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I really should practice what I preach. What with one thing or another, I haven't harvested my broad beans as regularly as I should have. I blame Paul. It was his job to pick the beans on our last visit to the plot; he obviously harvested

Last week I mentioned that my broad beans were mysteriously free from their usual curse of blackfly. Strictly speaking, blackfly isn't a black fly, but a 'black bean aphid'.And while my broad beans may be free from the pest this year, they normally

cope with this weather - a thermal vest and a good pair of hiking socks does the trick - but my poor little broad bean plants have just gone in the ground and look a bit horrified. Most of thebean seeds sowed directly outside last year failed

After a slow start my runner beans are finally off and away and are producing a late but very welcome crop. At the start of the season I wondered if they were going to get past the first post (or up the first foot or so of cane actually). Slugs

in any one area. I group my crops into legumes (peas and beans), alliums (onions and garlic) roots (carrots, parsnips and beetroot) and brassicas and leafy crops (cabbages, broccoli and rocket). As well as reducing the likelihood of pests and diseases

to leave. The beds dedicated to growing hungry crops, such as beans and courgettes will need plenty of organic matter added, such as garden compost or well-rotted horse manure.Beds dedicated to growing root crops, such as carrots and parsnips will not have

overnight those buds have burst into the prettiest lemon-coloured blooms. I've left them for the moment as I don't need that bed until I put my beans in, which aren't yet big enough to survive the attentions of slugs. After last year's rain there seem

into mush. All those beans, squashes and lettuces that still thought they had some go left in them will have turned up their toes. Hah, their next stop is the compost bin! But the rain was relentless so a quick inspection after work is all I've had time for

, tomatoes, beans and peas. Ornamental plants, especially roses and delphiniums, are also affected. This abnormal growth has been attributed to a weedkiller, which is widely used by farmers on grassland to kill broad-leafed weeds, such as chickweeed, fat hen

crops - they're unstoppable. Everywhere I look, they seem to be lurking in every damp spot, under every leaf and even - to my horror - hanging off bean leaves several feet from the ground. I can't seem to move without finding an enormous slug. I've stood