D.T. Brown Blog

The English word cabbage is believed to derive from the French “caboche,” a colloquial term for “head”. The wild cabbage, Brassica oleracea, was a native of western coastal Europe.

The great British stand-by, potatoes are hugely versatile and are a staple ingredient of many meals in one form or another - boiled, mashed, chipped, roasted or baked. Freshly dug and lightly boiled with mint; or cooled and eaten with salads; or mashed with mustard or horseradish they just can't be beaten.

Whether you’ve just planted your latest crop and have a few sets left over, or you’re thinking of buying more than you need while a great offer lasts, you’ll be pleased to know that you don’t have to go out of your way to use up all your onion sets immediately.

When you’re growing onions, knowing when it's best to harvest them is key to getting the most out of your crop. In this article, we explore the factors that can affect how long onions, spring onions, and shallots take to grow, including growing time estimates for onion seeds and onion sets.

Planning out your garden or allotment beds is a good way to take advantage of the natural benefits of planting certain varieties or types of plants near one another. This is known as companion planting and can help to thwart pests, attract helpful pollinators and may even improve the flavour of your veg come harvest time.

Roast parsnips are a joy to eat - and they're gorgeous in stews. They are easy to grow, need little maintenance and can be left in the soil until ready to use.

Now becoming more popular in the kitchen, celeriac is normally grown for its celery tasting knobbly roots which are grated and added to salads. It can be used as a celery substitute and is easier to grow. The leaves can also be used as summers wouldn't be the same without salads but it is possible to produce crunchy crisp lettuce and other salad crops over a much longer period if you have a greenhouse or garden frame to help extend the season.

Get the very best, freshest lettuce by growing your own from the wide range of types and varieties that are available to gardeners these days. And by choosing a selection of varieties and having a protected growing area it is possible to have crops for most of the year.  Butterhead lettuces have soft and tender leaves and need to be eaten straight after harvesting, so if they are available at all in shops they tend to be past their best. They have an open habit, are quick-maturing and tole...