GARDEN WORK

As the early vegetable crops finish up, it is time to start fiddling around with seed packets again

As the early vegetable crops finish up, it is time to start fiddling around with seed packets again. Some crops, sown now - beetroot, turnips, perpetual spinach, carrots (short-rooted, fast-maturing varieties) and parsley (Bravour) - will give you fresh produce in autumn, or through the winter.

Sow these to liven up your cold-weather salad bowl: American land cress, lamb's lettuce, rocket, Chinese leaves and winter radish (which are much heftier than the summer varieties).

And sow the following during the next month for harvest in spring: White Lisbon Winter Hardy scallions, Winter Density cos lettuce, spring cabbage, Swiss chard.

Yellow Japanese onions should be sown during August and will be ready to lift next July, note that - unlike regular onions - they are not suitable for storing.