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's these long evening spent leisurely flicking through seed and plant catalogues that are costing me dearly. After a first run-through, the list of 'must have' plants is far too long, so I have to go through again in more detail. This is meant to be a ruthless

There are days nominated to celebrate apples, festivals for tomatoes and chillies, and whole weeks to inform us about bird nesting boxes, trees, allotments and composting ... and this week it's the turn of the conifer.The Association of British

and planting.I've already fished out my seed tin, and have various piles of seeds to sow in month order in the front room. I can’t wait for that steamy, greenhouse scent that will permeate the flat once seed sowing is fully underway. The front room

'll use regularly when I water the plants. Nitrogen-rich feeds, which include chicken and horse manure, encourage leafy growth and height, as opposed to flowers. I'll avoid using potash-rich fertiliser (such as a comfrey, or tomato feed) for now

, and what the needs of your plants will be. If you’re planning to grow crops in there all year round, raise seedlings or overwinter tender plants, you’ll need a spot with maximum light and sunshine, away from frost pockets and cold winds.Discover the six

matting sheet, or use old carpet or old cotton sheets to prevent weeds – cut holes to plant through. This is useful for crops of sweetcorn, outdoor tomatoes, courgettes, pumpkins and squashes.Tips on saving effortUse mulchesSow rows of seeds straight

frost-free, but often that's still only just above zero. My little rudbeckias and antirrhinums – both from the Seed Club 'Blooms for Bees' pack – have been so unhappy they simply stopped growing. Worse, the tomato seedlings turned an ominous shade

the soil deeply and adding organic matter to the surface, veg can safely be planted at two-thirds’ normal spacing with no paths between rows, so you pack lots into the space. You can also use large patio containers for certain crops, or create a decorative