Early in the month, while the soil is still cold, is the perfect time to get sowing in the greenhouse. Heavier soils in particular are going to take time to warm up. Frost tender crops like Aubergine, celery, peppers, sweet corn, French and runner beans, courgettes, squashes and other tender vegetables can all be germinated […]

I write this month’s diary to the sound of a birdsong, with warm sunshine streaming through the office window. Fantastic! After a dark and dreary winter, it looks like spring is finally its way and that’s great news for us all! It is amazing how sunshine and a little warmth lifts the spirits, add the […]

This winter has been like the winters of old with snow and chilling winds. The last few days of January have been horrible in Hertfordshire, damp, raw and shrouded by grey sky from dawn until dusk. A friend of mine said it was like living under a Tupperware bowl, I’ve never done it but sure […]

At long last winter has relaxed its icy grip, for a few days at least! Temperatures plunged to -10C in this part of Hertfordshire and have been much lower in other parts of Britain, on what is the coldest December on record. I hope that your greenhouse heater didn’t break down at a critical time. […]

This is the month when temperatures dip so you need to protect cold frames and cloches with insulation, winter crops like lambs lettuce are certainly hardy enough to survive but added protection will certainly increase their quality. Open the vents in your greenhouse as long as possible on mild sunny days, shutting them down before […]

One thing that seems to preoccupies us even more than ever, is the weather. Rather than global warming, we seem to be confronted by erratic weather patterns – more of a climate change. Several nights in October were the coldest ever recorded yet in the first week in November, parts of the UK are expecting […]

Many parts of Britain have already experienced their first frosts – they were even recorded in Devon on the third week in September, according to Anne Swithinbank. It was a gentle reminder that we must be ready for harsher weather which will be on its way, as we edge further into October. I‘m waiting to […]

Ahh! September, the month of lawn maintenance! After a long period of drought over the summer, it will certainly be needed this year. If you have a small lawn, rake out the ‘thatch’ or dead grass and moss that has accumulated over the mowing season with a wire rake, if your lawn is larger, hire […]

It may not be sunny but it is still very dry. The lawn is parched and cracked, yet there is still plenty to do, even in this traditionally quiet month, when gardeners concentrate on weed control and harvesting. Now is a good time to clean and paint garden furniture and fencing while the weather is […]

As you can see from the picture, with the ongoing dry weather, my lawn is parched and patchy, yet there’s no doubt that grass has a phenomenal will to live! Around the world from the Steppes to Africa, parched grasslands transform themselves miraculously, as soon as the rain appears. So don’t bother to water your […]

After several weeks of patient waiting, my tomato plants are now well established. Once the first truss appears, I’ll be transplanting them into 12” pots, to give the soil in the greenhouse border a rest. It’s advisable to change the soil every three or four years, so devise your own rotation system. Try growing them […]