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I suppose I am very, very lucky to have known Geoffrey Smith and worked with him, but right now I just feel sad. Somthing is now missing for me, and indeed I know for many millions of us. Gardening has lost its Head Gardener.Geoffrey was better than

of Gardeners’ Question Time, talks endlessly about his apple press. His evangelism has converted me to presses, which are a wonderful way to use up those less-than-perfect fruits.You can press the whole apple, but I always chop mine in half, to check

to start early because although there is now a tremendous crop on some of the Prunus spinosa that we planted shortly after we moved here (the excuse was that it is of course, a great native hedging plant!).Those by the footpath will be cleared of all fruit

's not just about fruit harvests, pumpkins and squashes, but also rust fungi.But here's the problem: rust fungi thrive when there's a lot of surface moisture about, and it hasn't rained for ages. The only moisture on the grass is from the morning dew. So can

Every now and then I’m asked to host a gardening cruise, and I’ve just returned from the most recent, to Madeira. I’m pleased to report that the fantastically floral island was just as lovely as on my previous visit, years ago.Madeira is one of my

I know that gardeners in other areas of the country have been blessed with proper, sustained downpours, but no such luck here. My only experience of rain in recent weeks was during a (very enjoyable) visit to Garden Show Ireland at Hillsborough

second crop from early fruiting plants. I’m hoping the heat will prompt a little more growth of my pumpkins, and will ripen my new Cape gooseberries (Physalis peruviana). And if I’m lucky, the sun will dry out the soil surface and frazzle the slugs