Sow this
Sprout dried peas on a sunny windowsill and you’ll be enjoying pea shoots within weeks. Buy a box of dried peas from the supermarket, soak in water for a day, then sow in a seed tray of multipurpose compost. Keep moist and snip off the shoots just above the first set of leaves to guarantee several repeat performances.
Pick this
Japanese quince (chaenomeles) is derided as a denizen of car parks, but don’t dismiss this shrub: its pectin-packed fruits are a boon to the preserver at this time of year. Use in the same ways as tree quince (Cydonia oblonga) – membrillo, jellies and fruit leathers. Too much work? Just place the fruit in a bowl: their perfume will fill the room like a non-naff potpourri.
Plant this
When all else in the garden fades, asters come to the rescue with a mass of butterfly-attracting blooms. Aster ericoides ‘Schneetanne’ is perfect ground cover material for wildlife gardens. Height and spread: 50cm x 1m. Buy a one-litre potted plant for £9.99, or two for £16.99 (prices include free UK mainland p&p). To order, call 0330 333 6856, quoting ref GU395, or go to our Readers’ offers page. Dispatched from October to November.
