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.
Growing cucumbers in the UK is completely doable, but they can sulk if the early stages go wrong. They need warmth, steady moisture, fertile soil or rich compost, and a variety suited to the growing space. Sow too early, leave them sitting cold and wet,
Introduction I finally got started on the allotment this week after the council offered me a place after waiting on the local list. The first job was clearing what was already there. What looked like a few raised beds turned out to be a mix
Broad beans are one of the earliest productive crops of the year and are well suited to UK gardens, raised beds and allotments. They’re hardy and reliable, with the option to sow in autumn for an earlier crop or in spring for a safer start.
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 a
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 lot
Blackberries are one of those crops that just fit the UK. They handle our weather, don’t ask for much once they’re in, and if you get them set up properly, they’ll give you a reliable harvest year after year. That said, they catch a lot
Black beans aren’t a typical UK crop, so a lot of people assume they won’t work here. In reality, you can grow black beans in the UK — but whether you get a proper dried harvest comes down to timing, warmth, and a bit of
Bitter melon (Momordica charantia), also known as bitter gourd or karela, is a tropical climbing vegetable that can be grown successfully in the UK with the right conditions. Although it prefers hot weather, British gardeners can get a worthwhile harvest in a greenhouse or polytunnel.
Growing beetroot in the UK is about as reliable as it gets — but a few small mistakes can quietly ruin the harvest. Most people don’t struggle to grow beetroot… they struggle to grow good beetroot. You’ll often see plenty of leafy tops but no
Growing basil in the UK can be surprisingly frustrating. It’s often sold as an easy herb, but if you’ve ever brought a supermarket plant home only to watch it collapse within a week, you’ll know that’s not the full story. The reality is simple: basil
Growing aubergines in the UK sounds simple enough? You just have to sow, plant and harvest them right? In reality, the aubergine is one of those crops that can be tricky to get right here in Britain. You usually end up with healthy plants, plenty
Growing asparagus in the UK looks straightforward — until you actually try it. This is where a lot of gardeners slip up early on. It’s a perennial vegetable, so once it’s established, it can crop for 10–20 years. However, that also means early mistakes —