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More on growing peas and other legumesFollow Monty Don's video guide on sowing sweet peasAdvice on dealing with pea and bean weevilWatch Chris Beardshaw's video on growing climbing beansHow to plant out runner beans

as if it's been the year of the slug, it was rather gratifying to see how successful Pippa's beer traps have been! I have also struggled all summer to get my head round growing beans for drying and when to pick them.You actually leave them to dry

off in summer.
Chives, which refuse to grow in my shady garden; I miss them in potato salads.
Borlotti beans, for drying and storing in jars, then adding to winter stews. Butternut squash and several varieties of pumpkin, for hearty autumn soups

I've a confession to make: my efforts at growing veg in pots, as part of this year's Grow Yourself Healthy campaign, haven't been a great success. The French beans I sowed indoors germinated well, but as soon as I moved the pot outside, Sid

Monty DonGrowing runner beansHow to plant brassicas

on growing parsnipsGrowing carrots in a container - video project with Monty DonMonty gives advice on growing early potatoesPlanting brassicasGrowing runner beans

with the easy crops I've mentioned above, then expand their horizons with broccoli, carrots, sweet peppers, peas, sweet corn, beans and courgettes. So you're giving them several things all in one go: the freshest, tastiest food, veg-growing know-how, fun

, the young shoots need clipping two or three times during the growing season. Dig out lawn weeds, such as daisies and dandelions Watch out for greenfly and blackfly on developing plantsCollect hellebore seeds from ripe podsAround the gardenPlant out

Sow quick salads in guttering Keep a regular supply of salad leaves by sowing seeds in lengths of plastic guttering, cut to the length of your veg beds, and filled with good compost. When the seeds germinate, you can grow them on for 2-4 weeks

Plenty of salad crops can grow outside in winter, if given a little protection. In early autumn, the soil is still warm enough to sow seeds direct, while plug plants or seedlings planted out will establish quickly.Choose hardy varieties of your