Plant garlic at the right moment, not the first cold morning.
Give cloves six weeks to root before the ground freezes. Here is how to find the date for your garden.
Right now in the garden — September
The jobs that are genuinely time-sensitive this month. Everything else can wait for a dry Saturday.
Lift and cure onions and shallots
Give them two dry weeks under cover before moving them into cool storage.
Sow spinach and mâche for winter
Both germinate in cool soil and will sit under cover until early spring.
Plant daffodils and alliums
Set each bulb three times its own height, with the pointed end facing up.
Start with three good decisions.
No equipment list and no jargon. These short guides establish the only foundations a first garden really needs.
Practical guides for the week ahead.
Direct answers, seasonal timing and techniques you can repeat without specialist equipment.
Harvest lettuce for weeks, not days
Pick the outer leaves, protect the crown, and keep plants cool for a longer, more generous harvest.
Carrots that grow straight and sweet
Loose soil, careful spacing, and steady moisture make the difference between forked roots and a clean harvest.
Stop blossom-end rot before it starts
Consistent moisture and healthy roots prevent most damaged tomatoes before symptoms appear.
Keep cucumbers productive all summer
A practical pruning and watering routine for steady harvests through hot weather.
Start seeds without expensive equipment
Everything you need to grow strong seedlings on a sensible budget.
How to build better garden soil
Simple, proven steps to richer soil and stronger vegetable plants.
Browse by garden.
Follow one plant from sowing to harvest, or solve the job directly in front of you.