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I'm forever sowing vegetable seeds at the moment, and when I'm not sowing vegetable seeds I'm pricking out seedlings, both on my allotment and on the vegetable patch at work.I always seem to be behind, however, and last year I completely forgot

After a good few years of vegetable growing I would go so far as to say that I know a thing or two about onions and their cultivation. For instance I know that onions are prone to a nasty fungal disease called 'white rot' and I know exactly what

and March.I'm well aware that the more responsible and organised vegetable gardeners will be shaking their heads and tutting - I bet the likes of Adam Pasco and Pippa Greenwood had their garlic tucked up in its beds months ago - but I know I'm not the only

organic matter added to them. The richness of manured soil causes the roots to fork, becoming terrifically deformed and a nightmare to prepare for the pot. But they are really good for the kids' 'make an animal from a vegetable' competitions.My root beds

and provide a lovely, springy, dry surface to walk on. This means I don't need to don my wellies if I've just nipped up to harvest a few vegetables for lunch.You can't top dress beds with fresh wood chips as they leach nitrogen from the soil during

I know I'm in danger of becoming a bit of a bore, raving on about my winter vegetables - but they have been truly marvellous. So it felt sad to harvest my final leeks this week. What a fine specimen I had left until last - tall, straight and pale

the lid off the frame if I leave them much longer.Their ample growth has caused some chuckles among the other plot holders, but I must confess to being rather proud to have grown mustards that could be entered in a giant vegetable contest. You can

-sized vegetable that could be seen from space. I wouldn't mind so much if marrows weren't so tasteless, but they're not a patch on sweet courgettes. After years of inadvertent marrow production, I've discovered a good Sophie Grigson marrow soup recipe,and marrow

, while improving its structure and water-retaining ability.But this year there's a problem. The RHS Members' Advisory Service has received a high number of calls from gardeners reporting abnormal growth of various vegetable crops, including potatoes

sketch of the plot, including all the beds and other growing spaces. I photocopy this plan every year and write in which vegetable crops I'll be growing in each bed. I take care to check the plan I drew for the previous three years to make sure I