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Q. Do you use any pesticides on your plants?
A. Today, all of our vegetable plants are grown without the use of pesticides of any kind, relying instead on natural processes and the balance provided by nature itself.
Growing vegetables without pesticides offers many benefits: it’s healthier, produces better-tasting crops, and often results in longer-lasting produce. It also provides peace of mind, giving you confidence in knowing exactly how your food has been grown.This approach is not only better for you, but also for the environment and for pollinators—our most important partners in growing. Without them, growing plants simply wouldn’t be possible.

Could you let me know whether these seedlings are grown organically and peat-free?
A. We are a pesticide-free nursery, including organic pesticides, we use no chemicals in our soil or on our plants and we are currently operating at approximately 80% peat-free.

My plants don’t look very healthy upon delivery. What should I do?
A. If you’re unhappy with a plant on arrival, please take a photograph and email it to help@gardenerskitchendirect.co.uk with your order reference, and we will respond promptly. In some cases, giving the plant a little water can help, as it may recover surprisingly well.

When is it best to buy your plants to grow?
A. We have a great growing guide for all of our plants on our website which has best times to grow. (Insert page link here.)

Can I mix and match the six pack?
A. I’m afraid we cannot swap plants within the 6-packs, as the picking process is automated and we have no way to sort individual plants.

Do I need to protect my plants against frost?
A. Not all of them—hardy plants like kale, leeks, and some brassicas can usually tolerate frost, but tender plants such as tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, and most soft fruits will need protection or to be brought indoors during cold spells. Use horticultural fleece, old sheets, or cloches to keep plants warm at night. Bring container plants indoors, into a greenhouse, or onto a sheltered windowsill. Mulch around roots and water well to help retain heat. Plant tender crops in sheltered spots, like near walls or fences, which can provide extra warmth.

I only have a small garden but really want to grow my own vegetables, do you have any advice?
A. You can definitely grow vegetables in a small garden or patio. We’ve known people to grow them on balconies, hanging baskets, and window boxes. We recommend looking at our patio range and plants that you can grow in containers. Look for plants that grow up rather than trail along the ground and stakes and canes will be helpful too.

When will Gardeners Kitchen Vegetables be available?
A. They will be available from March - September, and pre-orders will be available from our site October - March.

I was so impressed by some of your varieties that I tried to buy the seeds, but I can’t find them in any seed catalogues.
A. Many of the varieties we grow are top commercial types and aren’t normally available to home gardeners. This was actually one of the main reasons we started growing for you—we were disappointed by the limited quality of seeds on offer, and commercial suppliers don’t seem to cater to this part of the market.

Do my seedlings need separating?
A. Each plug needs to be planted as one. If there is more than one plant per plug these should naturally spread out. If you separate the plug you could damage the already formed roots.

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Aubergine

How tall do your aubergine plants grow?
A. They can grow to approximately 1.5 metres, so supporting the plants will encourage healthier growth and better crops.

Beans

Are the French Beans a Dwarf plant?
A. Yes, ‘Safari’, ‘Atlanta’ and 'Green Bean' are dwarf plants.

My Runner Bean plant has produced flowers but no beans. Why is this happening?
A. It’s likely the flowers were affected by heat stress. Runner beans often drop their flowers when temperatures are too high, even if they are self-pollinating. Dry conditions can also cause flowers to fall before beans form. Since your plants were planted in the greenhouse in early May, they are now reaching the stage where they would normally self-pollinate, with harvest expected from late July onwards. However, the recent warm weather may have caused some flowers to abort. If possible, moving the plants outside can help them recover and produce beans. Growing them in a greenhouse early in the season is ideal for getting a strong start, but at this time of year, they will perform best outdoors and still have time to set a crop.

Chillies

How large does the Hot Thai variety grow if left unpruned? Am I right in thinking it can be pruned to control its size? I’m limited to 1-litre or 2-litre pots on south-facing windowsills, which is why I’m asking. Also, does your advice about not feeding until fruit appears apply to chillies in general?
A. This variety grows to around 50 cm tall and can be left to grow naturally without pruning. If you’re limited to pot size, I’d recommend using a 2-litre pot. You can, of course, prune the plant if space is tight. I recommend not feeding any chilli or pepper plants until you can see a few chillies or peppers starting to form. We also have lots of helpful information on our website.

Cauliflower

I bought a 6 pack of your cauliflower purple F1 ‘Graffiti’ and 5 of the plants have gone blind and only one has produced a head?
A. Blind plants can occasionally occur across the brassica range, including cauliflowers and cabbages. On average, this affects around 1 in every 1,000 plants. Blind plants can usually be identified by their very thick, rubbery leaves and slightly darker foliage. It is more likely that the growing tips were damaged, possibly by insect activity or during transplantation.

I tried growing your winter cauliflower ‘Jerome,’ but when I harvested in spring, the plants only had foliage and no heads. Why?
A. Overwintering cauliflowers need to be planted as early as possible in late summer or early autumn so they can reach a sufficient size before the cold period. This cold exposure, called vernalization, is required to trigger flowering. If the cold arrives earlier than usual, it may have prevented your plants from forming heads. If left to overwinter longer next year, they should produce heads, though this may be longer than most growers would want to keep them.

Celery

What’s the difference between Jive Celery and Celery Leaf?
A. Jive Celery is grown for its stalks, while Celery Leaf is harvested for the leaves. To get the most from Celery Leaf, it’s best to only cut the outer third of the plant at a time, which helps keep it healthy and encourages ongoing growth.

Courgette

Why are my Courgettes only producing male flowers?
A. The plants have experienced stress at some point. The unusually high temperatures we saw in the UK, reaching up to 35 °C, are likely to be the cause. While plants can adapt to gradual, natural temperature changes over the season, a sudden increase of around 15 °C in a short period can significantly affect them. If you allow the courgettes to continue growing, they should recover and go on to produce a crop.

Why do my fruit rot off before being harvestable?
A. Fruit that rots before harvest is usually the result of stress or poor growing conditions. Common causes include irregular watering, which can lead to fluctuations in moisture levels, and poor pollination, where fruit begins to form but then fails and rots. Prolonged wet conditions, poor air circulation, or fruit sitting directly on damp soil can also contribute. Ensuring consistent watering, good drainage, adequate spacing, and encouraging pollinators will help reduce the risk and improve fruit set.

What is the best time to pick courgettes, should I wait for the flower to drop off?
A. Courgettes are best harvested when they are around 12–16 cm long. There is no need to wait for the flower to fall off. If the flowers are still fresh, they are edible and can be dipped in batter and deep-fried — male flowers can be used in the same way.

Courgette plants I have received are covered in powdery mildew.
A. This is not powdery mildew; all courgettes go like this as the white is following the veins of the leaf. It's just leaf variegation, a completely normal pattern for the plant.

Cucumber

Are the Deli Star suitable for greenhouse?
A. Yes, this variety grows very well in a greenhouse. Growing them in a protected environment helps maintain warmth and humidity, which encourages steady growth and better fruit set. Make sure to provide plenty of light, consistent watering, and support for the vines to climb, and you’ll get the best yields.

I’ve got wilting cucumbers. I did as instructed, but they still don’t look happy. What can I do?
A. Wilting cucumbers usually indicate they have been exposed to cold. If you keep them in an area above 16 °C, they should recover.

Peppers

A few weeks after planting, my pepper leaves have started to turn yellow. Why is this happening?
A. Yellowing leaves are usually a sign that the roots have been too cold, often because the plants were planted before conditions were warm enough. Peppers develop best when the soil and air are consistently warm. Early growth in a grow bag or a protected environment is usually more successful than planting directly into the soil too soon.

My peppers have black and brown patches on the fruit. What’s causing this?
A. The patches are likely blossom end rot, which peppers can get just like tomatoes. This is usually caused by inconsistent watering, which can be harder to manage during periods of extreme heat. Maintaining steady soil moisture can help prevent it.

Pumpkins

I followed the instructions exactly, but my pumpkin plants are thin, the flowers shrivel and fall off, and there is no sign of fruit. I’ve fertilised them and checked soil depth. Can you advise?
A. It looks like the plants have experienced some stress, likely from insufficient water, which can prevent flowers from developing or cause them to abort. Signs include browning leaf edges and yellowing foliage, which suggest the plants aren’t taking up nutrients effectively despite fertilisation. Check stems and roots for damage or issues, and ensure the plants receive plenty of water, sunlight, and warmth. Pumpkins need consistent care to set fruit, and the recent hot summer has caused similar problems for many growers, so you are not alone.

Sweetcorn

Why has my Minipop sweetcorn gone hard and is inedible?
A. It sounds like the sweetcorn was harvested too late. Minipop sweetcorn should be picked when the silks first emerge and start turning pink—usually about a week after the silks appear, which can be as early as late July. Harvesting at the correct stage ensures the kernels remain tender and sweet.

Why has my sweetcorn not produced full cobs and tastes starchy?
A. From the picture, it appears you have grown the ‘Mini Pop’ variety, which is bred specifically for baby corn. This variety isn’t intended to mature into full cobs, so if left to grow and pollinate, the results can be starchy and underdeveloped.

Tomatoes

Why has my tomato grown 8 feet tall without producing any fruit?

A. This happens when plants are fertilised before fruit has set, which can cause the flowers to abort. It’s best to wait until the fruits have begun to form and swell before applying feed, so the plant focuses on fruit production rather than excessive growth.

My tomato plant has grown 3 feet tall, the leaves are twisted and silvery, and no more fruit is setting. Why?
A. The silvery, twisted leaves are caused by a condition known as ‘silvering,’ which is common in older tomato varieties like ‘Moneymaker,’ ‘Alicante,’ ‘Shirley,’ and ‘Gardeners Delight.’ It can reduce fruit set. To prevent this, choose modern F1 varieties, which are bred for disease resistance and consistent fruiting, avoid over-fertilising with high nitrogen, which encourages excessive leafy growth. Ensure the plant has adequate sunlight and consistent watering and prune carefully to maintain airflow and light penetration, helping flowers set properly.

Why have the top leaves of my tomato plant gone mottled, and why has growth stopped?
A. The plant appears to have Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV), which is more common in older tomato varieties. To avoid this problem in future, it’s best to grow modern F1 varieties such as ‘Ferrari’ or ‘Choice,’ which produce vine-ripened or long-lasting fruit and are more resistant to such issues.

The leaves at the top of my tomato plant have curled tightly under. Why?
A. Leaf curling like this is usually a sign of over-fertilisation. Reducing feed and ensuring balanced nutrients should help the plant recover.

My tomato plants are turning yellow and wilting, even though I am giving them plenty of water.
A. This is likely due to overwatering. Excess water can cause the roots to turn brown and become unable to absorb moisture, which can make the plants appear water-stressed despite frequent watering. Reducing watering and ensuring good drainage should help them recover.

The flowers on my tomato plants keep dropping off. I think it might be too hot, so I added shading in the greenhouse, but it’s still happening.
A. Yes, the high temperatures are causing flower drop. Shading alone may not help, as plants still need sufficient light. To improve fruit set, consider slightly reducing the greenhouse glass to lower heat, gently shake the plants or use the back of an electric toothbrush on the trusses to aid pollination, and lightly mist the plants with water to encourage pollen transfer.

Why is the bottom of my tomato fruit turning black?
A. This condition is called blossom end rot and is usually caused by inconsistent watering. Growing modern F1 tomato varieties can help reduce the risk, as they are less susceptible to this problem. Remove affected fruit to allow the plant to focus energy on healthy fruit. Water consistently, keeping the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged and add mulch around the base of the plants to retain moisture. Avoid over-fertilising with high-nitrogen feeds, which can encourage leafy growth at the expense of fruit development.

The fruit on my tomato plant looks healthy, but the tomatoes are misshapen and have small growths (some like tiny tomatoes) emerging from them. Why?
A. Misshapen fruit often results from poor weather conditions, which can affect fruit development—especially in older tomato varieties. To reduce this problem, you can switch to modern F1 varieties, which have been bred for consistent fruit shape and resilience to variable weather. Additionally, ensuring steady watering and good pollination can help improve fruit quality.

I thought these tomatoes were blight-resistant, but they all have blight.
A. What you’re seeing is actually blossom end rot, not blight. This occurs when calcium doesn’t reach the developing fruit, often due to the plants drying out or from overwatering. Remove affected fruit to allow the plant to focus energy on healthy fruit. Water consistently, keeping the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged and add mulch around the base of the plants to retain moisture. Avoid over-fertilising with high-nitrogen feeds, which can encourage leafy growth at the expense of fruit development.

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