Stephanies Kitchen Garden

I’m excited to share a peek into the Kitchen Garden as we turn the page from late summer to autumn. September has been all about savouring the last warm days, tidying the greenhouse, and lining up the beds for a productive winter. If you’re keen on growing your own, this is such a rewarding moment in the year: you can celebrate what’s finished, and quietly set the stage for what’s next.

Greenhouse glows and a final flush of tomatoes

In the greenhouse, the tomatoes have ripened beautifully - a late cascade that’s kept salads lively and a great toast topper! I’ve been picking the last trusses while clearing canes, refreshing the compost, and giving the space a proper sweep before the cold sets in. A clean, well-aired greenhouse now pays you back in spring.

Stephanie’s tip: remove tired foliage and wipe down glazing so light can flood in on shorter days. A clear view now equals stronger seedlings later.

Raised beds: beetroot, beans, and a basket that earns its keep

Out in the raised beds, I lifted the final beetroots which have had a steady season. They’ll soon be roasted with thyme and tossed through warm grains, with any leftovers pickled for winter lunches. The last of the climbing beans have also come down from the Harrod Horticultural Bean Frame - one of my favourite sights all summer, now gracefully making way for winter crops.

My trusty Garden Harvest Basket has been a quiet hero this year: its fold-out legs keep it off damp soil so freshly picked beetroot and beans can drip-dry before coming indoors. It sounds simple, but it saves muddy worktops and keeps produce at its best.

A family touch: harvests shared at work

One lovely tradition this year has been bringing a share of the harvest into the office. Throughout the summer I’ve dropped off bowls of tomatoes, bunches of herbs and extra beans for our Customer Services team to enjoy. It’s a small gesture, but it captures our family values that we are very proud of at Harrod Horticultural - we’re a close, family-run business where the MD is hands-on and close to the team, and the kitchen garden is part of that. Good food tastes even better when it’s shared.

Planting now for flavour later

As we step into October, I’m keen to make sure no bed sits idle. Growing your own through winter isn’t complicated; it’s about choosing the right crops and giving them a little protection.

In the ground this month:

• Onions & garlic: pop sets and cloves into well-prepared soil for harvests next summer.
• Overwintering salads: corn salad, winter lettuce and spinach tucked into gaps for steady picking.
• Broad beans: autumn sowings establish strong roots and leap away early in spring.

Here are a few products that can really help over the colder months: fleece laid on hoop supports, cloches over tender rows, and tidy raised beds that drain well after rain.

Tidy now, reap later

October is also the time to clear fallen leaves, tidy borders, and mulch paths. I like to stack canes, label empty rows for spring, and check ties, frames and fixings before storms test them. Five quiet minutes now can save a backwards step in February.

Stephanie’s mini-checklist:

• Sweep the greenhouse and clean glazing.
• Lift spent crops and add healthy foliage to the compost heap.
• Refresh labels and notes - what thrived, what struggled, what to try again.
• Set out fleece and cloches so they’re ready for the first sharp frost.

Products I rely on in the Kitchen Garden

A kitchen garden doesn’t need gadgets, but well-made kit makes it smoother and more enjoyable:

• Bean frame: sturdy, weather-ready structure that carries climbers beautifully and stores neatly at season’s end.
• Garden harvest basket with fold-out legs: keeps produce clean and ventilated while you pick.
• Protective fleece and cloches: the difference between a setback and a steady winter harvest.
• Raised beds: very productive, good drainage, easier weeding - and they look smart year-round too.

(You’ll spot these throughout Stephanie’s Kitchen Garden updates; they’re the same pieces I use at home.)

A few seasonal ideas from the kitchen

When you grow your own, the cooking nearly writes itself. Here are three quick autumn favourites:

• Roasted beetroot with orange & thyme: roast wedges until tender; finish with zest, juice and a crumble of feta.
• Late-season tomato toast: slow-roast halved tomatoes, pile onto sourdough, add basil and a drizzle of good oil.
• Warm bean & grain salad: toss the last beans through cooked farro with lemon, parsley and toasted nuts.

What I’m sowing and planning next

• Garlic and onion rows mapped for crop rotation.
• Winter salads under fleece for pick-and-come-again leaves.
• Seed order list started (so future me doesn’t forget the brilliant beetroot variety from this year!).
• Soil care: a layer of compost over empty spaces to feed the worms and protect the structure.

There’s something deeply satisfying about watching the garden shift seasons - the colours soften, the air sharpens, and every corner tells you what to do next. I hope these glimpses from Stephanie’s Kitchen Garden inspire your own growing-your-own journey through autumn and into winter.

I’ll share more updates as the colder weather arrives - what’s tucked under fleece, what’s thriving in the greenhouse, and the little wins that make winter gardening such a pleasure.

Happy gardening,

Read our story and find out more about the Harrod Horticultural journey so far...