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novice veg growers make is to take on too much. When you are short of free time, restrict yourself to a small salad patch, a raised bed or some tubs of veg on the patio watered by a home-made irrigation system. Few of us have time to grow absolutely

.To grow good veg you need a sheltered site that gets full sun for at least half the day, with deep, fertile, well-drained soil that has been enriched with organic matter. Deep beds – the original no-dig technique – are perfect for small gardens; by working

Growing pumpkins is easy and great fun. Pumpkins are rampant growers so they benefit from a large root run, plenty of moisture and regular feeding. For this reason, they are best grown in the open ground, or a large half barrel. When planning your

Alys Fowler's top 10 veg plantsWith increased awareness of organic farming, food miles and healthy eating, many more people are trying their hand at growing vegetables. We caught up with Alys Fowler at the Chelsea Flower Show for some tips

Tying in climbers, tall perennials and trained shrubs and fruit bushes needs to be done when the stems are soft and pliable. When shoots are growing quickly in spring and summer, they may have to be tied in to their support once a week. Take care

to their baseFlowersGrow early-maturing potatoes in a bag of compostFork compost into beds to prepare soil for plantingChit potatoes Fruit & vegSow cucumbers, tomatoes, aubergines and peppersWater compost with a suitable pesticideSow summer bedding plants

from pinks (Dianthus)Prune philadelphus after floweringFlowersWater beans and pick them regularlyTransplant brassica seedlings to their final positionsLift early potatoes and shallots as they matureFruit & vegTake cuttings of zonal and regal

and plumsTie in new raspberry canes to support wiresFruit & vegPinch out tomato sideshoots developing from the stemFit automatic vent openers to help control air flow Tie in tomato shoots to their supports, and water dailyGreenhouse 30 minutesDiscover how

, cutting back whippy sideshootsWater plants in pots and basketsFlowersCheck sweetcorn to see if it's ripe and ready to pickPick beans and water crops regularlyLift onions once their tops die downFruit & vegBuy pansies and other winter bedding plug plants

as they ripenEase onions from the soil with a forkFinish pruning trained forms of apple treesFruit & vegPlant prepared hyacinth bulbs in special hyacinth vases Sow parsley in modular traysWater crops in growing bags and potsGreenhouse30 minutesLearn how to layer