As we ease into a brand-new season, our Kitchen Gardeners are busy across THE PIGs clearing the last of the summer crops and waving goodbye to the warmer days, whilst welcoming in crisper days (plus a few more sprinkles)! We sat down with Zack, Head Kitchen Gardener, at THE PIG-near Bath over in Somerset to see what they're up to at this time of year...

We can't believe it's autumn already! What happens with the change of season in the Kitchen Gardens?

October is a busy time in the garden, harvesting/clearing the last of the summer crops to be replaced with the autumn/winter ones, mulching, and beginning to plan out the planting calendar for next year!

What are the team harvesting from the summer planting period?

There is plenty to harvest at this time of year, lots of carrots, leeks, winter squash, celeriac, kales, turnips, radish, apples, and guava berries to name a few.

What are the team busy planting at this time of year for our 25 mile menus?

We’re currently planting salads in the polytunnels, these are to replace the tomatoes and peppers which have been growing throughout the summer. Our salad mix consists of various lettuce varieties, mustards, and chard. We’ve also just started planting out our onion and garlic sets; we always plant these in the autumn as is provides us with an earlier crop next summer.

Are there any tips or methods you use to combat the change in season?

It’s a good time of year to start mulching fruit trees and perennial plants such as hard herbs and shrubs. By doing this now it will suppress weeds, saving you time and effort in the spring when they start growing more quickly. It will also protect the roots from any hard frosts and enrich the soil with nutrients ready for when the plants come back to life in spring.

What pickings can our guests expect on our new Much-Loved Menu lunch offer menu and the dish it is on?

We have a spiced carrot soup with garden herb infused oil as a starter, also we have Crown Prince Squash risotto served with English Pecorino and crispy sage from the garden. The Crown Prince squash is one of the best varieties we grow, it always produces many fruits which have a pale blue skin, deep orange flesh with a nutty/velvety flavour.

There's still time to get a taste of our Much-Loved Lunch Offer Menu, with 2 courses for £26.50 and 3 courses for £29.50!