February 2017
February 2017   


Kitchen Garden - February 2017

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CONTENTS

YOU & YOUR PLOT

6 ON THE VEG PATCH
Pot perennial herbs, chit potatoes, force
rhubarb, tend to blueberries and strawberries,
prune apples and raspberries and cover
compost heaps

10 IN THE GREENHOUSE
Dig over empty borders, sow tomatoes,
peppers and salad leaves, tend to
winter greens, clean your greenhouse
and polytunnel, more small greenhouse
top tips

12 WHAT’S NEW?
The latest news, comment and advice from the
world of kitchen gardening

14 YOUR LETTERS AND TIPS
Learn what other KG readers have been up to
and pick up some great first-hand advice

20 QUESTION TIME
Regular Gardeners’ Question Time
panellists Bob Flowerdew and Anne
Swithinbank answer your fruit and veg
growing conundrums

24 BRITAIN’S MOST
PASSIONATE PLOTTERS

Meet more of the winners in our annual
competition to find Britain’s keenest fruit and
veg gardeners

98 NEXT MONTH
Some of the highlights to be found in your
March issue plus news of great free gifts

99 DIARY DATES
Great things to do and see this month

106 LAST WORD
WITH THE KG FORUM
We sample the wealth of knowledge and fun
to be found on the KG forum. This month:
What do you get up to in your shed?

GET GROWING

16 ON THE PLOT WITH THE
THREE MUDKETEERS
Learn what the KG team have been up to this
month and pick up some great top tips

28 MAKE IT! A SOWING KIT
Two simple tools to make sowing and pricking
out easier and faster

30 GET INTO HERITAGE…CHILLIES
Rob Smith takes an in-depth look at some of the
best traditional varieties of chillies available

34 THE POTATO STORY
Where do your seed potatoes come from and
what varieties do the experts prefer?

40 FRUIT PRUNING EXPLAINED
Fruit specialist David Patch offers his advice
on pruning your fruit trees

44 PLAN THAT GARDEN
Julie Moore explains why making detailed
plans in anticipation of the season ahead can
improve your results

49 ENJOYING A SEEDY SUNDAY
Visit one of the UK’s biggest seed swaps in the
company of gardening guru Anne Swithinbank

54 REDUCING THE RISK
How a healthy diet can keep diseases at bay

58 BEST OF THE BEETS
Colin Randel reveals the best beetroot for
your plot following RHS trials

62 VEG AT A GLANCE –
MANGETOUT PEAS

Deputy editor Emma Rawlings reveals how to
grow this sweet and tender crop

66 KICK-START YOUR COMPOST
Joyce Russell brings you her top tips to
improve your ‘cook’

70 GROWING ONLINE
Our roundup of the best from the world of
online gardening

71 NEW VARIETY ON TEST
KG’s Tony Flanagan brings you his
verdict on ‘Egg & Chips’, the aubergine/
potato combo

74 CLUMBER GOES FROM
STRENGTH TO STRENGTH
Head gardener Chris Margrave takes
us on a tour of the walled gardens at
Clumber Park

78 RECYCLING TO SAVE CASH
Ben Vanheems has lots of great ideas to make
your gardening pound go further

88 AT A GLANCE…KIWI FRUIT
KG’s editor Steve Ott explains how to grow
your own delicious and nutrient-packed fruit

 WHAT TO BUY

82 READER OFFERS
Claim your free asparagus crowns worth £10
plus save on asparagus collections, blueberry
collections, hybrid berries, blackberries and
blackcurrants

84 TRIED AND TESTED
The KG team put a range of popular seed
propagators to the test this month to see which
offers the best quality and value for money

91 KG INSTANT SAVERS
Save 10% on a range of great gardening
products with our exclusive deals

92 GIVEAWAYS WORTH £1672
Our giveaways for February include Rob Smith
Heritage Seed Collections, wellington boots,
hand tools, dog jackets, egg incubators and
winter clothing

96 GARDEN STORE
News of the best new products and services
to reach the KG offices this month