Garlic

Planting shallots in autumn: the small bulb that earns its keep

Shallots are probably the most overlooked autumn task in the raised bed. Plant now, harvest next July — with barely any effort and no green thumb required.

Planting garlic in September: how to start now for the 2027 harvest

Garlic is one of the few crops where you do the work in autumn and collect the reward in summer. Plant now and you'll have large, aromatic bulbs by next July — or wait until October if you prefer the sweet spot.

Green manure for raised beds: what to sow into the gaps after harvest

Garlic out, peas out, first onions out — by August every raised bed has sudden gaps. Instead of leaving them bare, sow a green manure now: the soil stays alive, weeds don't get a chance, and you start spring with better soil.

Strawberry runners: decide now whether to root new plants or let the mother recover

Mrs Schneider writes: 'Stachi, my strawberry plant is sending out threads everywhere. What do I do with them?' Right now — late July — you have two options. Which one you choose depends on what you want to harvest next year.

Harvesting and drying onions: when to pull them — and how to store them for months

My neighbour Frau Schneider pulled her onions too early last year. Instead of drying out, they started to rot. The difference between an onion that keeps until February and one that turns mushy in October comes down to a single sign.

Garlic from the raised bed: how to tell it's truly ready — and how to store it for a year

Garlic has a small harvest window. Pull it too early and it moulds in three weeks. Leave it too long and the bulb splits open. Here is the one sign I watch for — and how to store it so it lasts until next summer.