I was really late at getting mine in the ground this year and they are doing ok at the moment, although won't be winning any largest leek competition. I tried two methods to start them off. The first was individually in separate pods. The second was in one pot (grew a bit like chives), and then sepa...

I call it that time when I nag my husband to use the drill he got given for Christmas and do the diy jobs he hasn't done all year 'because he didn't have a drill'..... I took a few days off as work has been really stressful over the last few months - in addition to nagging the other half I've enjoye...

Good advice.... I did drink a pint of water before bed... When I say water, I mean wine (which is 76% water..... And was home grown so it doesn't count )

Happy new year everyone!

As a newbie I really look forward to lots of advice on the year ahead.

By the way, does anyone have a cure for a stinking hangover.........

I think I need a flower I.d book...... I'm ok when it comes to veg but my knowledge of flowers is terrible ... Ok with daffodiles which I've seen a few of. We regularly get a large gang of long tail tits in the garden and interestingly there is almost always a goldcrest with them. They're such a fri...

You say look after them.... I say eat them!

We live in a small market town (romsey) and the coffee shops have been multiplying over the years .... There are many.

I was listening to a couple of ladies in waitrose the other day when one of them said 'what this place needs is a cafe' - I almost wet myself with laughter ......

My young niece has her own patch - loves the round carrots, radish, bush tomato, dwarf French beans, strawberries and raspberries ..... Admittedly none ever make it to the plate as she eats them all first! I can't think of anything better than to get young uns to grow and know where their food comes...

Well, that was awesome... Great food, great friends and way too much wine! So, here was the menu: Aperitivo - aperol with bowls of almonds and pistachio from Sicily Antipasto - broadbean pea and mint crostini, tomato basil shallot crostini, artichoke hearts, padrona ... And mixed meats Primo - Lingu...

Well, this is the fun bit - trialing the recipes! We've just had the Linguine with leeks and lemon - it was delicious and it will be our primo course ( with our own leeks). Can't believe how amazing a meal can be with the simplest of ingredients (and pretty healthy too) My husband had a bit of parma...

Thanks Alan ..... Something tells me you know your Italian! This is making me very hungry... We will of course be doing some non veg options. All the siblings got together in Sicily and cooked an 8 course family meal for our parents 70th birthday. The local market in Syracusa was amazing - so much a...

I love artichokes but wish I had never planted them in the allotment. I only have a five rod patch and try and rotate as best I can. But can I ever get rid of the artichokes- no! Every year they reappear in between whatever I decide to grow in that area. They've even spread to the walkway between mi...

I'm slightly concerned about how healthy my Autumn planted shallots look - the leaves (?) are already a good 20+ cm long. Autum planted garlic has a good 10-15 cm shoots. I'm also afraid it's all just rot. Not sure how to prevent it?

Thanks Alan, much appreciated. More please - I have 6 courses to fill!

Hi, Every Christmas my husband and I throw a dinner party for about 12 friends. It's always a real feast with up to 8 courses using as much home grown/made produce and everything is done from scratch. Two our our friends have gone from meat lovers to vegans in the last four months - no butter, eggs ...