OwnGrown

Sowed curled parsley variety mid January in small pots using seed compost. Germination started about 2 weeks after sowing and then thinned to one plant per pot. Two basic types - curled and plain leaf - with the curled having a much stronger flavour and being more difficult / slower to grow. Sow curled variety mid January in small pots using seed compost and plain variety in March. Germination starts about 2 weeks after sowing. Thin to one plant per pot and transplant to growing site in May or leave in large pots. Pick from June onwards - regular picking encorouges growth. Can be picked in winter but you can also put a plant in a pot on a windowsill for winter use.

Spread bonfire ash around garlic and lightly forked in to topsoil

An annual New Year’s Day ritual - sowed Chillies using seeds from last year’s crop. Many varieties are available - choose one or two and sow three or four seeds in small pots in early January using seed compost and lightly covering the seeds after sowing. Keep indoors at room temperature. Germination starts two to four weeks after sowing depending on the variety. Remove the smallest seedings and transplant the remaining one to the final larger pot six to eight weeks after sowing. For best results grow on in the greenhouse or indoors, but they can be moved outside in June although the crop will be reduced - considerably so if the summer is bad. Keep well watered. Seven week old seedlings in Jiffy pots ready for transplanting are shown here.