Have you ever noticed how the growing season can feel both impossibly far away… and suddenly urgent?

One minute the soil is heavy and quiet, and the kettle is doing more work than you are. The next, you’re staring at seed packets as if they’re lottery tickets.

In this episode of The VeggiePlot Podcast, I talk about the quiet decisions that shape a season before it even begins.

I’ve started trialling a new vegetable seed supplier, committed once again to some unusual heirloom tomatoes, and bought five white strawberry plants that don’t look anything like strawberries should. Meanwhile, Cornwall has just recorded its wettest January on record — with storms, flooding, and soil that simply cannot take any more water.

We explore what record rainfall means for allotment growers, why heirloom tomatoes are still worth the effort in a British climate, how flavour really develops, and whether a cordless water pump might just save my back this summer.

If you’re planning, second-guessing, itching to sow too early, or simply watching the rain and waiting — this episode is for you.

Tips, tales and inspiration from the garden.

What happens when the allotment finally feels ready… and you start wondering what comes next?

In this episode of The VeggiePlot Podcast, I’m reflecting on one of those quieter but important moments in gardening. The weeding is finished, the soil is clear, and the plot suddenly feels full of possibility. But alongside that sense of order come some bigger questions about change, tradition, and the future of growing your own food.

I talk about genetically modified purple tomatoes now being grown in the US and Australia, and explore how they came to be, why they exist, and what they might mean for gardeners here in the UK. It’s a plain-English look at the science behind them, the debate they raise, and why they matter, even if we can’t grow them here just yet.

Back on the allotment, I share the satisfaction of simple jobs done well, from making compost to protecting overwintering onions and garlic. I also talk through a fairly big decision: closing one of my allotments and moving established soft fruit and perennials to another. Blueberries, currants, rhubarb, tayberries and globe artichokes all feature, along with some honest thoughts on timing, care, and helping plants settle in properly.

This episode is about finishing jobs, letting go of what no longer fits, and making thoughtful decisions for the seasons ahead. It’s calm, reflective, and rooted in real allotment life, and I hope it resonates with anyone who enjoys growing their own food and thinking about where their garden, and gardening itself, might be heading next.

In this episode of the Veggieplot podcast, Chris delves into the world of potatoes, exploring their historical significance, the impact of the Irish potato famine, and the importance of variety selection in gardening. He discusses different methods of growing potatoes, how to harvest and store them, and introduces the Valor potato as a blight-resistant option. Additionally, Chris shares insights from a recent book find and a visit to West Dean Gardens, emphasizing the joy of curiosity in gardening.