This week’s episode of The Veg Grower Podcast was packed with those subtle but exciting signs that the growing season is waking up. After a rare dry spell on the south coast, I finally managed a full day in the kitchen garden — and it felt good to get stuck in.
Kitchen Garden: Early Growth & Essential Tidying
With the soil warming, weeds have started to appear, which is always a positive indicator that spring is on the way. Even more surprising was spotting the first early shoots of asp...
This week’s episode of The Veg Grower Podcast was packed with those subtle but exciting signs that the growing season is waking up. After a rare dry spell on the south coast, I finally managed a full day in the kitchen garden — and it felt good to get stuck in.
Kitchen Garden: Early Growth & Essential Tidying
With the soil warming, weeds have started to appear, which is always a positive indicator that spring is on the way. Even more surprising was spotting the first early shoots of asparagus pushing through — far earlier than expected, but very welcome.
I mulched the asparagus bed with rich worm compost from the wormery, although I did discover a small mouse living beneath the bin. Thankfully, not a rat — and a reminder to keep an eye on things, especially with chickens nearby.
I also planted out some strong young leeks that were originally destined for a cancelled project. These were sown in May and have grown beautifully in pots, so they’re now filling an otherwise empty bed. I’ve also started another batch of leek seeds using my usual polystyrene‑box method.
Seedlings & Temperature Monitoring
Seedlings are everywhere at the moment — chillies, peppers, onions sown on Boxing Day — and they’re finally putting on growth after a slow start. My Bluetooth thermometer in the potting shed continues to be invaluable for tracking temperatures and deciding when to sow.
Allotment: Winter Jobs & Greenhouse Prep
Despite the rain, I pushed on with allotment jobs. February is always a strange month — half winter, half spring — but I managed to clear prunings, weed, and top up beds with compost.
When the rain set in, I moved into the greenhouse for a full clean and sterilise. Broken panes were swept up, frames washed, and everything disinfected with a natural biodegradable cleaner. It’s now ready for the season ahead.
The second greenhouse, “The Sergeant,” still needs glazing, but I’m leaning toward covering it with polytunnel plastic — a practical and affordable solution that should get it functional quickly.
In the Kitchen: Crispy Veg Pancakes
With Shrove Tuesday and Chinese New Year coinciding, I cooked up crispy vegetable pancakes filled with homegrown leeks, cabbage, carrot and onion, finished with a sweet chilli and soy dressing. A delicious way to use winter veg.
Grow Lights: Why They’re Becoming Essential
This week I also talked about grow lights — something I once thought unnecessary but now consider vital for year‑round growing, especially with limited winter daylight.
My older IKEA lights are fading after a decade of use, and last year’s cheap Amazon set hasn’t impressed. But this week I received a sample from a new company, Oasis Grow Lights, and the build quality and brightness immediately stood out.
One key feature I love: adjustable chains. My own experiment this year showed that seedlings grown with lights 10cm above them were stockier and stronger than those grown with lights 60cm away. Light distance matters — a lot.
I’ll be trialling these new lights properly over the coming weeks, but first impressions are excellent.
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- Premier seeds direct for all your seed needs
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