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.
Introduction Garlic is one of the easiest and most satisfying crops you can grow in the UK. Whether you’ve got a big veg patch, a small raised bed, or just a few pots on the patio, garlic shows up strong — delivering: In this guide,
Introduction – How to Grow Salad Leaves at Home in the UK If you’ve ever wondered how to grow salad leaves at home in the UK, you’re not alone. Supermarket salad might look convenient; however, it often comes with a high price tag and plenty
Introduction Slugs are one of the most frustrating pests in UK gardens, especially in mild, wet weather when seedlings, lettuce and hostas can be hit overnight. Natural slug control does work, but it works best as a layered approach rather than one miracle trick. The
Introduction Imagine a garden where plants naturally support one another, reducing the need for fertilizers, pesticides, and excessive watering. That’s the magic of Three Sisters Planting—a time-tested companion planting method used for centuries by Indigenous peoples of North America. It’s a sustainable way to maximize
Introduction Storing fruit and vegetables should be simple, but in real life it rarely feels that way. One guide tells you to refrigerate everything, another says to keep it all in a cool dark place, and most normal UK kitchens are working with a fridge,
Introduction Gardening often gets a reputation for being either expensive or time‑consuming — and, in many cases, both. Walk into a garden centre in spring and it’s easy to feel like you need specialist tools, branded feeds, and stacks of plastic trays just to get
Introduction As March arrived in 2020, the first real signs of spring began to show in the North West of the UK. Temperatures were slowly rising, days were stretching out, and nature was starting to wake up. With that shift in the air, it felt
Introduction Radishes are one of the quickest and easiest vegetables to grow, which makes them a great choice for gardeners at any stage. They grow fast, mature in as little as four weeks, and add a crisp, peppery bite to all sorts of everyday meals.
The best vegetables to grow in the UK are crops that cope with cool springs, changeable summers and occasional poor weather. Potatoes, salad leaves, radishes, beetroot, peas, beans and courgettes are all dependable choices for new growers. Your best options will also depend on your