S6 Ep5: Inside the River Cottage Kitchen Garden with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

In this month’s podcast, Fiona and Chris chat about everything happening in the organic garden as summer gets underway. From coping with an unusually dry and unpredictable spring to deciding what can still be sown in June, they share practical advice for making the most of theis part of the growing season.Also in this episode...Our very own Anton Rosenfeld joins the podcast for a deep dive in to glyphosate, one of the world's most widely used herbicides. We explore concerns around its impact on human health and the environment, how it is used in gardens, public spaces and agriculture, and the alternatives available to gardeners. Be sure to come back later this month to hear Fiona’s conversation with Professor Dave Goulson, as they explore insects, biodiversity and the role gardeners can play in creating a healthier environment.

In this episode, Fiona visits the famous River Cottage kitchen garden and chats with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall about the joy of growing your own food, the power of healthy soil, and why gardening matters more than ever. From seed swapping and no-dig gardening to gut health and resilient local food systems, Hugh shares stories from nearly 30 years of growing at River Cottage and reflects on the future of gardening and food growing. 

In this month’s podcast, we’ve launched a new format! Expect the same Organic Growing advice, repackaged so you can enjoy podcasts from us twice a month.In May, Fiona and Chris dive into the wonderful world of seed sowing, including why it’s important not to sow all of your seeds at once, Chris’s top tips to get the best germination and how certain conditions can enable your seeds to get the best start.  Also in this episode...The team answer your questions on starting a new garden, gooseberry bush problems, converting an ornamental garden into a haven for food growing, and building your very first greenhouse. Be sure to come back on the 15 May as Fiona chats with author, chef and TV personality Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall from his garden at River Cottage.   

In this month’s podcast, we’re joined by Franco Fubini, CEO and founder of Natoora. Franco tells us how his journey led him to follow the flavour of produce, and how this approach could help encourage sustainable growing and improve food systems worldwide.Also in this episode...Fiona and Chris get excited about seed sowing, and the team answer your questions on saving aubergine seeds, tackling ground elder and learning to live with ants in the allotment.

This month, the Organic Gardening Podcast is joined by Dr Richard Fox, Head of Science from Butterfly Conservation. They discuss the results of last years Big Butterfly Count, why moths deserve just as much attention as butterflies, and how gardeners can adapt their spaces to better support the full butterfly life cycle.Also in this episode…Fiona and Chris share their early-season thoughts as spring approaches, considering what the warmer days signal for the months ahead and how gardeners can make the most of the momentum building outdoors.And the team answer your questions on chitting potatoes, tackling clubroot, and making good use of old coffee grounds.

This month, Emma speaks to Harry Kelsey from Wildwater about the value of ponds in organic gardens. They explore how ponds support biodiversity, along with practical advice on creating a garden pond, choosing the right location, and keeping it healthy.Also in this episode…Fiona and Chris catch up as anticipation rises for the growing season. They reflect on what worked last year, what didn’t, and how those lessons can be carried forward as spring approaches.In the postbag, Fiona, Chris and Anton answer your questions on Comfrey tea, disposing of kitchen waste and underplanting fruit trees. 

In this episode, we look back on the  exciting adventures we had in 2025, from visiting Kate Bradbury in her wildlife-friendly back garden in Brighton to exploring Huw Richards’ experimental permaculture garden in Wales. Along the way, we also spent time in a few unforgettable kitchen gardens, including Helena Dove’s Kitchen Garden at Kew.Across each episode, we’ve asked our guests one simple but powerful question: what’s the single piece of advice they’d pass on to gardeners? The answers have given us a wealth of expert tips, which are the perfect inspiration for setting our New Year’s gardening resolutions for 2026.

This month, Chris chats with Jo Ferguson, Built Environment Manager at The Bat Conservation Trust. Jo has been involved in Bat conservation for over 15 years, and specialises in urban ecology and enhancing the built environment for bats. She shares why bats are important to the ecosystem, and how you can look after bats in urban gardens.Also in this episode...We’re reflecting on the triumphs of the 2025 gardening year. Fiona and Chris share their successes, and maybe a few fails as they prepare for a new year of sowing and growing.  In the postbag, Fiona, Chris and Anton answer your questions on growing asparagus, sowing garlic and shallots, and our favourite topic, composting!  

This month, we’re celebrating the slow beauty of autumn, from the changing of the leaves to creating colourful bulb trifles. There’s still so much joy you can get out of your garden, as we prepare for shorter days and longer nights.   In this episode, Fiona chats with Helena Dove, Kitchen Gardener at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Helena has a wealth of knowledge surrounding the physiology of vegetables, and teaches us how we can better understand the makeup of plant life.  In the postbag, Fiona, Chris and Emma answer your questions on using black plastic on the compost heap, how to help overwintering larvae, and how to prevent your apples from developing bitter pit.

In this month’s episode, we're joined by Raymond Blanc OBE from his kitchen garden at Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons. We toured the garden, which is home to over 100 heritage vegetable varieties. Raymond talks about his own gardening heritage, and how growing with his mother and father in France influenced the direction he's taken with Le Manoir's kitchen garden. We also hear from August Bernstein, head of the Raymond Blanc Gardening School, who chats with us about the relationship Le Manoir have with our Heritage Seed Library. Also in this episode: Fiona and Chris catch up in the potting shed to talk about their gardening tasks for October, and Lead Horticulturalist for the Heritage Seed Library, Marcin Salnikov joins the podcast this month to answer your questions on seed saving and heritage varieties.