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It's been a great year for stone fruit crops, apparently, with commercial cherry growers reporting bumper harvests. We have a couple of cherry trees here, but I've yet to taste a ripe fruit from them – the birds always get there first. I know we

-sized tomatoes and need staking and growing in large pots or growing bags (three plants per bag). Bush types may be grown in smaller containers and usually produce cherry tomatoes and don't need staking. Popular cordon types are 'Moneymaker' and 'Gardeners

these are cropping), tomatoes (especially the cherry types which are pop-in-the mouth fodder and perfect for picnics and lunch boxes). The result? They ate even more of their favourite fruits and vegetables.If your children aren't keen to eat fruit and veg, start

This year I'm determined to only grow one variety of tomato. This is because my garden was overrun with tomato plants last year and I couldn't get onto my patio for growing bags and poorly staked cordons. So 2011 will see a more streamlined effort

I'm beginning to wonder whether growing old heirloom or heritage varieties of vegetables is really worthwhile. My tomato 'Snow White Cherry', sold as a heritage variety by many companies, was a real disappointment this year, and I wish I'd grown

visiting people loaded with large punnets of the things. All the varieties I've grown this year have performed extremely well; even the beefsteaks, which often produce just a few fruits, all inclined to split. The numerous cherry varieties are positively

Sometimes wildlife crosses the line between welcome resident and unwanted nuisance. Perhaps it's my own fault for providing temptation, but when you grow your own fruit there's always something tempting on offer.Blackbirds certainly have an instinct

Good morning and happy 'Grow Your Own' Week to you all.There are, I have to admit, many other gardeners who are hotter on vegetable growing than me. Give me herbaceous borders and I can muddle through and make them look pretty good, but when

for eating in salads, some for using in sauces and some for roasting. My aubergines will be so plentiful, I won’t need to buy any again (no matter how many aubergine parmigianas I make). I’ll grow enough garlic to hang in plaits around my kitchen and my

.I love the way home-grown salads start off as a meagre collection of leaves in spring, then steadily grow as tomatoes, broad beans and other ingredients are ready to harvest. The watercress growing in my pond is always the first leaf crop I pick, followed