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It suddenly feels like summer is gone! The days are shorter almost overnight and there's that autumnal nip in the air of a morning, which is making me think that my summer harvests are going to start drawing to a close very quickly. There was even a frost here the other day - wel...

I can't believe it's September already! There's even a hint of autumn in the air, the holly berries are starting to turn and there have been heavy dewfalls overnight as well. Still at least the dew has saved me from rushing up to the plot and watering too often!It's all starting ...

I'm always rather staggered by Jerusalem artichokes. Firstly, by their impressive and evocative name; it makes me think of exotic locations with correspondingly interesting cuisine and highly sought-after seasonal foods of subtle flavour. Secondly by their sheer size! Jerusalem a...

After a seemingly endless period of dismal drear (probably only a few days in reality but it felt like it went on for a decade), we finally made it to the plot on a cold, crisp frosty day. Everything crunched underfoot rather beautifully and woolly hat and socks were de rigueur f...

Now the chaos of Christmas is over, I can settle down to some serious shopping. In January and February I like to get all my seed and plant orders underway; it's usually the perfect weather to stay indoors, warm and cosy, contemplating the season to come.I do an awful lot of shop...

We're having a grim January, with rain, rain and more rain and the plot is something of a quagmire. And what did I tell you about my plans to do masses of hard labour up on the plot? You might not be surprised to hear they've come to nought.So this week I'm improving my soil with...

I love the first harvest of the new season - it's so welcome after the long dark winter. For a while now, I've been harvesting winter veg, such as leeks, kale and cabbage. These stalwarts of the plot have meant we've had fresh veg for soups and winter roasts when there's been not...

It may have been a lousy summer for growing many crops but the wet weather bodes well for my compost.It's always 'alright' rather than 'wonderful', unlike the stuff I make at work, which is always lovely: friable, richly dark and full of worms, just as the books say it should be....

I've been drying out onions to prepare them for storage. This batch was lifted - from sodden beds - during the non-stop rains of late-July, then spread in a single layer on crates and mushroom boxes in the shed. Ordinarily, I would have left them out on sun-baked earth in the hot...

If your shed is anything like mine, it could probably do with a jolly good clear out. My shed becomes the repository for all sorts of bits and bobs through the summer months. Netting, canes, saved seeds, old labels and pots, a half-eaten packet of well-past-their-best Jaffa cakes...