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or simply steamed with a knob of butter. Steaming holds the flesh together far better than boiling and keeps the flavour intact.Floury potatoes contain more starch and tend to crumble when cooked, making them perfect for hearty stews and for fluffy roast

A huge plot isn't essential for growing vegetables - in fact, it can be a drawback. A small, intensive, easily managed plot produces far more top quality, usable crops for most busy people. The secret of success is making best use of available space

-in-law’s greenhouse for the winter.Third - and this is very positive news - the frosty snap will have done wonders for your parsnip crop. Parsnips need a bit of cold to give them the wonderful sweetness that makes them the perfect accompaniment to Sunday lunches

in the kettle after making my first brew of the day to melt them. The bracing cold also helps to wake me up! (Note to self: add thermal pyjamas to my Christmas list).6. Complete seed order before ChristmasMy neat pile of 2013 seed catalogues is sitting next

Geoff to save grapes from his vine to make the raisins for his mince pies or Christmas pud either. My memory fails me as to which brother, Geoff or Tony, won most often, but what a wonderful family tradition they enjoyed together.Of course, Boxing Day

Last week, Butterfly Conservation published a report called The State of Britain's Larger Moths 2013. It makes a depressing read, demonstrating a marked decline in the number of our larger moths over the last 40 years. The survey, conducted

the birds, but also make a delicious ketchup.I won’t consider which fruit and vegetables I’ll grow just yet. Perhaps that’s a blog for another week.Which plants would you grow in your dream garden, and why?

such as camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, pieris and more.And do remember that any bulbs, bedding or shrubs planted in pots on your patio can get waterlogged unless the water can drain away freely. Before planting, make sure your pots have adequate holes

they should be tolerated where possible, but there are three factors that make them undesirable residents of garden compost bins: •    they breed like the clappers and gather in large social groups•    they’re extremely clever and expert at tunnelling, so can

cent in the last 10 years alone. But if you have hedgehogs in your area, then it can really help them to make holes under your fence so they can travel between gardens. Put a large log or pile of rocks in your pond so they can exit safely if they fall