Yes it does have similarities Alan I must admit, but I was thinking more of whether you think the trend to smaller varieties, which is led mostly by the industry who want compact plants for easier harvesting is good or bad, or does it matter? Is it better to make use of the compact varieties to (in ...

Hi All Funny you should all be talking about contributions to the mag. I'd like to ask you for another now! (Sorry Nature's Babe, as you suspect I can't offer to pay you a fee, but rest assured that both I and Lady Lettuce are very grateful for your input . This month's Over The Garden Fence has a s...

Hi All Funny you should all be talking about contributions to the mag. I'd like to ask you for another now! (Sorry Nature's Babe, as you suspect I can't offer to pay you a fee, but rest assured that both I and Lady Lettuce are very grateful for your input . This month's Over The Garden Fence has a s...

Hi All, Hoping your gardening year is going well so far. My garden has been loving the rain and has never been so green in June, but a little sun wouldn't go amiss right now. If we don't get some warmth I may have yet another year where my onions come out of the ground, roughly the same size as they...

Hi Folks Seems like a strange topic during a time of record rains, but our Over The Garden Fence feature for July is watering! (That's what happens when you plan a year ahead!) However, I'm (relatively) sure we will get some sunshine later and that watering will once again become an issue - after al...

Hi all, This month in KG we will be discussing whether there is a place for pesticides on the plot or in the veg garden and we'd love to have your views. Those of us who have been gardening for some time will all have horror stories about how dangerous garden chemicals used to be 30-40 years ago. I ...

Thanks Allan - great minds think alike!

This month we have the topic of 'moon gardening' in our over the garden fence feature and we'd love to know your views. Is this something you've tried and would recommend to others? Maybe you tried it and it didn't work. Or maybe the idea just seems so unlikely that you can't believe it could possib...

Hi All The next topic for debate in our Over The Garden Fence feature in KG (Feb issue) will be whether manure is essential/desirable for growing crops and we wondered what your thoughts are? Also whether the recent weedkiller contamination problem has put you off and made you look for alternatives?...

Hi Guys In the January issue of the mag we'll be discussing what to leave out when space is tight. This came from some discussions we've had with beginner gardeners who are always keen to try anything and everything and often cram their plots with crops that perhaps don't realy suit the conditions, ...

Hi Folks The topic for discussion in our Over The Garden Fence column in the December issue of the magazine is no-dig gardening. Have you tried this technique? If so we would welcome your views as to whether you think it is better for the soil and your crops as claimed. Or perhaps you found that it ...

Thanks guys - some really good info there and I will be sure to pass it on.

Someone once told me you were a grumpy lot Old Herbaceous, but I soon told them where to go!

ps Lady Lettuce sends her regards.

In reply to MiKA's queries I didn't really have a size of plot in mind. At the shows for example we will be approached by gardeners with all sizes of patch; could be a beginner who has just taken on an allotment or someone who only has a small patch in the back garden, or even a few containers. I ap...

Hi All In KG this month - and also at Harrogate Flower Show in a few weeks time, we will be talking about our top five veg in terms of value on the plot. In other words which are worth growing in terms of money-saving but also for beginners, which are easy to grow and give a good return in terms of ...

Many thanks for those thoughts. Some good ideas there - we'll see how we can incorporate them. Much appreciated!