Something special is back, but not on YouTube! | Huw's Garden Journal #4

Announcing a Substack exclusive video series, one delicious easy lunch idea, liquid feeds, and what to sow this week.

Hello and a very warm welcome back to my journal.

After easing myself into Substack over the last few weeks, I wanted to give a bit of an update on my experience so far, and share some decisions I have made going forward as a result.

Starting a new platform is always an interesting experience; I will either abandon it after a day like I did with Threads, end up just using it to repurpose other content like TikTok, or stick to it for years like Instagram and YouTube. Substack is definitely in the latter category.

I’ve also been surprised to see that Substack has a lovely way of being able to integrate podcasts, and this week alone I have already confirmed interviews with my first 5 guests for a long-form podcast that won’t shy away from depth and detail. More info to follow over the coming months. 

Image: Latest drone shot of my kitchen garden

Now why am I so sure about Substack? Well the truth is I’ve been needing somewhere better for my ideas and creativity to emulate from, and to have the freedom to do that without getting distracted by becoming an algorithm-pleaser.

I’ve spent way too many years of my life being a people pleaser, which didn’t do me any favours, and I have also realised that the same dangers lurk with social media algorithms. 

This is a convenient segue into the first decision I’ve made in relation to moving forward with Substack. 

Huw’s Garden Diaries

Some of you may remember my YouTube series called Huw’s Garden Diaries, a far more informal video series that was enjoyed by many. 

The issue with YouTube is that if I get lower performing videos, like the Diaries were due to not having the ‘mainstream’ trendy appeal YouTube loves, it then thinks the whole channel is less relevant, and punishes all videos. Thanks YouTube! 

Image: Examples of some of the topics covered in my series

And so I’ve been thinking, due to the kind support of many of you already here on Substack, I feel it has created an opportunity to bring back the diaries. Because you know what? I really enjoyed making the Diaries, and I feel they would complement the weekly journal well, and also show you the parts of my permaculture project site that rarely, if ever, make it onto YouTube.  

Initially I will be starting it as a bi-weekly series for all subscribers, whether you are free or a supporter, with the goal of returning to a weekly format. The great thing about Substack is that the videos will also be free of those annoying YouTube adverts! 

The series will kick off next Saturday (31st August), and so I shall see you there! An unexpected return that I hope you will enjoy!

Cooking & Recipes

I do a lot of cooking with homegrown food, and I am always getting questions about how I enjoy what I grow. And so moving forward, every Friday for paid subscribers, I will be sharing a seasonal recipe for you to try over the weekend. Each recipe will highlight something I made in the previous 7 days using homegrown produce. 

If you don’t have a garden, then there will be ingredients that are most in-season in your local greengrocers or from your local market garden. The first one (coming this Friday) will be my ultimate tomato salad that only gets tastier with time! Oh - the sauce is also perfect for dipping bread into, as I recently found out on a picnic! 

Chopsuey Greens with Goat’s Cheese

I just wanted to highlight a wonderful but lesser-known crop that you still have plenty of time to sow this year to grow undercover. Shungiku (also known as chopsuey greens) is an easy-to-grow green that has a lovely minerality to the taste, similar to a carrot top.

It is a member of the chrysanthemum family, and produces a mass of flowers loved by insects, and the petals are edible. You can start sowing it in mid-spring, and it is hardy enough to overwinter in a polytunnel here in the UK - a staple for my winter salad bed.

It cooks really nicely, a quick stir fry is all you need, and paired with the tang of a goats cheese and some sweet honey, it is a perfect quick option for a tasty lunch.

You will need

• A nice toasted slice of sourdough

• A young soft goat’s cheese 

• Hot Honey*

• A generous handful of chopsuey greens

• Edible flowers for garnish (I used radish flowers)

• A clove of garlic

• Olive oil (100% cold-pressed extra virgin is best)

*To make hot honey, add a couple of generous spoons of honey to a pan, bring to a gentle simmer, and mix in some fresh chilli, hot chilli powder, or chilli flakes. Taste, and adjust by adding more chilli to increase heat, or adding more honey to reduce. Hot honey is an amazing topping on a vegetable pizza - just saying. 

To make

Place the greens in a pan with a little olive oil on a medium heat, cook until wilted. On your slice of toast, drizzle a little olive oil and rub half to a whole clove of garlic on one side. Trust me, it is a gamechanger when you know you can do this for anything else too. 

Then spread the goat's cheese over the garlicy toast, place the wilted greens over, drizzle some hot honey, and finally finish with some edible flowers. This is exactly how homegrown food should be enjoyed; simple with a little ‘sizzle’. 

Note - No chopsuey greens? No problem! Do the same with chard or beetroot leaves with some added carrot tops or sliced young pumpkin leaves.

Skill of the week

I didn’t realise just how much I would enjoy thinking of a relevant growing skill for each week, and so this isn’t going anywhere. It will be a mix between some absolute essential skills and how I approach them (such as sowing in modules), to other skills that are either overlooked, or completely underrated. 

This week’s skill | Liquid Feeds

We found ourselves in the second half of August already! I don’t know about you but the growth has been incredible over the past four weeks? I posted a 4-week comparison image as an example on Instagram which sums up the power and beauty of nature so simply. 

Due to all of the growth, I like to supplement my most nutritionally-demanding crops, namely the tomatoes and squash, with liquid feed. My go-to liquid feed is a homemade concoction of comfrey, dock, grass, and nettles. In a large tub I place all the plant material, top with water, and let it sit for a few weeks.

I start making it in mid-spring and continue topping it up with fresh material and additional water throughout summer. This is my annual homemade multi-purpose feed which I dilute 1:20 and apply every 2-3 weeks when I feel plants need a little oomph like my tomatoes do at the moment, and it is also a nice idea to feed any seedlings that have been in the ground for around 4 weeks to just give them an additional boost during their important root development process. 

Image: My homemade liquid feed in the polytunnel ready for action

I also made a highly concentrated no-smell comfrey feed which I am happy to share if you are interested, and if you struggle to access comfrey and bulk weeds to make a feed, a natural seaweed feed is the next best option.

Note - for those of you in cooler climates like the UK, it may be a consideration to begin removing any new flowers that appear on your tomatoes to help focus energy and nutrients to the tomatoes that have already set. Also a friendly reminder to keep on top of deadheading your other flowers to encourage strong blooms for as long as possible (Image below of deadheading calendula).

What to sow

I am so pleased that you are finding the weekly what to sow list so useful! Moving forward following this journal, I will be adding a link to a dedicated ‘what to sow’ page in each journal to free up a little space for other gardening goodness. What’s perhaps going to be even more useful, is that I now have the domain ‘sow.today’ which I will keep updated to take you to the very latest updated list at any point in the season. The idea is that if you ever wonder to yourself ‘hmm, what should I sow today?’ - well with two words, a full stop and a click of a button, you can get a full list of sowing inspiration. This will also commence in the next journal.

(The journal contains some affiliate links where I earn commission at no extra cost to you. Save 10% off any Kings Seeds order using code HUWR10)

Leafy Greens

• Chopsuey greens (undercover only)

• Pak choi

• Rocket (arugula)

• Lettuce

• Mustard

• Spinach

• Chicory

• Chard

• Perpetual spinach

• Peas for shoots

Image: transplanting chop suey green seedling in early October 2024 in a polytunnel bed

Larger brassicas

• Kale

• Spring cabbage

• Napa cabbage (last opportunity for outdoors)

Roots

• Summer radish

• Winter radish (Mooli and Spanish Black Round in particular - sow direct)

• Turnips (very last opportunity outdoors)

• Carrots and beetroot (undercover growing only)

Others

• Spring onions (undercover only)

• Dill

• Coriander

• New potatoes in tubs for winter (undercover only)

Final words

I want to extend a thank you to all of you who replied to my previous request for locations to film, because of it I have a rather fantastic filming trip lined up in September that will cover numerous projects. The more places I know of, the easier it is for me to create filming trips to combine multiple projects.

Thank you so much for your time reading and supporting the work I do, and please do let me know what you are enjoying the most/would like to see more of.

I look forward to catching up with you again soon,

Best wishes, Huw

PS - If you happen to be really good at researching and digesting scientific papers on the topics of horticulture/agriculture then please do let me know.