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I’m a big fan of raspberries, which are the most reliable of all the soft fruit crops that I grow. My soil is heavy and alkaline, and I’ve found that autumn-fruiting raspberries last much longer in it than summer-fruiting varieties. So now I stick

Following my recent blog Top 10 plants for a dream garden, I’m expanding the wishlist to include fruit and veg. I think it’s good to have a goal, no matter how distant it may seem.I like to think that if I have a decent-sized garden, with room for a

weather.Pumpkins have female and male flowers. Males only last a day, so remove them as they fade to reduce the risk of grey mould. if sun levels are low, take out leaves overshadowing the fruits (take out all that have mildew) as this encourages ripening

it would get from the growing bag alone. The result is vigorous, productive plants, and compost that remains moist helps reduce fruit splitting. Ready-made ring culture pots cost about £10 for three, but they can easily be made from 20cm pots.Growing bag20

, but hates the shade of my current plot.A crab apple, in the hope that I can cultivate mistletoe on it.A large patch of nettles, for butterflies and ladybirds.Hawthorn, for its spring blossom, hedging potential and autumn berries. The fruits not only feed

Unlike the more familiar radish, which is grown for it's roots, the rat's tail radish is harvested for it's crunchy pods. They resemble chillies, but taste like a young rooted radish. Rat's tail radishes are quick to mature - you can expect to harvest your crop within six weeks.R...

New Year’s Eve. A defining moment, the joys and traumas of Christmas behind us and the blank page of 2013 stretching ahead like a freshly hoovered carpet. The question is whether, for us gardeners, that carpet will be lush shag pile or meagrely

We've been enjoying potatoes since the late 16th century when Spanish conquistadors brought them back from Peru.There are three main types, named according to when you plant and harvest them: first earlies, second earlies and maincrop. Depending on where you live, you can plant p...

Sugar snap peas score top marks for taste and texture. As with so many crops, home-grown sugar snaps are much sweeter and juicier than anything you can buy in a shop. You can grow them in large containers as well as in beds, as long as they're kept well watered. A fairly sheltere...

.The competition was fierce as a lot was at stake – their pride. As well as the usual produce from potatoes, carrots, parsnips and peas to the essential Brussels sprouts, I’m sure I remember Geoff mentioning walnuts and other fruits. I wouldn’t have put it past