When I'm asked what the key to a healthy kitchen garden is I reply with a oneword answer: soil. And it really can be summed up like that! Treat your soil like a temple and it will richly reward you. The soil is the beginning and end to everything we do – seeds sprout from the crumbly dark matter, the crop grows and is harvested, before eventually being returned as nutrient-laden compost ready for the next incumbents. Get your ground in good order and the difference it will make in yields is stark.
The soil isn't simply an inert material whose job it is to anchor and feed our plants. It is, in fact, seething with life, albeit most of it too small for the naked eye to see. There are seemingly crazy but true statistics surrounding the number of microorganisms in every gram of topsoil (an estimate of bacteria alone puts the figure somewhere between 100 million and three billion!). Combine this with all manner of ground beetles, larvae and the gardener's best friend, the earthworm, and the world beneath our feet is an apparently crowded one.
In this issue we explore the magnificent world of soil and why it holds such sway over the crops that we grow. A healthy, living soil not only boosts the harvest take but instils better resistance to pests and diseases as it does so. The good news is it doesn't take much to nurture A-grade soil – regular applications of garden-made compost, space for nitrogen-fixing plants and lashings of mulch will ensure yours is dark with organic matter, well-structured and raring to grow. Joanne Mudhar explains further from page 46, while Michael Roads follows with a look at some popular mulching options.
This month also sees the first of our free cover seeds, and what better to start off with than a cracking selection of some of the very finest fruiting vegetables? Each variety has been carefully selected for both performance and flavour so you can be sure of the best results. I especially can't wait to try the yellow stuffing tomato, which I'll be packing with mozzarella and anchovies for a tasty (and potentially sickly!) summer treat. Some of these seeds can be started off right now, presenting the perfect opportunity to shed the shackles of winter and get your hands back into the compost. Turn to page 38 for full growing instructions. Now the darkest day of the year is behind us it seems that spring can only be around the corner; the first hints of brighter things to come are already with us. As things warm up the Grow it! team will be on hand to enthuse and guide along the way – and it all starts this month. I hope you enjoy this issue of the magazine.
Benedict Vanheems,
Editor
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