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soil as possible and store the energy-packed tubers in a dry, frost-free place until spring. I have decided to try a bit of an experiment this year and am going to leave some of my dahlia tubers in the ground. Instead of digging them up, I will cover

through my Seasonal Checklist…1. Wrap pots or bring insideI’ve lost count of the number of terracotta pots I’ve lost in recent years that have been cracked and damaged by frost. To avoid adding more to the tally I’m emptying any not in use and storing them

at Christmas when relatives out-stay their welcome. But as a gardener my shed is entirely functional... no stove, no bookshelf, no biscuits, just the tools of the trade.One of the previous owners of my house was an Italian family, and Gino, the father

and store them in underground larders for later consumption.So far, there is only one molehill in my garden, so I hope that it looked around, didn’t think much of the surroundings and legged it somewhere else. Otherwise I may have to do something. There's a

As seed catalogues drop through my letterbox as predictably as falling autumn leaves, I face a dilemma. Each one is a veritable candy store, packed with sweets and treats to savour. I know what I like, and which varieties have performed well for me

the weather forecast to see what's in store for later in the week, but with Wimbledon in full swing surely we can expect rain!But if rain doesn't arrive it really is done to the gardener to make up for the shortfall. A friend of mine took on an allotment

, leading to flooding. If every building had a green roof - be it an office block or garden bin store - much of this water would be absorbed before it even hit the ground.My shed has a tiny, steep roof, so we needed to make sure any soil that was added

and there are flurries of snow whipping off the roofs, and a rather disgruntled chicken is scuffling about like a well-wrapped babushka haggling in a street market in Minsk.Gardeners are obsessed with weather. It’s often too dry, too wet, too cold, too hot, not snowy