#612 – The New Potting Shed, Fennel, and Feeling Overwhelmed

This week’s episode of The Veg Grower Podcast is packed with personal updates, seasonal sowing, and an honest reflection on feeling overwhelmed during the busy summer gardening season. Here’s what you can expect: Kitchen Garden Update: A Brand New Potting Shed This week saw a major upgrade in the garden — Richard has installed a brand new potting shed, combining greenhouse-style light with the solid build of a traditional shed. After removing the old, crumbling structure (which had long become a dumping ground), he replaced it with a spacious, double-doored model from Power Sheds. The new shed is already kitted out with shelves, growing trays and will be used primarily for propagation. It's a significant investment, but one that promises more organised and efficient seed sowing going forward. Seed of the Month: Florence Fennel This month’s featured seed is Florence Fennel, also known as bulb fennel. Richard discusses how to sow it, where it grows best, and why now is the perfect time to get it going. Key growing notes: Sow from late spring to midsummer (May–July) Direct sowing is best, though pot-grown transplants can work Keep soil moist to prevent bolting Harvest when bulbs reach 7–10cm in diameter (around 12–14 weeks after sowing) Richard prefers to start his in pots due to weed competition in open ground. He’ll be growing his inside the new potting shed. You can buy Florence fennel from our chosen suppliers below Premier seeds Simply seeds Recipe of the Week: Confit Elephant Garlic Chef Scott shares a beautifully simple and deeply flavoured recipe this week — Confit Elephant Garlic. By slow-cooking peeled garlic cloves in olive oil with rosemary and sea salt, you get soft, spreadable garlic perfect for toast or adding richness to dishes like bolognese. It’s a great way to preserve a bumper garlic harvest, and Richard plans to make a batch of his own. Feeling Overwhelmed in the Garden Richard opens up about the realities of struggling to keep up with the demands of summer gardening. From constant watering during a dry year to family life and work commitments, he shares his honest thoughts on burnout and how he’s coping. Tips discussed include: Mulching (especially with straw) to reduce watering needs Watering deeply but less frequently for strong root growth Doing a little weeding each day rather than letting it pile up Writing a weekly to-do list and focusing on just one job per day Accepting that not everything has to look perfect This segment is a reassuring reminder that it’s okay to slow down, simplify, and approach growing your own food in a sustainable, realistic way. Community Shout-Out A big thank you to Annabel Scott for her Spotify review, praising the podcast and Chef Scott’s seasonal recipes. It’s feedback like this that helps grow the community and reminds us why we do what we do. Also check out this article from Thompson and Morgon about natural pest control.