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trays, compost or propagators. Just clear the soil, forking it over to remove debris, weeds or larger stones and get sowing. I use sand from the kids' sandpit to mark out separate areas for each type of seed, and sow in rough rows to make subsequent

to get to grips with some compacted soil around the raspberries, they were preparing the ground for planting. I soon noticed that the last of my sweet peas in pots had disappeared (they should of course have been planted out ages ago). I found them

see them most summers - I was devastated one year when we saw none, but the following year they were back.We go on regular family outings to a nearby plant-covered mound of soil, which seems to be a five-star glow-worm night spot. The thrill of seeing

The sun is shining, I can't believe it, and I'm pretty sure my plants can't believe it either! The warmer soil and increased light intensity have made a massive difference to my garden. Only now, towards the end of September has my vegetable plot

the best time to buy and plant trees for autumn colour. Not only are the leaves starting to change colour, giving you some indication of what the tree will look like in your garden, but the planting conditions are perfect, too. The soil is still warm from

I've never been much of a lawn buff. Mine is definitely more of a patch of grass than a lawn, but even I am worried by the state of it at the moment. The wet summer and autumn and cold, wet winter have caused a lot of damage. And our heavy clay soil

. Forking the soil over with the hens in the plot is a slow process - one likes to hitch a ride on the fork's tines! But I’m hoping I notice a reduction in the number of garden pests this year. The recent cold weather will have helped kill off a few bugs

and expertise it takes to get fruit trees ready and trained to this level.Once new trees are bought and planted in newly enriched soil, you can look forward to the first crop in a few years time. If you’re intending to buy new fruit trees this spring, I

hungry hens and position her in front of it. This way, the hen gets to do all the hard work, and gets a tasty treat. It's a real joy to watch her pecking at the soil, and within minutes there's not an ant in sight.Bearing in mind that ants release formic

with a flurry of "aaah, but they've got the climate", let me assure you that while we were in the lovely place we rented, we tried to keep the plants in the garden going. It was an uphill struggle, as the soil was extremely dry and the sun was often