. You’ll find the full recipe on the Veg Grower Podcast website.

    27 min

  8. May 4

    Episode 656: Highlights From the Gardener’s World Spring Fair

    This week has been a little different here at the Veg Grower Podcast. While the allotment and kitchen garden have mostly seen me planting out the last of the season’s young plants, the real highlight has been my annual trip to the Gardener’s World Spring Fair at Beaulieu. It’s a show I look forward to every single year, and once again it didn’t disappoint. From catching up with friends like Aid Sellers and Lucy Chamberlain to exploring the inspiring show gardens and stalls, it was a day packed with ideas, conversations, and a good dose of gardening joy. Here’s what I’ve been up to. Catching Up With Friends at the Show One of the things I love most about these events is the people. Gardeners often work alone in their plots, but shows like this remind us that we’re part of a huge, enthusiastic community. I caught up with Ade Sellers, who was hosting the “In Conversation With” stage. Aid spoke passionately about the joy of seeing audiences engage with speakers — from seasoned growers to complete beginners. He described those moments when someone hears a single nugget of advice and you can almost see the lightbulb switch on. That’s what these shows are all about. Later, I met up with Lucy Chamberlain, who, alongside De Graft, created the “Make a Metre Matter” garden. Divided into nine one‑metre squares, it showcased everything from punchy salad leaves to wildlife habitats, including a beautifully crafted hedgehog nest made entirely from natural, easy‑to‑source materials. Lucy’s enthusiasm for small‑space growing was infectious — proof that even a single square metre can transform a space. A Picnic Worth Talking About Of course, no day out is complete without food, and this week’s Recipe of the Week was designed with picnics in mind: a Spring Garden Quiche filled with asparagus, spring onions, herbs, and a creamy egg mixture. I cheated with shop‑bought pastry (don’t judge!), but the result was delicious — perfect for eating on the lawn between exploring the gardens and stalls. The full recipe is on the website if you fancy giving it a go. Exploring the Show We arrived at Beaulieu just as the gates opened, with Amanda and Roxy joining me thanks to a mercifully cloudy forecast. The gardens were my first stop — they always are — and the designers had done a fantastic job. From wildlife‑friendly planting to clever small‑space ideas, there was plenty to take home and try. As always, I couldn’t resist a bit of shopping. I came away with: Two bottles of Rudecello (rhubarb‑infused vodka — surprisingly good!) A few carnivorous plants to help with indoor pests Four young trees from Jurassic Plants: Two citrus A greengage A Chinese quince The afternoon brought rain, and the showground emptied almost instantly, but even that didn’t dampen the mood. It was a brilliant day out — full of ideas, friendly faces, and that unmistakable buzz that only a gardening show can bring. Looking Ahead I’m already looking forward to Gardeners’ World Live in June and Audley End in September, where Lucy will be creating another Make a Metre Matter garden. If you’ve never been to one of these shows, I can’t recommend them enough. They’re friendly, practical, and packed with inspiration for gardeners of all levels. If you were at the Spring Fair, I’d love to hear what you thought. And as always, if you enjoy the podcast, a rating or review helps more people discover the joy of growing their own food.

    33 min
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About

If you are interested in growing your own food , then this is the podcast for you. Each week Join Richard Suggett as he shares his experience of growing food in his allotment and back garden.

Information

  • Creator
    Richard
  • Years Active
    2013 - 2026
  • Episodes
    104
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyright © Podcasting 2026
  • Show Website
    The Veg Grower Podcast

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