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It's always good to aim high, isn't it? I had lofty ambitions of getting all my potatoes in last weekend, along with my shallot and onion sets. But it wasn't to be. I literally ran out of steam with an aching back and tired feet.So round two

has been the traditional day for many keen show growers to sow their onion seeds, in a heated propagator in the greenhouse (not in the garden, of course). Do onions really have to be sown on Boxing Day, or could this just be an excuse to escape from

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

Prune out fruited canes on summer-cropping raspberriesPinch out tops of main shoots on outdoor tomato plantsPrune trained forms of fruit treesPick sweetcorn cobsContinue picking plums and freeze any surplus right awayLift and store onions

Many herbal remedies are easy to make at home using home-grown ingredients, providing relief for the symptoms of coughs and colds. This onion and honey solution is a simple remedy for coughs - the onion has antibacterial properties and the honey

Pick plums as they ripenEase onions from the soil with a fork to prepare them for harvestingFinish pruning trained forms of apple trees like cordons, espaliers and fansWater crops regularly, especially during hot weatherLift marrows

Place card collars around the stems of brassicas to prevent an attack of cabbage root flySow pots of herbs such as parsley, coriander and basil Plant out early potatoes, onion sets and shallotsThrow sheets of fleece over fruit trees on frosty nights

bread and chutney one of the great culinary combinations?One of my favourite pickles of all is Delia Smith's spiced pickled runner beans recipe. It's made using runner beans, onions and turmeric.If you want to get cracking and grow your own chutney, now

Plant onion sets in modular trays of compost, raising plants under cover to plant out laterRepair netting on fruit cagesContinue forcing sea kale and chicoryBuy herbs to plant up in containers that you can position near the housePlant out shallots

Sow peas in lengths of guttering under cover, so you can plant out seedlings in an instant rowPlant out onion sets in rows, spacing them about 10-15cm apartCarefully dig away grass or plants growing close to the stems of fruit trees to reduce