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.
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
Save seed from healthy, open-pollinated French bean plants and leave selected pods in place until they turn brown, dry and brittle. If wet weather threatens, bring mature pods under cover to finish drying. Once fully dry, shell the beans, spread them out indoors until they
Sweetcorn freezes well when it is prepared soon after picking. For the best flavour, colour and texture, use fresh, ripe cobs and see our guide to [when to harvest sweetcorn in the UK]. Blanching is recommended, with loose kernels offering the best all-round option, although
The calendar gives you a useful starting point, but sweetcorn does not always ripen evenly. Timing can vary between plants—and even between cobs on the same plant—depending on the cultivar, weather and growing conditions. Before picking, check each cob for brown, drying silks, a firm
Most outdoor French beans in the UK are harvested from July to September. Early greenhouse or polytunnel plants may crop in June, while healthy climbing beans can sometimes continue into October in mild conditions. Pick each pod once it has reached the expected size for
Most UK runner beans are harvested from July to September, although early crops may begin in late June and plants in mild, sheltered locations can continue into October. Pick the pods while they are firm and tender, usually at around 20–25cm long, and check the
Most UK cucumbers are harvested from July to September, although greenhouse plants may crop from June into October. Pick them once they reach the expected size for the variety, feel firm and show their normal colour. Cucumbers are best harvested before they become yellow, swollen