September can be a funny month weather wise in the UK, you may notice the late summer days are becoming shorter, but the warmth usually hangs around for a few weeks before autumn arrives towards the end of the month. So, while the dry weather lasts there are still a few tasks you can carry […]

Hedges if well maintained can really finish off a garden, they provide structure and privacy as well as a welcome home to hedgehogs and nesting birds. Which hedge grows the quickest?  The elegant Leylandii has the quickest growth rate of approx. 75 – 90cm per year. If you plant it between November and February, it will need less water […]

1# Harvesting – Throughout September and October the apples and pears will need harvesting. You will know they are ready when the weather turns blustery resulting in a windfall of fruit on the floor. None of these will store well so use them to make chutneys and wine or leave a bucket at your gateway […]

1# Harvesting – Early sowings of onions and potatoes may be ready to harvest now. Wait until the tops have flopped over and look faded and dry. Pick the potatoes as you need them making sure to cover with soil any that you leave for another day –otherwise the daylight will turn their skin green […]

Start growing veg on your allotment Once you get your allotment, your first task is to completely clear it of weeds, count yourself lucky if you get to take over a working allotment, most people inherit an empty, overgrown or abandoned plot. Once you have cleared your new allotment, it’s time to sit down with […]