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I've been spring cleaning. The greenhouse, of course, not the house. Somehow the lure of the compost and seed trays was much greater than that of the vacuum cleaner and duster.Our heavy clay soil has been sodden and unworkable, so the greenhouse

display is lovely, but there is a problem I need to address. The soil along the drive is thin and inclined to get compacted, and some clumps are rather congested. A few bulbs are producing leaf and no flower, a phenomenon known as  'blindness'. But, if I

accessible source of pollen for bees and hoverflies. If left into into winter, the papery brown seed heads look beautiful when covered in dense frost.Apart from the addition of extra grit to my heavy soil, keeping my alliums has been easy. Despite frequent

by magnesium deficiency, with others resulting from too alkaline a soil.I found it fascinating and just want to apologise to  all those who were turned away from the potting shed door when we ran out of time!

this the easiest way of levering each root system out of the soil, with as little damage as possible. Hopefully, with my high-tech tools of aluminium foil and pencil, my seedlings will do well. And how could they not? I nestled each seed into pre-warmed compost

wherever and whenever I can. Also, I’ve enriched my heavy soil with moisture retentive manure and compost, and applied a mulch. My thirstier crops are situated in slight dips, to increase their chances of receiving whatever surface water is available. But I

oxalis, which I'm ever-so-carefully easing out of the soil, as the tiny bulbils can break off, ready to burst into new growth. The result of all my hard efforts to tame these rampant weeds is that I'm behind with my successional veg sowing. Please

’re showing their autumn colour, you’ll have the best idea of their potential.Autumn is the ideal time to plant deciduous trees and shrubs. Warm soil and moisture promote good root-development, helping plants to settle in before harsh winter weather. A

At this time of year it’s all too easy to stay indoors and become a couch potato. When I do venture into the garden, my fingers ache with the cold and the ground is so slippery I can barely stay upright. I can’t even warm up by working the soil

of the driveway, are probably failing to flower because the soil is compacted by cars, delivery trucks and passing pedestrians.I’m sure that, with a little extra care, the blind daffodils will flower next year. I’ll surround them with a barrier of canes and twine