Home Grown with Martha and Jamie

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: +44 7999548073 or email us at: h ello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: +447999548073 or email us at: hello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: +44 7999548073 or email us at: h ello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: +447999548073 or email us at: h ello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: +44 7999548073 or email us at: h ello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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: 07999548073 or email us at: h ello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this weeks episode, Martha and Jamie explore the practical things gardeners can do to support summer wildlife, particularly in spells of prolonged warm dry weather. From providing food, water and shelter, to creating breeding spaces for insects, birds and other wildlife. They look at the habitats that help natural predators thrive, including mounds, leaf litter, log piles and beetle banks for ground beetles that eat the most common garden pests 'slugs'. Small ponds, half barrels and even an old Belfast sink can become useful wildlife spaces, while avoiding pesticides remains the most important starting point. Martha investigates whether the rare Viper's Bugloss Mason Bee could be visiting her parents' giant echiums, then tests a homemade moth trap and finds seven Jersey tiger moths 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' : Italian Purple Artichoke: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/artichoke-italian-purple/ 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: 07999548073 or email us at: h ello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

August is a month of abundance, but it is also a key moment for planning what comes next. In this episode, Martha and Jamie discuss what to sow, grow and do this month, and why we should keep sowing before light levels fall, while also making the most of our flowers, vegetables and fruit that at their summer peak. They also explain why wasps become more interested in sugary picnics, how to identify and treat deter spider mites, and how to grow saffron and save strawberry runners. As always, this monthly round up episode is also full of personal anecdotes, fun, facts and a reminder to observe the wildlife and plants already sharing the garden. 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' : Japanese Wasabi Autumn Radish: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/autumn-radish-japanese-wasabi/ 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: +447999548073 or email us at: h ello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gardening is becoming less predictable. A dry spring can be followed by a summer drought, a late frost can be followed by golf ball sized hail, and plants that once suited the local climate may struggle with new patterns. In this episode, Martha and Jamie explore gardening in a changing climate, from extreme heat and heavy rainfall to milder winters and crops that behave differently under stress. They share practical ways to cool buildings, improve drainage, reduce bolting and choose plants that can cope with less predictable conditions. From there, the conversation moves through El Niño, plants that need winter cold, raised beds, sloped paths, organic matter, cover crops and a call to protect the wildlife that still shares our gardens. 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' : Beef and Onion Tree: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/beef-and-onion-tree/ 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: 07999548073 or email us at: h ello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A garden can produce far more than the obvious harvest. In this episode, Jamie and Martha look at the plant parts, picking techniques and timing decisions that help growers waste less, save money and keep plants cropping for longer. From edible plant parts that supermarkets usually remove and a long-lived brassica that can be picked repeatedly, to succession sowing, relay cropping, cut-and-come-again lettuce and maximising yields from small spaces. This episode is filled with practical tips and advice, as well as the usual anecdotes and fun facts. 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 : Kale thousand head: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/kale-thousandhead/ 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: 07999548073 or email us at: h ello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Flowers can do far more than look pretty. In this episode, Martha and Jamie explore the garden as a floral apothecary, looking at the ways flowers and useful plants can become balms, teas, tinctures, scents, natural dyes and simple homemade experiments. From hardy annuals to sow now for stronger blooms next year, and colour changing teas, to how to make a simple soothing slave from calendula, and which popular garden herb Jamie uses to make nourishing hair oil this episode is packed with practical advice and projects to enable you to make the most of those blooms. The conversation also covers natural dyes, from hapa-zome flower hammering and steam dyeing to sulphur cosmos, coreopsis, onion skins, woad, Japanese indigo and true indigo. 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: Calendula Pink Surprise: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/calendula-pink-surprise/ We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch: hello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

July can feel like the point when sowing stops, but it is one of the most important months for planning autumn, winter and next spring. In this episode, Martha and Jamie share what they will be sowing growing and doing in this pivotal month in the garden, plus how to fill the inevitable gaps that begin to occur when potatoes, onions and early courgettes finish. They also cover the umbrella cucumber pruning method, tomato maintenance, garlic braiding, what to forage this month, why peanuts grow underground, and the relationship between cinnabar moths and ragwort. 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: Cabbage Kalibos: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/summer-cabbage-kalibos/ We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch: hello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cut-flower farmer Sarah Gray of Bloom & Gray joins Martha and Jamie for a practical tour of the cut-flower calendar. From when to start hardy annuals and what to sow now, why flowers should be picked before pollination, which flowers earn their place in a productive cutting patch, and Sarah also breaks a bouquet into five useful elements and chooses her top five plants if you'd like to grow a small cut flower bouquet bed. They also discuss soil blocking for flower seeds without plastic pots, the growing British flower movement and Jeanne Baret, the pioneering botanist now recognised as the first woman known to travel around the world. 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: Zinnia Zinderella Peach: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/zinnia-zinderella-peach/ We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch: hello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Martha and Jamie mark midsummer by looking at the garden as a seasonal calendar. They explore the idea of growing using the Wheel of the Year, and explain why changing day length can tell plants when to grow, flower, bolt or form tubers, and how we can use that knowledge to grow better plants. There is practical advice on sowing kohlrabi, fennel, spinach, radishes and Asian greens after the solstice, plus midsummer foraging ideas with lime or linden, honeysuckle and St John's wort. Martha brings the folklore too, from bonfires and love potions to A Midsummer Night's Dream, fireflies and the strange feeling of the year's longest days. 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: Kohlrabi Dyna: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/kohlrabi-dyna/ We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch: hello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Martha and Jamie share practical ways to drought proof your garden, from mulch, compost and hydrophobic soil, to container watering tips, dense planting advise, drought-tolerant crops and wildlife support. They also explore the power of earth smiles, swales, zai pits, and what drought stress actually does to plants and how to over come it. A practical episode full of tips, personal anecdotes, and advise for building healthier soil and stronger garden systems. 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: Chicory Rose of Venice: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/chicory-rose-of-venice/ We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch: hello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Episode Martha and Jamie are talking all about the importance of pollination! from practical ways to improve pollination in your garden, to the strange science behind flowers, bees, hoverflies and even vanilla. They'll offer practical advice for how to maximise your harvests for popular crops such as courgettes and sweet corn, and what to do with tired bees, as well as providing tips for pollinator-friendly planting, and discuss why our gardens are vital food sources for wildlife. 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: Courgette Pineapple: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/courgette-pineapple/ We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch: hello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June is here, so in this episode Martha and Jamie are talking about what to sow, grow, harvest and notice in the garden this month. From swede, French beans, summer flowers and tomato leaf pesto, to Miriam Margolyes, edible hedges, bumblebee safaris and open gardens, this episode is packed with practical June gardening advice and seasonal plant stories. 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: Swede Mirian: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/swede-marian/ We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch: hello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Martha and Jamie are joined by wildlife educator and urban nature advocate Lira Valencia. They explore why cities are full of incredible wildlife if you know where to look, why pigeons deserve more respect, and what the new RSPB advice on bird feeding means for gardeners. This episode is packed with practical advise, wildlife facts and lots of inspiration you can apply to any space. 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: Sunflower Velvet Queen: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/sunflower-velvet-queen/ Sunflower Titan: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/sunflower-titan/ We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch: hello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With household budgets under increasing pressure: how can we grow more while spending less? In this weeks episode Martha and Jamie share practical ways to make gardening more accessible and sustainable, whilst also being less wasteful. From seed saving and propagating plants to homemade compost, DIY garden projects and turning weeds into fertiliser, they explain how to set up closed loop systems and grow more while spending less. Martha also delves into the amazing story of Terra preta, an extremely fertile, dark anthropogenic (man-made) soil created thousands of years ago by indigenous populations in the Amazon Basin. Looking at what can we learn from this ancient method to help boost our own gardens fertility 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: Cottagers Kale: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/kale-cottagers/ We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch: hello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Martha and Jamie break down everything you need to know about the power of herbs. They explain what herbs actually are, how to grow them in different conditions, their go-to herbal tea recipes, companion planting combinations, and why they are some of the easiest and most useful plants you can grow. From saving money on supermarket herbs and propagating from cuttings, to supporting pollinators and using them in the kitchen, this episode if full of practical advice you can use in any space. If you like to support Jamie's first children's, the link is below, and thank you so much! https://geni.us/PlantsNeedFriendsToo 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: Corsican Mint: https://shegrowsveg.com/product/herb-mint-corsican/ We love hearing your questions and comments - so please do get in touch: hello@homegrownpod.com Presented by : Martha Swales and Jamie Walton Video Editor and Socials: Thomas Griffin Artwork : Rare Studio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.