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them tightly each eveningBring dormant cyclamen in pots back into growth by wateringClear out old crops and growing bags, adding material to the compost heapStop watering pots of begonia, gloxinia, achimene, gloriosa, eucomis and other summer bulbs

platter of sandwiches. We both agreed that we felt a craving for greenery at this time of year.It might be too cold to grow your own salad leaves in the garden right now, but I'm tucking into lettuce, baby spinach, rocket leaves and a whole lot more

done, I forked a barrow load into the now-empty greenhouse bed and began seed sowing. First, I direct-sowed lamb's lettuce, then sowed 'Arctic King', 'Winter Gem' and the greenhouse lettuce 'Rosetta', which I've not tried before, into modules.Next, I

Plant out lettuce There's no secret to growing salad crops - just keep planting a little and often and you'll guarantee yourself continuous fresh leaves to add crunch and flavour to your meals. Homegrown salads are tastier, too, than anything you

new canes about 15cm apartUse soapy sprays at the first signs of greenfly and blackflyThin out congested fruits on apples and plums - the remaining fruits will grow far larger if competition is reducedSow seeds now: lettuce, rocket, beetroot, dwarf

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

Shorten sideshoots growing from the framework of espalier, fan and cordon-trained fruit trees back to about five leaves from their basePick fresh herbs for dryingPick gooseberries, currants, strawberries and other fruits as they ripenSupport heavily

FlowersPlant new fruit trees, canes and bushesUse cloches to warm soil for early sowingsPrepare areas for planting asparagusFruit & vegRaise lettuce and salad crops in potsWater potted fuchsias sparingly Prune grapevines before they come into growthGreenhouse20

something of a mollusc free-for-all at night. Then just pick them off the piles in the morning.You could grow a sacrificial offering, perhaps a tasty lettuce or two, in your borders, and ensure you regularly pick off the culprits.Encourage natural predators

next year. So here are my allotment New Year resolutions for 2009:I must grow crops that don't require regular picking as I don't live close enough to the plot to get there more than a couple of times a week. That's just not enough to harvest runner