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.Then I focus my attention on potatoes. Yes, it's potato time again; over the past week or so I've been lifting the last of the earlies and second earlies to store in the garage at home. The earlies are getting beyond 'new' potato stage - in fact

them off for good. Which is right now, sigh.Inspired by the discovery that it's Herb Day in the USA on Saturday 13th October (check out this blog: www.topveg.com for chitchat about herbs and herb day) I've been doing a spot of research as to how I

in my knowledge, a veritable chasm which I'm a bit ashamed to admit. Here we go...I'm not sure how to store onions correctly. Previously I've grown them at work and the chefs have used them as if they're going out of fashion. On the plot I've tended

wasted.Later in October I'll be able to start picking other varieties (I've about 10 in all), including Cox, that have also cropped really well this year. These later ripening varieties do store much better, so I set them out in wooden, stacking trays

, which is causing me some concern as we do not have a cold store here to hold them back. Our floral displays are exactly how they would be in the garden, except that each plant will have been minutely prepared before leaving the farm.Woad, Isatis

the tubers being eaten away by vine weevil grubs. None of my begonias has survived. Next autumn I'll remember to empty out the pots, clean up the tubers, and store them in clean dry compost for winter instead.

garlicky home-made pesto. But there's plenty left and it needs to be stored, so I have set to plaiting it. Yes, proper Frenchman-on-a-bicycle-style garlic plaits, and great fun I've been having, too. The first time I sat down to have a go, I was filled

that within 10 days they will be back to their original rich emerald hue.The green shieldbug (Palomena prasina) is, of course, green, except that it isn't during winter. Nobody seems exactly sure what is going on, but they start to turn brownish purple

queen wasp making a nest in the shed. Much as I like wasps, and no matter how long I bang on about them being 'the gardener's friends' - helpful, interesting and attractive - I can't have a nest of 10 thousand of them guarding the rakes and spades