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The practice of reducing the number of plants in a bed or container to provide more room for growth. In fruit production, to reduce the crop of fruitlets early on in order to produce larger fruits for harvest.

Watch Monty Don's step-by-step video guide to growing garlic in autumn, ready for harvesting in midsummer, with advice on planting depth, spacing and how to choose the best bulbs.OctoberMore advice on growing garlicRead Lila Das Gupta's blog

Finish summer pruning trained forms of apple and pear trees Harvest apples, pears, plums and gages as they ripenSave seeds from good varieties of beans, herbs and tomatoes that you've enjoyed this yearPot up herbs to use in winterPrune out fruited

Monty Don demonstrates how to plant out leeks without damaging their roots, offering advice on planting depths and watering frequency.summerMore video advice growing vegetablesPlanting out leek plugs.Growing courgettes.Harvesting carrots

Monty Don demonstrates how to plant out leek plants from plugs to grow smaller, more tender leeks.summerMore video advice on growing vegetablesPlanting out leeks.Growing carrots in a container.Growing early potatoes.Harvesting garlic.

Follow Monty Don's guide to planting onions, shallots and garlic, with tips on soil preparation, drainage and compost.springMore advice on growing alliumsRead Lila Das Gupta's blog on growing garlicHarvesting garlicPlanting out leeks

Monty Don demonstrates how to plant heritage variety shallots in a container, offering advice on drainage and planting depths.springMore advice on growing alliumsHow to harvest garlicGrowing onions and garlicPlanting out leeksTips on growing garlic

of soil. As the plants grow, cover them with more soil, aiming to eventually fill the trench.Keep newly planted crowns well watered until established and ensure the area is kept weed free to prevent competition for light and nutrients. Avoid harvesting

Keep harvesting root vegetables as they mature, including parsnips and leeksOrder seed potatoes, onion sets and shallotsStretch netting over brassicas to protect them from pigeonsCover clumps of rhubarb with buckets or terracotta pots to force early

Dig over veg plots, mixing compost into the soil as you goContinue filling a trench with kitchen waste where you want to grow beansCover rhubarb with forcing jars for an early harvestUse cloches to warm the soil for early sowingsPlant new fruit