TUC president and POA leader STEVE GILLAN speaks to Ben Chacko on the eve of Congress 2026
AS EARLY autumn harvests create gaps in the vegetable bed, it’s time to order onions, garlic, elephant garlic and shallots for planting in September and October.
All alliums that are grown through the winter need to go into open ground, where they won’t be overshadowed, to take advantage of the available light during the short days.
They must also be in soil that drains well, so that they’re not spending long periods sitting in puddles or saturated earth. Other than that, any ordinarily fertile soil will do.
MAT COWARD says the heatwave is a testing time for gardeners — but he has some tips
More expensive by weight than gold, saffron is surprisingly simple to grow. MAT COWARD explains
MAT COWARD takes a look at some of the options for keen gardeners as we enter 2026
Commiserations if you failed this year, MAT COWARD offers six points which, if followed religiously, will ensure you succeed next year


