Father-of-one hit the headlines after growing super-sized vegetables

A TALENTED gardener who hit the headlines thanks to his knack of growing super-sized vegetables has died at the age of 82.

Ron Martin, of Kingsmead Avenue, Kingsbury, became a local celebrity after continually producing an enormous plethora of culinary delights including pumpkins, cabbages and runner beans.

The Jamaican-born father-of-one, who worked as a gardener for Barnet Council before he retired, grew his bumper vegetables at his allotment near his home on Townsend Road.

Despite hanging up his professional spade to spend his later years with Brenda, his devoted wife of 54 years, Mr Martin made regular visits to his own private paradise where he would tend to his crops and serenade them with a selection of psalms.

Last December, the Times featured him in our From our Archives feature and he called through to identify himself.

He said: “You name it, I grew it!

“My wife said I spent so much time down at the allotment that she felt I was married to it.”

Recommending his unique method that produced his whopping veggies, he said: “Sing psalms especially ‘All good gifts around’, use plenty of horse manure and don’t scrimp on love and care.”

Mr Martin collapsed while walking home last week and was rushed to Northwick Park Hospital where he sadly died.

His heartbroken wife Brenda told the Times his death has left a huge void in her life.

She said: “I will miss him so dearly, as well as our son, and everyone who knew him.

“It was nice to know he was featured in the Times again shortly before he died.”