Anyone planting garlic this autumn (or already done so perhaps?).

Hardneck or softneck?

Any varieties you would recommend? I've just planted 'Czechmate' (a hardneck variety) in pots.

Anyone start their garlic cell modules first for later transplanting?

There's been much in the press recently about knife crime. "Basically, it is illegal to carry a knife in public without good reason, unless it has a folding blade with a cutting edge 3 inches long or less. m" Just wondered if anyone had run into problems using knives on the allotment, or e...

Well, if you look at the March issue of KG it looks like our expert gardeners have different approaches to pricking out tomato seedlings. On page 33 we have the instruction: "Handle the seedling by its leaves, NEVER the delicate stem” (Ben Vanheems). But then on page 11 we have Joyce Russell ha...

Fresh coriander towards the end of cooking a curry gives it that something extra I find. Chive flowers especially nice in salads.

Don't seem to have had a problem - you can always add the cloves a little later I suppose...

Don't seem to have had a problem - you can always add the cloves a little later if they're getting cindered.

We like to roast our potatoes with cloves of garlic and sprigs of thyme; rosemary over the roasted carrots

I got this through from Simply Seed recently that pepper sowers might find interesting: The Cheats Guide to Germinating Chilli and Pepper Seeds. What you need: One packet of our chilli seeds - you can reseal them, and they are foil lined! One piece of kitchen roll. A splash of water. A bit of heat. ...

I popped just one of my Carolina Reapers into last night's chill con carne. First time I've used a CR. Have to say it was a warm meal, but not excessively so - in fact, it was the best chilli con carne we'd had in a long time. Put a few Super Chillies in the last one but it turned out very tame. I g...

Whilst reluctantly cleaning out the pantry over the weekend I happened up on two 'Germidour' garlic bulbs that I had obviously bought in the autumn but must have dropped down the back. Anyway, spent some of yesterday afternoon happily planting out two rows. The sun was out, the sky was wonderfully c...

Good point - I do have some of these in the shed so will try them out this year to see what happens.

We were sent one of these pearly oyster mushroom kits from http://espressomushroom.co.uk/.
Got a decent first crop: after a couple of weeks:

As a previous member has mentioned, they work on the principle that when the roots make contact with the air through the holes they are effectively 'pruned' which then stimulates further root development. If you're interested in finding out more about them go to: http://air-pot.com.

That's truly inspirational Pa Snip and an example to all in present and future adversity. Wishing you all the best for 2017 and more words of wisdom from you on the forum!

Have a great Christmas everyone and have a brilliant 2017.

In the words of Lao Tzu:

"To see things in the seed, that is genius."

from all of us here at KG!