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.
Piennolo tomatoes are traditional Italian storage tomatoes that can be harvested in whole trusses and hung somewhere dry and ventilated, keeping home-grown fruit available well into winter. Unlike ordinary cherry tomatoes, they have been selected for firm flesh, thick skins and strong stalk attachment. They
Cabbage is ready to harvest once the head feels firm and solid and has reached a normal size for the variety. Harvest times vary by type, so firmness is usually a better guide than size alone. Cabbage Harvest Season in the UK Cabbage type Typical
Parsnips are usually ready to harvest from autumn onwards in the UK, with many gardeners leaving them in the ground and lifting them as needed through winter. Timing depends on when they were sown, how well they have grown and whether the roots have reached
Brussels sprouts are usually harvested from autumn through winter in the UK, although timing depends on the variety and sowing date. Start picking when the lower sprouts are firm, tightly formed and a useful size, then work upwards as the later sprouts develop. Brussels Sprout
Collecting onion seeds is simple once the seed head is mature. Wait until the capsules turn papery and hard black seeds are visible, then cut the head, finish drying it under cover if necessary, and crumble the dry capsules to release the seed. In UK
Turnips are usually ready to harvest sooner than many gardeners expect. Early varieties can produce usable roots in around six weeks, while maincrop types often take closer to ten weeks. Start checking the roots when the shoulders begin to show above the soil and pull
September is one of the busiest harvest months in the UK garden. Summer crops such as tomatoes, beans, courgettes and cucumbers may still be producing, while potatoes, onions, apples, pears and other storage crops begin to take centre stage. Some pumpkins, winter squash, leeks and
Most rhubarb in the UK is ready to harvest from April to June. Look for young, firm stalks around 30 cm long, with leaves that have recently opened. Harvest by pulling and gently twisting each stalk from the base rather than cutting it. Do not
If you want pumpkins ready for Halloween in the UK, timing is everything. The most reliable approach is to sow seeds indoors in mid to late April, giving plants a long, warm growing season. Once the risk of frost has passed, usually late May to
Once you’ve harvested a pumpkin, what you do in the first week has a major impact on how long it will last. In most cases, mature pumpkins store best when they are cured first, then kept somewhere cool, dry and well ventilated. Curing allows the
If your pumpkin is still green or only partly coloured, don’t panic — in most UK gardens the best approach is to leave it on the vine for as long as conditions allow. A healthy plant is still feeding the fruit and helping it develop.
Most pumpkins in the UK are ready to harvest during September and October, but timing should never be based on the calendar alone. The key is ripeness: a mature pumpkin will have a hard rind, a firm, woody stalk, and a fully developed colour for