2008 Bought 10 slips from GardenOrganic. 3 died. Got some surprisingly good-sized tubers from 3 and 3 others produced tubers good enough to have made it worth my while. The rainfall in August was considerable and the weather was quite warm, mimicking their native conditions. 2009 Same number bought....

It is a slow day in a damp little Irish town. The rain is beating down and the streets are deserted. Times are tough, everybody is in debt and everybody lives on credit. On this particular day a rich German tourist is driving through the town, stops at the local hotel and lays a 100 Euro note on the...

Are you being fair on the Met Office, madasafish? Predictions are made on the basis of evidence available at the time, and as more evidence becomes avaiable and verified, predictions change. The same thing happens in the medical field: a piece of research suggests that ingesting huge amounts of lyco...

I do agree with your sentiments. The softness is partly due to the motor-car. 30 years ago some parents wouldn't dream of walking their kids to school; others wouldn't dream of letting their children do so by themselves because of traffic. When it was my turn to do the school run, I got them to walk...

I think another point to be made is that global warming will involve certain places becomeing on average slightly cooler while others become rather less slightly warmer. Sunspot activity may or may not have a bearing, but it is only for a short term. Global climate change needs to be seen over thous...

Congratulations, JB. Keep them. They should have considerable intrinsic value, the more so as a complete set.

The thing I think needs emphasising is OH's point about keeping the seedlings moist. I have had no joy from swedes or Kohl Rabi because of flea beetle and dry conditions. At my next attempt I shall cover the seedlings with enviromesh and water them as much as I can.

We've had the odd minus 5 and my celeriac, not particularly well covered, is OK.

My 3 plants are now in the spare bedroom by the window. Will report developments in a few months.

I planted all mine on the allotment during Oct/Nov. I saw a gardening program which suggested ridging up the soil and planting in the ridges, so that excessive moisture drains down around the cloves. This may stop them getting over-wet and rotting.

How interesting, Alan. A pity I don't have the time to sit reading all this at present. Maybe a few minutes here and there. It would be fascinating to compare 300-year-old recomendations, before the advent of pesticides and fertilisers, with modern ones.

I found this morning that I had 3 pepper plants in their pots which i had not yet disposed of. They've been outside and were frozen stiff with the leaves all droopy. Do you think they'll survive indoors, NB?

I cannot believe that this year is set to be the second hottest on record. I can't recall sitting in the house or being in the garden and sweltering - which is the case most years. As for rain, my water butts ran out of water in mid August 2 days before the rain came in earnest. I measures over 110 ...

Oh boo, I recently took all my chilli plants out of the greenhouse and left them out in the cold or composted the plants. idiot me!

oca was one of the few I DID get!