Winter is often the gardener’s toughest enemy, with frost, snow and freezing temperatures threatening to destroy precious seedlings and halt growth.
But for a lifelong gardener and vegetarian, the cold months are no match for his ingenious approach to keeping his garden productive year-round.
Appearing on the special winter episode of BBC Gardener’s World last week, Jack Furst revealed the unexpected secret to his success: a pair of old trousers.
Inspired by gardening practices dating back to the Roman Empire, the gardener created a “hotbed” made of decaying organic matter, a method he says keeps his plants warm, even in freezing conditions.
He explained: ‘The secret is to observe how things were done in the past. Looking at history, I have been able to learn many tips that I find useful today.’
Jack’s seed beds are essentially raised garden beds filled with compostable organic material, including vegetable peelings, old cardboard, and even cotton.
In one clip, he can be seen unveiling a plaid shirt and a pair of jeans, while proudly announcing: “They were a pair of pants.”
As the material decomposes, it generates heat, keeping the ground temperature significantly higher than the freezing air above.
Appearing on the special winter episode of BBC Gardener’s World last week, Jack Furst revealed the unexpected secret to growing vegetable gardens in winter: an old pair of trousers.
Jack, who has been a vegetarian for more than 40 years, prefers to grow as much food as possible, which is why the seed bed is essential to help produce crops during December and January (file image).
Checking a soil thermometer buried in his greenhouse, he added: “It’s a humid day, it’s raining and the temperature is around 13 degrees.” If we look at the soil thermometer, it reads 16°C.
Jack, who has been a vegetarian for over 40 years, prefers to grow as much food as possible, which is why the seed bed is essential to help produce crops during December and January.
He said: “There is no doubt that I have won another season.” For example, I am growing some crops in spring. My goal is to grow potatoes just the way people plant them.’
However, Jack’s orchard faces more challenges than just frost, as he highlighted his environment as a factor.
He explained: ‘There are mountains around us. It’s a challenge because we have a lot of wind here, a lot of cold air. The other thing is that there is no soil as such… it is stone.
‘Here the moles don’t even dig underground: they go through the ground!’
However, thanks to his seedbeds and historical knowledge, Jack has managed to produce robust crops, despite the harsh conditions and cheeky four-legged intruders.
Explaining his preference for the historical method, he said, “Just because a new farming method exists doesn’t mean it’s better than the old ones.”
Thanks to his seedbeds and historical knowledge, Jack (pictured) has managed to produce robust crops.
Jack’s seed beds are essentially raised beds filled with compostable organic material, including vegetable peelings, old cardboard, and even cotton.
In one clip, he can be seen unveiling a plaid shirt and a pair of jeans.
“I think a lot of the old methods are better than the new ones.”
Meanwhile, as Britain prepares for the cold of winter, wildlife experts are urging homeowners to reconsider their attitude towards a common garden visitor.
Known for their energetic antics of jumping from tree to tree or scampering along fence panels, squirrels are more than just playful guests.
Although often considered a pest, the furry gray (or, more rarely, red) rodents are in fact valuable contributors to the ecosystem of a healthy garden.
Those who would like to see their plants bloom in the spring and summer are encouraged to provide local squirrel populations with additional food supplies to help them through the coming months.