Grow Your Own Fruit & Veg

December might seem like an odd time to be thinking about rhubarb, but trust me Ninjas, this is actually the perfect month to start forcing for those gorgeous, tender pink stems that’ll be ready to harvest in February and March. Whilst your neighbours are still staring at bare crowns in their vegetable patches, you’ll be […]

Chitting potatoes sounds like complicated gardening jargon, but it’s honestly one of the easiest and most rewarding jobs you can do in late winter. Chitting is simply encouraging your seed potatoes to sprout before planting, giving you earlier crops and better yields. I’ve been chitting potatoes for decades, and it’s become one of my favourite […]

Container gardening is absolutely brilliant because it’s accessible, flexible, and honestly, once you understand the basics, it’s actually easier than gardening in the ground. The trick is knowing which pots to use, what to fill them with, and crucially, which plants will actually thrive rather than survive. I’ve been growing things in containers for over […]

After all my years of gardening and teaching others how to grow things, I can tell you that strawberries are absolutely one of the most rewarding plants you can grow at home. There’s something magical about picking a sun-warmed strawberry straight from your own garden and eating it there and then. The taste is incomparable […]

If you’ve been thinking about starting a vegetable garden but feel overwhelmed, let me introduce you to your new best friend: the humble courgette. After designing hundreds of gardens and growing vegetables at Garden Ninja HQ for over thirty years, I can tell you with absolute certainty that courgettes are the gift that keeps on […]

Confused about when to plant what in your UK garden? You’re not alone. After fifteen years of designing gardens across Britain and answering countless questions from bewildered gardeners on BBC1’s Garden Rescue, I’ve learned that timing truly is everything. This comprehensive monthly planting calendar will become your go-to reference, taking the guesswork out of UK […]

After fifteen years designing gardens and presenting on BBC1’s Garden Rescue, the single question I’m asked more than any other is “when should I plant my vegetables?” It’s brilliant that so many people want to grow their own food, but getting the timing wrong is the fastest way to waste money and lose confidence in […]

No-dig gardening works with natural soil processes rather than fighting against them, meaning more successful planting without the hard work of constantly digging over your garden. Traditional digging might look productive, but it actually creates a destructive cycle that damages soil biology, breaks down structure, and actually reduces long-term fertility. I’ve been a fan of […]

When most people think about growing fruit in the UK, they immediately jump to apples, pears and maybe the odd Victoria plum if they’re feeling adventurous. I’ve been designing gardens for over 15 years now and presenting on BBC1’s Garden Rescue. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into a garden where someone’s […]

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about starting a vegetable garden from scratch, based on my years of experience as an award-winning garden designer and what I’ve learned from growing my own veg. I’ll share the mistakes I’ve made (so you don’t have to repeat them!), the techniques that […]