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 Growing lettuce in the UK sounds almost too easy: scatter some seed, add water, pick salad. And sometimes, it really is that simple. However, lettuce can also catch you out. It can: The best way to grow lettuce is to think in small, steady
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 Winter squash is one of those crops that makes a garden or allotment feel and look like it’s the real deal. The plants sprawl, the flowers are hard to miss, and if the season goes your way, you end up with colourful squash that
Introduction This week the allotment started to feel less like a clearing job and more like an actual growing space. I managed to get up there twice, with two decent sessions, and the difference already feels huge. There is still plenty to do, but the
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 Learning how to grow pumpkins in the UK is mostly about getting the timing, warmth and space right. Pumpkins are not hard in the fussy, delicate sense. However, they are hungry, sprawling plants, and they do not really forgive cold soil, cramped beds or
Introduction Summer can be one of the most productive times in a UK vegetable garden, but it is also when small problems show themselves quickly. One dry spell, one forgotten seed tray, or a few days of harsh sun can be enough to turn steady
Introduction Growing cucumbers in the UK is completely doable, but they are one of those crops that can sulk if you get the early bit wrong. They are not quite as forgiving as courgettes, beans, or other tougher outdoor veg. Cucumbers like a warm start,
Introduction I finally got started on the allotment this week, and the first job was clearing what was already there. What looked like a few raised beds turned out to be a mix of rotting timber, compacted soil, and a bit of a reset job.
Introduction Broad beans are one of the first proper crops of the year, which makes them a great choice if you want something productive in the ground before the main rush of spring. They’re: That said, they do catch beginners out in a few predictable
Introduction Learning how to grow borage is fairly straightforward, which is why it turns up in so many UK veg patches, allotments and wildlife gardens. It grows quickly from seed, produces beautiful star-shaped blue flowers, and bees absolutely love it. That said, borage is not
Introduction Yes — you can grow blueberries in the UK, and they can crop really well. But there’s one thing that catches most people out early on: the soil. Blueberries need acidic conditions, and most UK gardens simply don’t have that naturally. That’s why a