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.
Cucumbers are usually sown from February to May in the UK. Start them in February or March only for a heated greenhouse, sow in April for an unheated greenhouse, or wait until late April to mid-May for outdoor growing. Plant outside from late May or
Introduction If you want better results from your garlic, timing does matter—just not in the neat, textbook way most guides make it sound. In the UK, the usual window to plant garlic is October to November. That gives cloves time to root before winter sets
Introduction Getting the timing right is the difference between plants that crack on… and ones that just sit there doing nothing — or get eaten overnight. In the UK, when to plant courgettes isn’t really about a date on the calendar. It’s more about warm
Introduction Companion planting UK advice can feel confusing at first. Most of the articles online are generic or not tailored to British allotments. So if you’ve been searching for what grows well together in a British vegetable garden without the myths and magic fixes, you’re
Introduction If you’ve ever stood in front of a tray of seeds in March and thought ‘I’ve got way too many seedlings, ‘ you’re not alone. Most of us start a vegetable garden full of enthusiasm. However, by late summer, that same garden can quickly
Introduction If you’re trying to work out the best place to buy vegetable seeds in the UK, the honest answer is that it depends on how you grow. Some gardeners just want a reliable place to order the usual veg seeds without making a meal
Introduction Spring is the busiest season for UK growers—and for good reason. After months of short days and soggy weather, the soil finally warms, the light levels increase, and the vegetable planting calendar suddenly feels wide open. Whether you’re tending a full allotment or a
Introduction Bring bold colour and character to your garden with Lauren’s Grape poppy seeds. This hardy annual (Papaver somniferum) is prized for its rich plum-purple petals, striking dark centres, and soft silver-green foliage. It’s just as eye-catching in a cottage garden border as it is
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