Skirret? Hang on, wasn’t he inside left for that rugby team… or is it a small village near Halifax? Or an item of Victorian horse harness? The name sounds vaguely familiar, but you can’t place it, yet another of those ‘What’s that….’ pub quiz questio

It’s that time of year when the Muddies are let in from the plot (Boots Off Please Muddies!), and settle down with a nice cup of tea to browse through the latest catalogues, each one a veritable Aladdin’s cave of edible delights. So what has been cat

The Ashbourne Road and District Allotments (ARDAA) is a forward-thinking allotment site made up of a great assortment of individuals. In September 2018 the Potty Plotters (Radio Derby’s Elaine Crick and Julia Slater) and resident allotmenteers hosted

■ Clean terracotta pots are nice to work with and take the paint well. ■ The paint suitable for using on terracotta is acrylic or look for Patio Paint in little bottles. These come in an amazing range of colours. Most DIY or craft stores will have a

One of the chilli varieties that particularly impressed me in 2019 was ‘Machu Pichu’, a relatively fleshy, oblong chilli with fruits that start off green and then turn a distinctively dark brown colour, with the skin wrinkling as they mature. Having

In an ideal world, plants grow healthily but unfortunately pests and diseases are always ready to thwart our best endeavours. In this new series we identify a common pest or disease each month and offer advice on what you can do Apple canker Neonectr

You might already be sick and tired of hearing these lyrics by John Lennon by the time you read this article. Happy Xmas (War is Over) will have been playing nonstop on every radio, shopping centre soundtrack and TV advert for the past two months. Th

The new year is here and we gardeners are inundated with fantastic seed catalogues and an overwhelming number of new varieties of veg to choose from. With this in mind it’s sometimes tough deciding what to grow; after all, we know we want to grow var

New from leading watering expert Hozelock, Tuffhoze is a hybrid garden hose, combining the best of PVC and textile hose technology to make it amazingly flexible, super-tough and lightweight – up to 50% lighter than traditional hoses. Tuffhoze comes w

POPPY EXPLOSION FOR CHRISTMAS! £26.95 www.backdoorshoes.co.uk The poppy shoe is loved by everybody, so will make a brilliant Christmas gift for anybody who deserves a pair! Backdoorshoes are lightweight, waterproof and easy to slip off/on. Availa

Cold winds rattle at the greenhouse door, the skeletons of last year’s beans still entwined on that stash of canes squirrelled away in the corner. Outside, a lonely stand of kale plods doggedly on through frost and thaw to give up a few of its leaves

Start your seeds earlier with the Unapod Heated Propagator with Digital Controller from Greenhouse Sensation. Its precision digital controller can be set in one-degree increments between 5C and 30C, letting you create the perfect environment for seed

Midwinter: the days are short and dark, weather unpredictable but there is always the hope of some snow! We are now past the winter solstice and can look forward to spring. Every day is a little lighter and longer, but winter temperatures are still w

Endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society, these Gold Leaf Winter Touch gloves have breathable, Thinsulate thermal lining and are Ski-Dri waterproof. They are available in ladies’ and gents’ sizes. HARROD HORTICULTURAL www.harrodhorticultural.com

Cabbages are often taken for granted. A poor relation to trendy kale and broccoli with their much flaunted health benefits, the humble cabbage is a great staple that can be grown easily and virtually all year round. The sowing season for summer-harve

Who needs a garden trolley? Well, I do for one, and if more gardeners tried one then I think that they might agree. A trolley is more stable than a wheelbarrow and is less likely to tip over accidentally and empty its contents on the ground. A trolle

January is all about planning for your best possible gardening year ahead and in this issue we have lots of great features to help you achieve the results you want from your patch, including ideas and inspiration for those of you who like to try some

You’ll find the best choice of varieties, probably get them cheaper, and you’ll certainly have more fun at a potato day. These events are usually held by gardening clubs, allotment societies or community groups, and there are dozens spread throughout

In place of lasagna sheets, try using celeriac for an extra-nutritious dinner dish. Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes SERVES 4-6 ■ 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided■ 1 small onion, diced■ 3 cloves garlic, chopped■ ⅓

BRIDPORT POTATO DAY JANUARY 4. Bridport United Church, East Street, Bridport. Large range of seed potatoes, heritage seeds, onion sets and garlic, fruit trees and bushes; 10am-1.30pm. 01749 860039, www.potato-days.net OXFORD POTATO DAY JANUARY 5. We

THE WINNERS ARE IRYNA AND RICK LEWIS FROM KIRKHAM, LANCASHIRE Iryna and her husband Rick have an allotment and have been growing vegetables for seven years. Iryna said: “The most important aspect about growing our own fruit/veg is the knowledge that