Vegetables

Given rich soil, zucchini, marrows and pumpkin are easily grown in the home garden, although in cooler districts pumpkins need a hot, dry summer to do well. Bush marrows such as Cocozelle di Napoli require less room than the trailing types but zucchini are more popular than marrows, so seed of the latter can be difficult to obtain.

Sow the seeds now in pots or seed boxes. Mini greenhouses — a little like an oldfashioned cold frame — are ideal for these tender vegetables, as is a bottomless box with a square of glass set over the top and placed in the warmest part of the garden. Plants can be put in their permanent place from the end of the month, or once the likelihood of frost has passed. When fruits form, liquid manure will encourage good growth. Watering is needed only when the soil is dry in the plants’ earlier stages.

Celery can be sown in the same way as marrows or pumpkins. Trenches can be prepared now for planting out celery early in December. Dump plenty of manure in the bottom of the trench and top with soil but leave the surface 5cm to 10cm lower than the surrounding garden to help retain moisture, as celery will quickly go to seed if the ground dries out.