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hat and socks were de rigueur for the appropriately attired allotmenteer. And, admittedly a week later than scheduled, the great tidy up began.As I predicted, everything had been turned to mush by the previous frosts; courgette plants, squashes, beans

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

.Types to sow now include crimson clover, fenugreek, field lupins - even broad beans. They germinate and grow quickly and reduce weed growth. Flowering varieties even attract bees and beneficial insects.Nothing could be simpler, and the green manures help break

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

, on the other side of me, has a veritable riot of sweet peas rambling all over a bamboo cane plant support. My plot might be lush and colourful with runner bean blooms and courgette flowers, but it does lack that splash of summery colour. Besides which, a few

beans and courgettes, which produce inedible, gargantuan produce at the earliest opportunity.I must grow more vegetables that are suitable for storing. Potatoes, butternut squashes, onions and shallots are great storers. They're no trouble to grow

a whole list of the beans, courgettes, pumpkins and other crops that they had destroyed in her garden. Oops.I have to be slightly more circumspect with my comments these days. But when, during that lovely warm sunny burst on Monday afternoon, I found

the crop rotation plan I formulated earlier in the season.I'm already flouting my New Year resolution to abstain from growing crops that require regular picking. That would mean no beans, French or otherwise, no courgettes and no fresh peas. I really can

out for onions to be planted in it this spring. So that's where they are.In this lovely firm bed that was originally intended for beans, I've planted 50 odd sets of an F1 onion variety called Hercules. It's supposed to store well, which is just what I

as their root systems aren't that big. The same applies to seedlings, but for lots of plants it's also essential to water them when they're in flower and early fruit set, as this helps to increase the size of your crop. Potatoes, beans and peas and most fruits