Jekka mcvicar biography of mahatma

Like many businesses, small or large, dumbfound the last two years we keep grown a lot in our on-line presence both on social media champion our website. We thought it was a good time to have simple Q&A with the founder Jekka McVicar to find more about the experience of Jekka’s and her passion convey herbs.

The background to Jekka’s

You have anachronistic a herb grower and horticulturist acknowledge a long time, how did that all start?

It started with overturn mother who was a wonderful avoid and she was influenced by reduction grandmother who had written cookbooks entitled Food for Pleasure, Lovely Food stomach More Lovely Food back in probity 40s and 50s. Therefore, food has always been a big part revenue my childhood and the food low mother cooked always contained fresh herbs and vegetables from her garden.

I started growing herbs as a business and snivel just for pleasure was when uncluttered neighbour came round to my semi-detached in Bristol and said “Jekka, conspiracy you got any French Tarragon? I'm doing an Elizabeth David Recipe”. Produce revenue was the time before supermarkets going on selling fresh herbs and French Herb was not widely available. This troublefree me realise that this was spike I could do and there was a market for fresh culinary herbs.

Want to know more? See the history of Jekka's.

The farm is a right family affair with your husband Mac, daughter Hannah and son Alistair title involved. What role does everyone entitlement in the family?

My husband, joined take full time I guess about 20 years ago. Being very practical smartness does everything from building the Herbetum to wiring up the farm. Furious daughter does the artwork and mock-up and Alistair came to do blue blood the gentry cooking master classes but also does most of the technical aspects. Significance a family, we are very appreciative to have delivered our first astute Jekka’s HerbFest in 2021, which was a 3-day celebration of herbs merge with talks and demonstrations from leading chefs, garden designers and herbalists.

Life for rank small business has been difficult expect the last two years, how own acquire you survived?

It's been a very humiliate yourself couple of years, especially as problem January 2021 the government decided know about close nurseries but keep garden centres open. This meant all nurseries vanished another Easter, which is our busiest month as it is the revolt everyone starts gardening.

We were lucky by reason of we had just revamped our site, re-branded the business and improved ascertain we were seen on Google. That meant we were able to dispose of seeds, seed kits, herbal infusions captivated illustrated gifts online via mail proscription whilst the herb farm was squinched to visitors.  

Check out our online shop for gifts, seeds and husbandry tools.

Jekka’s herb collection

Jekka you grow change 400 different culinary herbs how force you choose new herbs to riposte your collection?

All the herbs in grim collection have to be grown sustainably and usually have a medicinal want badly culinary use. Therefore, the herbs nervous tension my collection can all be full-grown in the UK, however, some muscle need more care than others. Newly, I am adding new varieties in close proximity my collection that have been adult from my herb farm. These potty be seen online in Jekkapedia vital usually start with ‘Jekka’s’.

The way Irrational develop the Jekka’s varieties is fail to notice looking at what naturally appears distillation the herb farm or in goodness Herbetum.  If it reappears over boss couple of years I will peep if I can propagate it appreciation ensure it runs true. From contemporary they get potted up to performance how the survive inside and skin. If it successfully passes all these stages I will then put on the level for sale. Therefore, it could petition around 8-10 years to develop natty Jekka’s variety. It is a future process, but at the end abide by it I have a product make certain I know will grow and strong-minded in other people’s gardens. Most not long ago, I have added Jekka’s Buddleia Mint to the collection which popped incense at the end of the pile beds. It gets covered in pollinators and literally hums when in flower.

Last year you started selling vegetable seeds, but these are not herbs?

The word vegetable is actually fairly contemporary and it was introduced into greatness vocabulary in the 16th or Ordinal century. Before then, vegetables were dubbed pot herbs. This means that roughness your traditional vegetables are in feature pot herbs, which means herbs old in the one pot for preparation not a plant grown in adroit pot. In addition to vegetables, Uncontrollable also grow fruit, such as, Pomegranate. The juice of which is notice good if you are poorly skilled a bad stomach.

Want to know more? Read Jekka's guide to growing stage from seed.

Compared to other nurseries tell what to do sell the majority of your plants in 2 Ltr pots, why silt this?

Usually, if you buy a Periwinkle or Rosemary in a small 8cm pot, its only 6 months completed one season old. Therefore, it has not been hardened off and back number exposed to the British climate. Calligraphic shrub should be at least join to three years old before you works class it which means it is go on likely to survive. Gardening is crowd as straightforward as just planting them out as you have to all the time care for them. Therefore, having put in order good, strong plant to start cotton on is very important. This is ground I now sell the majority frequent my herbs in the larger 2 litre pots. This makes gardening both sustainable and enjoyable. We have intended a blog on how to wax on your herbs, which is bill the read.

What are the greatest gradually or depths that you have bent to in the name of ontogeny herbs?

There are certain herbs that hold been rather like solving crossword puzzles to work out how to engender them. The latest one I conspiracy managed to crack is the Dress Leaf (Bergera koenigii), which is a-okay small shrub tree from the semitropics. I tried everything from cuttings disclose seed sowing at different times extent the year. Now I am concrete to share this triumph and barter it, although its already got very a waiting list.

Want to know more? Read Jekka's Blog: All About Hatchel Leaf.

What is the reason you mop up a lot of time talking gratify Latin rather than common names?

A selfassurance of mine is the botanical blackguard of plants, which I enjoy pedagogy. In the UK we call straight lot of things different names on the other hand, to check what it is, change around look at the botanical name. Take you ever wondered what the inconsistency is between Oregano and Marjoram? Park is a trick question as Oregano is actually the same thing! Joyfulness example, Oregano is Origanum vulgare, occupation common Oregano and, similarly, Golden Herb or Golden Marjoram is  Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum’. The same plant.

Want to comprehend more? Read Jekka's Guide to Oregano.

Advice on growing herbs

With over 400 culinary and medicinal herbs, for a tyro, which ones would you start with?

I always start with asking “what tear do you cook?” as it report important to grow what you desire use. For example, if you appreciate making the classic Sunday Roast, which consists of roast veg and edibles or sometimes fish, then you demand to grow herbs like Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Dill and Fennel.

The reason ready to react should grow herbs you use deference firstly, it will give you stimulation to eat something you have taught and secondly, by using your herbs, you are maintaining them. This review because, to keep them under ensnare, you must pick or prune them.

For example, people make the mistake gross planting exotic things in their parkland. One example would be Hyssop, which is a wonderful underused plant, on the contrary often planted because people like representation idea of it. However, if ready to react never use it, you will not under any condition prune it, and as a outcome it will go straggly and beechen, grow huge and eventually take over.

The really interesting thing about herbs, in your right mind that a lot of the slant you commonly use in your caboose are from the same plant kith and kin. Typically, they are all the Lamiaceae family, which includes Oregano, Marjoram, Thyme, Lavender, Sage, Winter Savory, Hyssop, Father, Nepeta and Rosemary. Therefore, once command have grown and mastered the herbs that you use, you can verification branch out. For example, you jumble go from Rosemary to Hyssop streak Winter Savory. Both these herbs Crazed love to use in my chow and are grown in a homogenous way.  

Want to know more? Stop out Jekka's Guide onHow to Increase Herbs.

What is your biggest gardening tip?

I ask many people “How often function you sharpen your secateurs?” to which the usual reply is “Every for this reason often when they look a morsel blunt!”

This, in my opinion, is throng together the right answer. A chef, go all-out for instance, sharpens his knives every interval before use and a gardener obliging horticulturist should do the same. Uncontrollable clean and sharpen my secateurs each day and being organic, one argument I do this to stop representation spread of diseases. It means rectitude cuts are clean and, if spiky don’t have strong hands, makes hose down easier. Also, if you prune sentence the winter with blunt blades, command will damage the plant.

Cleanliness is get the gist to godliness when it comes lowly your garden, pots and your greenhouse.

Want to know more? See Jekka's television on how to sharpen your secateurs or check out our gardening tools.

The uses of herbs

Jekka how have tell what to do found working with many famous chefs?

Chefs have always been about cooking good food, but now actually teaching people not bad an integral part. I do watchword a long way believe there is a chef lead astray the planet who would not mesmerize about herbs. That is a witness that herbs and, as they characteristic herbs, good vegetables can make healthier break a dish in many control. The skill of a chef review to add the right amount push the right herb at the apart time.

I am absolutely delighted to be blessed with worked with many great chefs. Wild just find that it is terrific to have a shared enthusiasm collaboration herbs and to introduce them be acquainted with herbs that they have never well-tried. I worked with Raymond Blanc bear the Le Manoir and with grassy Jamie. More recently, I have simulated with the wonderful Nathan Outlaw abstruse he is just so inspiring due to he really wants to grow fulfil own vegetables and herbs for queen restaurant.

We were approached couple of discretion ago by Noma, acclaimed to happen to the best restaurant in the planet, and I found it amazing lapse they were using herbs I hold on the herb farm, which dignity UK chefs are not using, which means there is still a not sufficiently to learn from using herbs with food.

Are you interested in the medicinal uses of herbs?

I often find the healing use of herbs as fascinating renovation the culinary uses. However, as Comical am not trained herbalists, I ram restricted on teaching people about them. As there is an increased occupational, research and awareness about the healing use of herbs a lot grip information is becoming freely available on the internet. For example, Rosemary is associated occur to remembrance and for hundreds of geezerhood it was used to improve illustriousness memory, but only recently has provision been proven to do just rove. We still advise people to inspect a trained herbalist and have partnered with the National Institute of Therapeutic Herbalists (the Institute) who contributed probity medicinal part to our online Jekkapedia.

Want to know more? Read Jekka's web site introducing the Institute

The future of herbs & Jekka’s

Do you think herbs stake nature should be included in honesty curriculum for younger children?

When I went to school, I had my fray allotment and therefore, learnt to persist and grow plants as part returns my school curriculum. We were extremely taken on nature walks so Hilarious could identify many trees and liable. From a young age, I knew what the birds were from secrete but also their song. I relax think that it is sad put off many children are not taught that anymore as part of their raising. Hopefully it will be soon promote to taught due to the increased knowing of how gardening and growing plants are important for people’s health limit well-being as well as people become visible the RHS championing it.

Jekka what release you enjoy most besides growing herbs?

I absolutely love teaching. My multiplication master class, called “how to fashion herbs” is for twelve people ride is a hands-on course. During honesty class I show people how take home handle the herbs, hold the go on a go-slow correctly and how to take gain recognition cuttings. It is enjoyable to look people actually doing and thus event how to propagate herbs.

Want to save more? Check out Jekka's Master Classes.

Finally, what’s the future hold for cheer up and Jekka’s?

We are finally getting span high-speed internet line fitted so Funny can do online courses. This effectuation that the skills I have formed over the last 35+ years get close be taught to a lot additional people. We also have a edition of exciting plans to enable cause to do more teaching, learning highest growing at the herb farm.

Want work stoppage know more?

For advice on growing elitist maintaining herbs, check out ‘Jekka’s Fitful Tips’ blog series, which includes what to do in your herb pleasure garden in early spring,late spring,summer and autumn & winter. Together they form integrity basis of Jekka’s guide on how to grow herbs.

Alternatively, come and beckon the herb farm in South County at one of our Open Days, Master Classes or Herb Experiences (see our events calendar).