Keeping pesty moths in check

as you work). In a large pot, dissolve 1 cup sugar to 3 cups water. When simmering, gently lower the feijoas into the syrup and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Then, using a slotted spoon, pack the stewed feijoas into hot glass jars, top up with the stewing syrup, and screw on lids to seal. Turn the jars upside down (the extra heat improves the strength of the seal) until cool. Pears are also easy to preserve this way, as the fruit is firm and holds its shape.

• A tip for making quince paste. Instead of boiling chopped quinces, cook them whole in your slow cooker until their flesh is tender and rose-pink, then squish off the skins and slide out the cores. It’s the easiest way to get a smooth pulp.

Combine this pulp with the same amount of sugar and cook slowly, stirring constantly, in a large heavy frying pan, for 30 minutes (or more), until thick and dark. rain fell. Result? A fair proportion have either resprouted, softened or started to rot. Drats! It’s important onions and shallots aren’t allowed to get damp (even from dew) after harvest, so take them indoors, into a warm, well ventilated room or shed or lay them out under a covered verandah. Once fully dry (rub the stalks; they should be brittle and papery), you can store your alliums in paper bags, hessian sacks or recycled onion bags. They should last all winter. This column is adapted from the weekly e-zine, get growing, from New Zealand Gardener magazine. For gardening advice delivered to your inbox every Friday, sign up for Get Growing at: getgrowing.co.nz