Home Grown with Martha and Jamie

In this weeks episode Martha and Jamie share the value of planting soft fruit, and why it earns its place in a garden of any size! They discuss rooting strawberry runners, growing fruit in hanging baskets and gutters, buying bare-root plants, making tea from the leaves of fruiting bushes, unusual berries, and why ripe gooseberries deserve another chance. Martha then shares the origin of the famous Little Scarlet jam, and her experience of sowing and growing another special little strawberry variety and serving the fruit with some of her favourite recipes. If you would like to support us by pre-ordering our new books, the links are below and we really do appreciate it, thank you! Jamie's New Book 'No Need To Weed': https://geni.us/NoNeedToWeedMartha's New Book 'Grow Your Own Lunch': https://geni.us/GrowYourOwnLunchAnd If you would like to grow our seed of the week, you can find the links below with 20% off your first order with code 'Homegrown':Wild Strawberry Baron Solemacher:https://shegrowsveg.com/product/wild-strawberry-baron-solemacher/We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch:You now send us a message, voice note or picture on Whatsapp: +447999548073or email us at: hello@homegrownpod.comPresented by: Martha Swales and Jamie WaltonVideo Editor and Socials: Thomas GriffinArtwork: Rare Studio

October is a month of change, but there is still plenty to sow, grow and harvest in the garden. In this weeks episode, Martha and Jamie discuss what to plant this month, from garlic and field beans to winter leaves and spring bulbs, and explore how to create a winter polyculture of edible ground cover. They also discuss saffron crocuses, growing an oak from an acorn, and what to do with green tomatoes, beetroot, mangold wurzel, pears and a surprisingly productive Armenian cucumber. As always, this monthly round up episode is full of personal anecdotes, fun facts, seasonal harvests, foraging and a reminder to make the most of the garden as autumn arrives.And If you would like to grow our seed of the week, or some of the other varieties we discussed, you can find the links below with 20% off your first order with code 'Homegrown':Lambs Lettuce:https://shegrowsveg.com/product/winter-lettuce-lambs-lettuce/We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch:You now send us a message, voice note or picture on Whatsapp: +447999548073or email us at: hello@homegrownpod.comPresented by: Martha Swales and Jamie WaltonVideo Editor and Socials: Thomas GriffinArtwork: Rare Studio

In this weeks episode, Martha and Jamie discuss everything spring bulbs, as well as having two exclusive announcements! A new round of Sow, Grow, Compost makes them choose between daffodils, tulips and alliums. Jamie explains how to make a bulb lasagne that will flower from early spring right through to summer. Martha considers late planting and why you should never plant tulips too early. And a wartime story about tulip bulbs in the Netherlands leads into their mangold wurzel grow-along. If you would like to support us by pre-ordering our new books, the links are below and thank you so much! Martha's New Book 'Grow Your Own Lunch': https://geni.us/GrowYourOwnLunchJamie's New Book 'No Need To Weed': https://geni.us/NoNeedToWeedAnd If you would like to grow our seed of the week, or some of the other varieties we discussed, you can find the links below with 20% off your first order with code 'Homegrown':Speckled Trout Winter Lettuce:https://shegrowsveg.com/product/lettuce-speckled-trout/We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch:You now send us a message, voice note or picture on Whatsapp: +447999548073or email us at: hello@homegrownpod.comPresented by: Martha Swales and Jamie WaltonVideo Editor and Socials: Thomas GriffinArtwork: Rare Studio

In this weeks episode Martha and Jamie discuss how saving seed can be simple, satisfying and useful in gardens of every size. They give a practical introduction to saving seeds from many of the plants likely already growing in your garden, such as peas, beans, lettuce, calendula and tomatoes. They cover why we should avoid seed from early-bolting crops, useful drying and storing techniques, the history of commercial plant breeding, seed registration and the important role of home gardeners in keeping varieties alive. Martha also shares the story of Nikolai Vavilov, his international seed collection and the brave scientists who guarded it at all costs during the siege of Leningrad. And If you would like to grow our seed of the week, or some of the other varieties we discussed, you can find the links below with 20% off your first order with code 'Homegrown':French bean Firetongue:https://shegrowsveg.com/product/french-bean-firetongue/We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch:You now send us a message, voice note or picture on Whatsapp: +447999548073or email us at: hello@homegrownpod.comPresented by: Martha Swales and Jamie WaltonVideo Editor and Socials: Thomas GriffinArtwork: Rare Studio

In this weeks episode Martha and Jamie are joined by soil and compost expert Michael Kennard of Compost Club to explore all things compost and soil health. Michael explains why microbes matter, what good compost should look and smell like, How to make better compost, and where gardeners with limited space should begin. Martha also reveals her 18-month-old bokashi disaster before the group compares bokashi, wormeries, cold piles and hot composters, and asks how local Compost Clubs could keep food waste and nutrients within communities.And If you would like to grow our seed of the week, or some of the other varieties we discussed, you can find the links below with 20% off your first order with code 'Homegrown':Mustard Spinach Purple Komatsuna:https://shegrowsveg.com/product/mustard-spinach-purple-komatsuna/And if you'd like to find out more about Compost Club the link to Michael's website is below:https://www.compostclub.online/We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch:You now send us a message, voice note or picture on Whatsapp: +447999548073or email us at: hello@homegrownpod.comPresented by: Martha Swales and Jamie WaltonVideo Editor and Socials: Thomas GriffinArtwork: Rare Studio

In this weeks episode, Martha and Jamie ensure that you do not miss the second spring! the early-autumn window for sowing crops that can feed you through winter and into next year. From winter radish, cold hardy greens, and winter lettuces, to Asian greens and even quick carrots, they provide ideas for all growing spaces and contexts. There is also a practical guide to planting hardneck and softneck garlic, covering cold requirements, scapes, storage and spacing. Martha then travels back to the intensive market gardens of nineteenth-century Paris, where horse-manure hotbeds, cloches and walls helped growers crop throughout the year, and how those principles could be used in our gardens today. And If you would like to grow our seed of the week, or some of the other varieties we discussed, you can find the links below with 20% off your first order with code 'Homegrown':Purple Pussycat Autumn Radish:https://shegrowsveg.com/product/autumn-radish-purple-pussycat/We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch:You now send us a message, voice note or picture on Whatsapp: +447999548073or email us at: hello@homegrownpod.comPresented by: Martha Swales and Jamie WaltonVideo Editor and Socials: Thomas GriffinArtwork: Rare Studio

In this week episode Martha and Jamie discuss what to sow, grow and do in the garden in this month of transitions. Martha investigates a mysterious tomato problem with a microscope, they explain why spiders suddenly seem to appear in September, and Jamie shares his elderberry syrup method. There is also advice on weather-resilient soil, wildlife-friendly autumn tidying and harvesting grapes, nuts and berries.And If you would like to grow our seed of the week, or some of the other varieties we discussed, you can find the links below with 20% off your first order with code 'Homegrown':Giant Winter Spinach:https://shegrowsveg.com/product/spinach-winter-giant/We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch:You now send us a message, voice note or picture on Whatsapp: +447999548073or email us at: hello@homegrownpod.comPresented by: Martha Swales and Jamie WaltonVideo Editor and Socials: Thomas GriffinArtwork: Rare Studio

In this weeks plot to plate episode, Martha and Jamie share the favourite ways to use August vegetable garden produce while it is at its peak. With recipes such as raw courgetti "bolognese", crisp courgette fritti, aubergine parmigiana, miso aubergine, tomato summer pudding, and mustard tomato tart, you'll be sure to find some inspiration for using up those summer gluts!They also discuss preserving ideas too, including whole ferments, fruit leather, dried herbs and a memorable jar of cucumbers that refuses to open. Martha also introduces a herb linked to both love potions and flatulence, before the pair finish with wartime carrot stories and a reminder that many familiar foods began as ways to make a harvest last.And If you would like to grow our seed of the week, or some of the other varieties we discussed, you can find the links below with 20% off your first order with code 'Homegrown':Autumn Overwintering Onion Senshyu: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/overwintering-onion-senshyu/We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch:You now send us a message, voice note or picture on Whatsapp: +447999548073or email us at: hello@homegrownpod.comPresented by: Martha Swales and Jamie WaltonVideo Editor and Socials: Thomas GriffinArtwork: Rare Studio

This week Martha and Jamie explain why you may want to ditch the veg plot, and instead grow an edimental garden. The idea that a garden can be beautiful, productive and useful without separating vegetables from ornamental planting. They share beautiful simple swaps for commonly grown plant such as chard, peas and celery, plus lots of unusual plants you may not of heard of before such as perennial alliums, herbs, climbers and edible flowers. They also cover the incredible salad man Stephen Barstow and his 537-ingredient salad, ornamental plants you may not have known were edible such as lamb’s ears, hostas, begonias and fuchsias, and the extraordinary French potager gardens at Villandry and Versailles.And If you would like to grow our seed of the week, or some of the other varieties we discussed, you can find the links below with 20% off your first order with code 'Homegrown':Coriander Confetti:https://shegrowsveg.com/product/coriander-confetti/We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch:You now send us a message, voice note or picture on Whatsapp: 07999548073or email us at: hello@homegrownpod.comPresented by: Martha Swales and Jamie WaltonVideo Editor and Socials: Thomas GriffinArtwork: Rare Studio