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wins.Before the introduction of the potato to Europe in 1536, the parsnip was a much more mainstream vegetable than it is now. Parsnips are pretty easy to grow by sowing directly into the ground around March and April - dig the ground well as lumps

in the sun. Everything was wrapped in a frozen overcoat. Will the plants survive? Most will, but like every adventurous gardener I push the boundaries of my gardening and grow a range of plants you would describe as having 'borderline hardiness'. Only time

tray to keep moist. Within weeks beautiful well-rooted plants had developed, ready for planting directly outside without risk of disturbing the rootball.Following this success I've tried growing other crops in newspaper pots, including beans

As someone who is potty about wildlife gardening, I was more than a little happy to learn that biodiversity was the central theme at this year's Malvern Spring Gardening Show. Between now and Sunday there's plenty to keep gardeners and wildlife

unheated greenhouse before the temperature drops too much. In winter the worms can die of cold and the contents of the bins can even freeze solid. Wormeries don’t need to be put in a heated place; it’s enough to avoid freezing conditions. Some gardeners

problem with spider mite last winter, but it’s best to err on the side of caution.This virtuous activity is always very satisfying, and makes me feel prepared for the year ahead. Roll on 2013, and a productive growing season!

New Year’s Eve. A defining moment, the joys and traumas of Christmas behind us and the blank page of 2013 stretching ahead like a freshly hoovered carpet. The question is whether, for us gardeners, that carpet will be lush shag pile or meagrely

. Sarcococca hookeriana: I drove to Devon last week with nine of these in the back of my car. The scent was amazing and, even though the plants are now happily planted in a client’s garden, the smell is still there. Plant them close to pathways6. Chitting

anything too deeply - especially plants like this violet that is making the effort to grow already.As I have said before I make a lot of compost here but there is never enough to mulch the whole garden so, every other year I buy a trailer load of the stuff

Evergreen trees and shrubs are tricky. They are a very important part of our gardens at this time of year, but they need to be used with great care and a light touch.I'm thinking about this at the moment because I'm planting a new woodland for a