From Chaos to Compost: My 2026 Garden Reset
The air is finally turning, the soil is waking up, and my kitchen table is covered in seed packets. Welcome to the 2026 garden kickoff at The Middleditch Kitch. after a successful season last year, it’s time to get ready for the next!
State of the Garden
Coming out of winter, the garden was a bit of a mix. Some areas held up well, but others needed a lot of work.
The edges had completely taken over with weeds, especially one section where I had tried to grow a wildflower garden. It looked lovely for a short time, but quickly became overgrown and messy. I was very glad to clear that out and start fresh.
The Spring Clean
The first job was a proper clean up. With the help of my Husband and our Friend, Will. We worked through the edges, pulled up weeds, and finally dealt with the garden waste we had left sitting over winter. Luckily, my dad had a skip that weekend which made life much easier. (thanks dad)
While clearing, we found a lot of moth larvae. We carefully moved them to a quieter part of the garden so they would not be disturbed.
I also cleared out old and unused plant pots to make space for the new season. The final job was jet washing the patio, which was easily the most satisfying part.
The Plan
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The Plan 🍃
The Plan
This year I am working with two raised beds, a three tier plant stand, a grow zone, garden edging on both sides, and a collection of pots. Everything needed filling and planning.
The Veggie Plan
Potatoes were an easy decision. I love them with all my heart, they are always going in.
Alongside those, I chose:
- Carrots
- Onions
- Beetroot
I had good results with carrots last year, so I wanted to grow them again but go for larger varieties this time. I decided to try beetroot even though I do not usually eat it, just to grow something different.
I skipped broccoli this year after dealing with cabbage butterflies last summer. I will try that again in a cooler season instead.
The Grow Zone
This is where I wanted to try a few things I missed last year.
Tomatoes were top of the list, and I chose Sweet Million and Beefmaster. One for smaller snacking tomatoes and one for larger slicing tomatoes.
I also decided to grow peppers again. Last year they were doing really well until my dog ate both plants and everything growing on them (cheers Reggie). This time I will be a bit more careful with where I place them…
The Flower Plan
Flowers aren’t something I’ve really focused on before in my garden. This year, I want to support pollinators as well as bring more colour into the space, so I spent some time researching and added flowers into my plan.
For the edging and pots, I wanted a mix of colours and heights.
I chose:
Alyssum for low growing coverage
Marigolds for bold colour
Antirrhinums for height and structure
I planned this with sunlight, soil type, and pet safety in mind, as well as making sure the plants would attract pollinators.
The Garden Centre Trip
No garden reset is complete without a trip to the garden centre, which for me is basically cue heaven gates opening… ahhh
Armed with a rough plan and a trolley that I fully intended to keep “under control”, I went in with a plan… and very quickly ignored it.
There’s something about walking into a wall of seeds that makes all logic disappear. Rows and rows of tiny packets, each one full of potential, and suddenly I wanted to grow everything.
I spent a good amount of time going back and forth between the seed section and the starter plants, trying to stick to my plan while also convincing myself I definitely had space for just one more thing.
In the end, I came away with a mix of both. A few starter plants to make things easier, and a good selection of seeds to grow from scratch.
By the time we got to the checkout, the trolley was full, the plan had slightly expanded, and my bank account had taken a small hit… but it felt like the proper start of the season.
Getting Everything Started
Once I got home, it was time to actually get planting.
I set up on the patio with all my seeds, soil, and propagation pots and worked my way through everything one by one. There’s something quite satisfying about this part, just getting everything organised and started.
I planted up the courgettes first, using small pots so they have space to establish before moving outside. Then I worked through the rest of the seeds, filling each section, labelling as I went, and trying to stay as tidy as possible (which didn’t last long).
Some seeds, like the alyssum, I set aside as these can go straight in the bed once the soil is ready.
Everything else went into old paint trays and straight onto the windowsill, where they’ll get the best of the sunlight throughout the day.
It’s not the most high-tech setup, but it works perfectly for the space I have.
The Kitch Goal
This year I want the garden to be more useful in the kitchen.
The goal is to grow enough to store food for later, including herbs and ingredients that can be frozen or used in simple recipes.
Looking Ahead
Right now the garden still looks like a work in progress, but everything is starting to come together.
The beds are planned, the seeds are growing, and the structure is there.
With a bit of time and care, it should soon be full of colour, food, and life again.
