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It's been a bumper year for strawberries on the Bathampton plot. Lizzy, Paul and I have been picking for all we're worth and my jam pan has scarcely left the stove.We grow two varieties of strawberry: an early called 'Honeoye' and a later one

I'm the proud owner of two whopping great carnivorous plants. One was a present to my son from his granddad, the other is a rescue plant (much like our rescue cat!).Right now my greenhouse is looking decidedly miserable. My pepper and tomato plants

a plate offering more than green leaves, so a mix of colourful lettuce, red-veined beetroot, thinly sliced circles of white radish, red tomatoes and diced yellow peppers really hits the spot. You can really let your creative, artistic side take over

.More on greenhouse growingRead Kate Bradbury's blog on growing auberginesGrowing tomatoes from seed videoGrowing chilli peppers from seedDamping down your greenhouseBrowse vegetable varieties

When growing edible crops, it is essential to use your plot efficiently, especially if space is limited. It’s no good growing an unusual variety with a tiny yield if it takes up space that could be used for a more productive crop – particularly

. Apricot trees (Prunus ameniaca) grow particularly well there because of the south-western aspect and because, before the invention of the gutter, they got lots of rain - apricots need lots of water to prevent the fruit from splitting.I mention this because

bolts very quickly during hot weather, although the variety called 'Leisure' is worth growing as it's slower to bolt, providing more leafy pickings for longer. If your coriander does flower, you can use the crushed seeds in Indian cookery, but save some

are swelling, garlic bulbs fattening nicely, and the first chillies and peppers almost ready for the kitchen.With the 'grow your own' year now in full swing, and more crops coming on stream each week, you begin to appreciate just how much can be grown, and how

attentive to plants, especially those in pots, baskets and growing bags. If compost is allowed to dry out plants soon suffer, and then the damage is done.Working gardeners away from home all day need to adopt growing plans that take the strain out

into the greenhouse sooner. The leaves have become slightly downturned – a classic response to cold weather. However, the plant is probably salvageable.Some plants, though, have hardly been affected at all. My small pepper plant is still sturdy and going strong