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It’s been a traumatic week. We're down to the last of the home-grown potatoes, (King Edwards, and very nice they are too), and we've also just lifted the last few parsnips from the plot. It's always a sad time, as it's so long until we'll be able to

and parsnips shot into glorious growth, triumphant at having survived the frosts and the cold. I left them to it, I was busy sowing seeds, getting the potatoes chitted and planted, and preparing the beds. Before I knew it, the leeks and a solitary parsnip were

harvested potatoes, and sorting them into bags. But my approach to ornamental crops is much more random and haphazard: I just notice what has done well and what has been disappointing.This year, the pelargoniums growing in containers near our front steps

, but it is heartening to see the sun when it does come out. Tomorrow, anticipating the arrival of spring, I will pay a visit the garden centre. Included on my shopping list will be seed potatoes, which are sold loose, by the kilo, enabling me to buy the exact amount I

. This is probably not one of the soil-dwelling species, and is more likely one of the very many others that breed in dead wood, fallen branches, logs, tree stumps and sodden raised bed timbers. A gentle recycler, rather than a potato fiend.Along with it was a small

I'm sure there has been research done on how the colour of food affects our attitude to it. If it looks good then it hopefully tastes good too, but who wants to eat blue potatoes, purple carrots or orange cauliflowers?When it comes to salads I want

. As in potatoes, not Cabaret (“What use is chitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play....). Leave them on a windowsill and let them sprout.7. Tulip saxatalis: The earliest tulip. Very different to the rather gorgeous spring numbers I was talking about a

, the process is complete.AdamAvoid sickly plants, such as brassicas, if they have clubroot, and blight-ridden potato and tomato plants.Autumn is a good time to either dig your compost into the soil, or spread it on the surface, allowing winter frosts to break

Like tomatoes, aubergines are members of the solanum, or potato family. Aubergines must be sown early (February to March) and kept in a warm, sheltered spot to ensure a good crop. Although they can be grown outside in milder areas of the country

it with 10 parts water, to use as a fertiliser.AdamAdd fruit and vegetable peelings, cooked veg (except potatoes), shredded paper, cardboard and newspaper, crushed egg shells, tea leaves and coffee, but avoid meat and dairy products, lawn clippings, citrus