Episode 626: Finding Inspiration and Overwintering Chillies

This week on The Veg Grower Podcast, Richard shares another busy few days of tidying, planning and preparing for the colder months ahead — and reflects on where he finds his garden design inspiration.
Allotment Update: Storing Canes
Down on the allotment, the big tidy-up continues. With the days drawing shorter, time after work is now limited, so Richard has been making the most of every dry spell.
This week he’s been tackling weeds, laying down mulch, and organising tools and materials ready for winter. Straw has once again proven to be a fantastic mulch — keeping weeds at bay and making maintenance much easier.
He’s also been sorting through canes and supports, using a simple but clever trick for storing them neatly: fixing a bungee cord to the shed wall and slipping the canes behind it. It’s easy, quick, and stops everything falling about in the wind — a great tip for anyone short on shed space.
Plastic pots have also had a bit of a tidy. While Richard prefers to reuse rather than throw away, he’s been organising them into bins and boxes to keep things under control. The goal this winter is clear — get the plot tidy, mulched, and ready for another productive year.
Kitchen Garden Update: Overwintering Chillies
Back home in the kitchen garden, listener Stuart Jackson got in touch with a great question: how do you overwinter chillies?
Chillies are actually perennials, so with the right care, they can keep going for years. The trick is to move potted plants indoors — a shed, greenhouse, or even a bright windowsill works well — and keep them just ticking over.
Richard recommends pruning each branch back to about a third, watering sparingly, and keeping them frost-free but not too warm. Then, when spring returns, the plants can burst back into growth and reward you with an early crop.
It’s a simple method that helps keep those favourite chilli plants alive year after year.
At home, the brassicas are thriving — Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbages and cauliflowers all doing well. The new chickens are settling in, though not yet laying, while the older hens continue to keep the egg basket full.
Remarkably, the courgette plants are still producing flowers and fruit — quite something for October. And there’s plenty of beetroot too, recently harvested for a batch of delicious beetroot and chocolate brownies.
Recipe of the Week
This week’s recipe is Spicy Autumn Potato Soup, perfect for a chilly October day. It’s a simple, warming dish that uses stored potatoes, late chillies and peppers for a kick of flavour.
You’ll find the full recipe on the website — ideal for using up seasonal veg and serving with crusty bread after a day in the garden.
In the Potting Shed
As the rain fell outside, Richard found himself thinking about garden design — not just for practicality, but for beauty too.
After ten years in the same home, the kitchen garden continues to evolve. The ambition now is to make it look amazing while still being productive. To do that, Richard’s been looking everywhere for inspiration — from social media to stately homes, RHS shows and hotel gardens.
He’s already bringing ideas home, like training apple and pear trees over a small arch — a miniature take on the grand designs seen at places like West Dean or Bewley Gardens. It’s proof that even in a modest garden, we can borrow the elegance of larger spaces while keeping things edible and functional.
So, where do you get your garden inspiration? Get in touch and let Richard know.