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Don't dismiss an idea until you've tried it! I should have known better really, but I was always dubious about the idea of making small pots out of old newspaper. Surely they'll fall apart, I thought, and can't possibly be worth the bother. How

into the recycling bin (hopefully your local authority does collect and recycle a good range of materials), but I'm sure there are still a few gardeners out there who could benefit from doing more.For instance, all cardboard rolls, tubes or egg boxes make great

.An inspiring book I often turn to for ideas is a small paperback by Joy Larkcom called Vegetables from Small Gardens, first published in 1976 – I'm not even sure if it's still in print. Joy introduced me to a lovely concept – the Value for Space Rating (VSR

compost to improve my soil, sprinkling it around newly planted bulbs and divided perennials. And with the cost of gardening forever on the increase I'll save a small fortune on bags of soil improvers and compost from the garden centre.

, or sparrows, which come in small groups, starlings always arrive mob-handed. It's hard counting them, as they're constantly on the move.And exactly what they're feeding on as they peck their way across my lawn is a mystery. Can there really be enough worms

made it impossible to sow seeds directly outside in the garden. The ground was just too wet, making it difficult to prepare the surface soil to sow into. Any small seeds I did endeavour to sow got washed away, wasting time, effort and money

Totting up the value of everything in my garden shed this week, I was amazed at how much it came to. There are the big items like a mower, shredder and pressure washer, then all the smaller things from forks and spades to secateurs, greenhouse

the garden she's like a shadow, following closely in your footsteps to see if she can 'help' in any way.Yes, she does get her nose into everything. That's her nature - inquisitive, bold, nosy, but great company. Thankfully she doesn't eat everything in sight

garden waste, worm bins harness the feeding habits of brandling or tiger worms. These fast-moving worms occur naturally in leaf litter and compost bins, and are different from earthworms. They feed on the kitchen waste my family generate, converting

What a glorious Sunday in the garden yesterday, and driving my daughter to school at 7.30 this morning the temperature was already 23°C and rising. It probably didn't fall much below that all night, and though a bit restless for me the greenhouse