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.
If you’re searching for the most effective home made weed killer in the UK, you’re probably looking for something that works quickly, avoids harsh chemicals, and protects your soil, pets, and local wildlife. At the same time, you likely want a solution that actually works
Introduction There’s nothing quite like biting into a fresh, juicy strawberry you’ve grown yourself. Whether it’s for the flavour, the savings, or the simple satisfaction, learning how to grow strawberries at home is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable things you can do in
Potatoes are one of the easiest and most reliable crops to grow in the UK. Whether you have an allotment, raised bed or just a couple of large containers, they can produce a generous harvest without requiring complicated care. In this guide, I’ll show you
Garlic is one of the easiest crops to grow in a UK garden or allotment. Plant individual cloves in autumn, give them full sun and free-draining soil, and they’ll establish roots through winter before putting on strong growth in spring. For most UK growers, October
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
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 garden
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, a
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
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. If
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