I’m an eco-friendly grower – so why do I want to murder all these vile slugs?
Claire Ratinon
Now they’ve invaded my brassicas I’m at war with my conscience, says the writer Claire Ratinon
July 2023
The shoestring gardener: 10 ways to grow gorgeous plants – for little or no money
You don’t need to spend much to get into gardening – a little bit of effort and some thoughtful recycling will go far. Here are our top tips for low-cost cultivation
June 2023
The age of extinction
Still nurturing love and vines: the centenarian who built Barcelona’s first roof garden
When environmentalist and pacifist Joan Carulla came to the city after growing up during Spain’s civil war, he created an ‘allotment in the sky’ that helped pioneer organic farming
May 2023
Lend your plants some support – they’ll do better with something to lean on
Don’t wait until your climbers become unwieldy before giving them a helping hand
April 2023
Mulch ado! How to have extremely healthy garden soil
Good earth is at the heart of my approach to growing – and now is the perfect time to give it a boost
March 2023
Predicting the last frost is tricky, so start your seeds off under cover
Many vegetables can be started off indoors or in a propagator now – and planted out once the risk of freezing to death is finally over
Appetite for organic food continues from Covid boom but firm warns inflation and rising costs are eating into profits
October 2022
Why I quit
I left my job in London to grow food. This deep connection with nature gives my life meaning
Claire Ratinon
Cultivating organic produce is the most important thing I’ve ever done, says food grower and writer Claire Ratinon
June 2022
Country diary
Country diary: Not every group of ladybirds is a loveliness
Langstone, Hampshire: Harlequin larvae have arrived in my garden, and the reception is mixed
February 2022
A new start after 60
A new start after 60: ‘We both like gardening – so we became farmers’
Bob and Ann Paton thought they were just moving to their dream country home – until they had the idea to turn its six acres into a small farm
November 2021
Other lives
John Sargent obituary
Other lives: Ambulance driver who also ran a shop supplied with organic produce he grew himself
July 2021
Other lives
Beth Gibans obituary
Other Lives: Organic farmer who tried to help others follow the same path
November 2020
Other lives
Roger Franklin obituary
Other lives: Peace activist who lived and worked on an organic smallholding for 50 years
August 2020
How coronavirus has led to a UK boom in community food growing
Organic food should not be preserve of rich say volunteers helping provide food banks with fresh produce
February 2019
What the pesticides in our urine tell us about organic food
Kendra Klein and Anna Lappé
A study helps answer a question many of us ask when deciding whether to buy organic food: does it really make a difference?
June 2017
Country diary
Sticky solution: aphids' honeydew suits the bees
Country Diary: Langstone, Hampshire Bees scouting the hawthorn unrolled their tongues to mop up the sticky fluid excreted by the greenfly
April 2017
The experts’ guide to making your garden bloom on a budget
As many of us return to the garden and wonder how to make it flourish, we asked five of the country’s leading green-fingered experts how to avoid throwing away cash in a garden centre
March 2017
Kitchen encounters
Mark Diacono’s kitchen: ‘Improvising is what leads to discovery’
Kitchen encounters: The owner of Otter Farm, Mark Diacono, says we need to make mistakes when cooking
February 2016
Dr Dillner’s health dilemmas
Is organic food healthier?
A new study has suggested that organic milk might contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids. But that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily better for you
November 2015
How does your garden grow?
How does your garden grow: Charles Dowding, Shepton Mallet, Somerset
‘I left Cambridge with a good degree and was expected to get a well-paid job. Instead I started to grow vegetables’
