Stef's kitchen garden adventures
Published 31st May 2024
Welcome to the greenest corner of the internet
Stef Bradfield is our keen bean Kitchen Gardener at Lainston House, bringing incredible produce to life so we can serve the freshest ingredients in our restaurants, travelling only a matter of foot metres, not miles. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a total newbie, we’re diving into the world of homegrown goodness and sharing what’s happening in our little green paradise, along with some top tips to get your kitchen garden thriving.
As summer approaches with the weather warming up, it's the perfect time to roll up those sleeves and get your kitchen garden flourishing too, so we’ve caught up with Stef to find out what’s going on and how you can get involved. Plus, we’ve got a feathery new team member who’s making quite the impact! More on that shortly…
What's sowing on right now Steph?
What's sowing on right now Steph?
“We’re currently sowing climbing French beans, Borlotti beans, Chinese kale, winter squash, courgettes, and sweetcorn. Courgettes, winter and summer squashes are one of the last things to be sown as we have to wait until the nighttime temperature exceeds 10 degrees and all risk of frost has passed before they can be planted out”.
Who's topping the charts in the gardens?
“Right now, our kitchen garden is a hive of activity! We’ve got broad beans, pink fir potatoes, beetroot, pak choi, carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, chilli peppers and cauliflowers, to name just a few. Our chilli peppers are really stealing the show, adding both colour to the gardens and heat to the kitchens with a diverse selection providing a variety of heats to pick from. They’re perfect for dry rubs too and are adding a zing to our Season barbecue cookery classes over the summer.”
What should we be growing now?
let us help you
“If you haven’t already, tomato growing is a bit of a must. There are many varieties, shapes, colours and flavours to keep your dishes packed full of nutrients. They are easy to grow and require a small amount of maintenance, just pinch off the sideshoots that appear at 45 degrees between the main stem and branches, it keeps the growing power focused on your fruits. Use a bamboo cane to support the stem and pinch out the top of the plant when 5 trusses have formed. Tomatoes are hungry plants, feed them every 14 days during growing season with a high potassium liquid fertiliser, such as Tomorite or Maxicrop.
Herbs like basil, mint and oregano will easily become your kitchen's best friends – easy to grow and packed with flavour, they'll elevate your dishes without the need for store-bought powders. And let's not forget about root veggies like radishes and turnips. They're speedy growers, perfect for adding a crunchy twist to your salads throughout summer. Lettuce is the ultimate leafy green for beginners and it’s very easy to grow, you can also cut and come again up to three times.”
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