Huw Richards: Smart veg growing tips for busy gardeners - Episode 271 Artwork

grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

Welcome to grow, cook, eat, arrange, the weekly podcast from gardener, writer, teacher,and cook, Sarah Raven. Over the last two decades, Sarah has led the way by introducing a new kind of productive gardening which places emphasis on intense colour, sophistication, and achievability. Recorded at the beautiful Perch Hill Farm in Sussex, Sarah talks with special guests from across garden design, floristry, food, ecology, conservation, and more. Brimming with top tips and helpful hints, listen and learn how to create your most productive garden ever. You can find out more about the products discussed in each episode or get in touch by visiting the website: https://www.sarahraven.com/

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grow, cook, eat, arrange with Sarah Raven & friends

Huw Richards: Smart veg growing tips for busy gardeners - Episode 271

April 23, 2026 • Sarah Raven • Episode 271

0:00 | 25:16

The magic of growing your own food is hard to overstate, and while some lament the labour necessary, it takes far less time and space than many imagine.

This week’s ‘grow, cook, eat, arrange’ once again features the remarkable Huw Richards, fresh from the release of ‘How to Grow Food’ - his new book which dives into the detail of how anyone can grow a kitchen garden in real spaces, with a planting schedule that fits around busy lives.

In this episode, discover:

How Huw plans and plants to grow enough veg for a family of four on a half allotment in just a few hours a week
Simple permaculture-inspired tricks for better germination
What causes common problems like courgette fruits rotting and dropping off, and how you can fix them
How to choose between longer crops and cut-and-come-again with limited space
Huw’s must-sow crops for April, including squash, runner beans, cucumbers, and courgettes

Episode Cover Photo Credit: Dorling Kindersley: Jason Ingram

Products mentioned:

Runner Bean 'Black Knight'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/runner-bean-black-knight

Runner Bean 'White Lady'

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/runner-bean-white-lady

Nasturtium 'Tip Top Mix' (Tropaeolum majus)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nasturtium-tip-top-mix

Nasturtium 'Ladybird Rose' (Tropaeolum minus)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/nasturtium-ladybird-rose

Borago officinalis (Borage)

https://www.sarahraven.com/products/borago-officinalis