This archive brings together practical, experience-led articles from The Backyard Farmer, covering gardening, DIY, indoor growing, foraging, reviews, and sustainable living. Each post is written with real-world use in mind — focusing on working with nature, building practical skills, and making sustainable choices more accessible.
July is where the UK harvest calendar changes gear. Earlier in the year, you are often waiting for the first proper pickings. By July, the job is usually keeping up before crops get too big, too tough, too ripe, or pinched by something else. For
Introduction — What to Harvest in June UK If you are wondering what to harvest in June in the UK, this is the month when the garden starts to feel properly useful again. You may be picking lettuce, rocket, radishes, spring onions, spinach, chard, broad
Introduction If you’ve grown garlic before, you’ll know this is the point where it either comes together nicely—or goes slightly sideways. Harvest too early and the bulbs stay a bit small. Leave it too long and they start splitting, skins break down, and they won’t
Introduction Courgettes are one of those crops that go from “not quite ready” to “way too big” almost overnight. One day you’re checking a few small fruits; the next, there’s something closer to a marrow hiding under the leaves. It happens fast—and if you’ve grown
Introduction Growing tomatoes in the UK isn’t as simple as waiting for them to turn red and picking them. Some years it works like that — but more often, the weather gets involved. You get cool nights, random heavy rain, and those stop-start summers where
Introduction April marks the real start of spring harvest momentum in many UK gardens. The days are noticeably longer, the soil begins to warm, and growth speeds up across the plot. As a result, there’s a clear jump in both variety and quantity compared to
Introduction March sits right in the middle of the UK’s “hungry gap” — that stretch where winter crops are winding down but true spring abundance hasn’t quite arrived. However, that doesn’t mean your beds are empty. In fact, there are still plenty of vegetables ready
Introduction This UK harvest calendar shows you exactly what to harvest each month in the UK, whether you’re growing on an allotment, in a back garden, or under cover in a greenhouse or polytunnel. In simple terms, it’s a practical UK vegetable and fruit harvest
Introduction Every gardener and forager knows the feeling when everything ripens at once. Bowls of tomatoes, baskets of apples, and piles of courgettes are a gift of abundance — yet without a plan, they quickly turn into waste. With energy costs climbing, finding simple, low
Quick Answer: How to Freeze TomatoesWash and dry your fresh tomatoes, lay them on a baking tray to freeze, and then store in airtight bags for up to 12 months. Once thawed, the skins slip off easily, making them perfect for soups, sauces, and stews.
Introduction Storing vegetables after harvesting can be tricky, especially when space and resources are limited. Whether you’re looking for eco-friendly storage options, small-space solutions, or DIY methods, this guide will show you how to keep your indoor-grown vegetables fresh for longer. From optimising temperature and
What this article will cover: How to make a small batch of jam in 30 minuites Ingredients: What you will need: Pair your delicious homemade jam with the perfect flapjacks—learn how in our guide on How to Make the Best Flapjacks. Directions Where can I