I have always believed that you should only write or talk about what you know
Garlic may not be the most obvious crop to plant but it is easy and very worthwhile. You need a huge garden to be self-sufficient in potatoes but only the end of a small raised bed to grow all the garlic you need. And if you eat masses of garlic you can still grow all…
As we enter autumn, it is time to think about planting. In recent years we have tended to forget that autumn is the perfect time for planting and we buy and plant shrubs all year round. But, as we found this summer, it can be difficult to keep newly planted shrubs watered so they get…
Tulips are something of a luxury but, dare I say it, an essential one. I always think I am being extravagant when I buy the rich brown bulbs in autumn and then, when I am enjoying their dazzling blooms in spring, I wish I had not been so mean and wish I had planted more….
It was with great sadness that I heard of the passing of Brian Knight last weekend. I had not seen him for many years but I have very fond memories of him. I am sure this will be shared by an enormous number of people who knew him through his many activities outside his life…
Now the ground is moistened by autumn rains and temperatures are dropping it is time to think about planting bulbs for spring colour. Of all the different bulbs we can grow, daffodils are possibly the best value because they should live and bloom for many years, producing more flowers each season. There are daffodils for…
If you are lucky enough to have an apple tree in the garden you will know that apple season is with us. Of all the fruit we can grow in our gardens, apples are the easiest and best value. It is true that they are an investment, costing a lot more than a packet of…
There are various ways we can keep the colours of summer in our homes over winter. Simply drying flowers is the easiest but not all flowers can be cut, hung up and dried. There are alternatives of course and with some ingenuity a large range of blooms can be preserved. I hate plastic plants and…
It will soon be time to think about spring and buy daffodils, tulips and crocus but, before that, there is a brief opportunity to plant autumn-flowering bulbs. These often get overlooked and the chance to plant them often passes quickly. They need to be planted this month because they bloom in September and October. They…
For some of us, our summer gardens are more or less a thing of the past. Heat and dry weather has put paid to summer flowers. But we need not dwell on the past. Gardeners are always looking to the future. And now is the ideal time to take cuttings and make some free plants….
Last week I promised to tackle tomatoes and what to do to keep them healthy and productive. Everyone plants tomatoes at least once and they have the potential to be productive and delicious. But I can’t ignore the heat of this week and the ongoing drought conditions. You are quite aware of what is going…