Innehållsförteckning för Year Planner 2024 från BBC Gardeners' World

As we welcome in 2024 and the chance to start afresh in the garden, this year planner is all you need for guaranteed success in the months to come. Divided into easy-to-follow monthly tasks, you’ll find expert advice for beautiful flowers and star plants to give you interest throughout the year. There’s also tons of advice for veg growers, no matter what size your space, along with delicious monthly recipes to make the most of your homegrown bounty and get your tastebuds tingling. Also, look out for advice on growing in pots, plenty of ways to welcome in garden wildlife and simple ways to tackle common garden problems along the way. Follow our step-by-step guides to perfect your techniques and get the best from a year of growing. Plus, don’t…

Key task Perk up your patio with a winter container. Winter heathers provide flowers for a long time and are good partners for hellebores and miniature iris. This month’s round up… While you’ll be busy in the garden pruning late-flowering clematis and roses, as well as sowing the first veg seeds, take the time to look for blackbirds and long-tailed tits searching for nesting materials – a sign spring is on its way. Prune ■ Buddleias – cut back hard ■ Hardy fuchsias ■ Late-flowering clematis ■ Old, overgrown shrubs ■ Roses – bush, shrub and climbers Plant ■ Jerusalem artichokes ■ Lily of the valley ■ Potted bulbs in flower ■ Rhubarb ■ Shallots ■ Summer-flowering bulbs Sow Indoors ■ Chillies ■ Leeks ■ Sweet peas ■ Tomatoes Outdoors…

Sow April-July Harvest January-December Chard is easy to grow and low maintenance. As well as providing tasty crops year round, it looks attractive in containers and borders. Chard contain vitamins A, C and K and is a good source of fibre. The stems and leaves can be added to dishes such as soups and stir fries. Young leaves are good in salads. HARVESTING: Remove the leaves by pulling gently at the base of the stem. Choose fresh, green leaves, avoiding discoloured ones. Chard has a short storage life of 2-3 days, so pick it shortly before you plan to use it and store the unwashed leaves in a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator. OUR CHOICES: ‘Fordhook Giant’ gives attractive and tasty broad, white stems that contrast…

Key task May is a good time to add new plants that will attract pollinators to the garden. These include astrantia, hardy geraniums, salvias and erysimum. This month’s round up… Although there’s plenty of jobs to get on with in the garden this month – from hardening off to sowing veg outdoors – take time to look out for froglets leaving ponds and the arrival of swifts. You may also see the common blue butterfly. Prune ■ Clematis (early spring-flowering types) ■ Hardy fuchsias ■ Pyracanthas ■ Spring-flowering shrubs Plant ■ Dahlia tubers in pots ■ Hardened-off seedlings of leeks and cabbages ■ Summer bedding into borders and containers – after the last frost ■ Summer bedding into hanging baskets indoors Sow Indoors ■ Courgettes ■ Cucumbers ■ Pumpkins Outdoors…

Key task This a peak month for roses – keep them looking their best by deadheading repeat flowering varieties and tying in climbing roses as they grow. This month’s round up… Sitting out on long summer evenings, you may catch sight of bats foraging for insects over ponds or trees or stag beetles flying around. And although grass needs mowing this month, try leaving some areas to encourage insects. Prune ■ Alpines ■ Evergreen shrubs and hedges ■ Gooseberries and currants ■ Grapevines ■ Lilac – after flowering ■ Spring-flowering shrubs ■ Topiary Plant ■ Chicory ■ Leek seedlings ■ Summer bedding ■ Tender exotics such as bananas, cannas, colocasia, tithonias ■ Tender veg, such as chillies courgettes, peppers, tomatoes Sow ■ Beetroot ■ French beans ■ Pak choi ■…

Sow April-June Harvest June-October Also known as zucchini, courgettes are often confused with marrows – and will grow to marrow size if not picked early enough. However, courgettes are bred to produce lots of small, tender fruits, while marrows bear just a few large ones. They are rich in potassium and vitamins A and C. HARVESTING Courgettes are tasty when harvested young, no bigger than 15 to 20cm long. Be warned: certain dark-green varieties can camouflage themselves well and you may only notice the monstrous fruit by the time it starts poking out from under a leaf. Look out for slugs attaching themselves to fruits. OUR CHOICES ‘Firenze’, is a bush variety with the added bonus of having few spines. This variety will do well in small gardens, too. ‘Black…

Key task Keep on top of harvesting this month to make the most of crops – picking at the right time means your vegetables will be full of favour and nutrients This month’s round up… Look out for female spiders building their webs between the branches of trees and plants as you plant perennials and bulbs ahead of winter. Other key jobs include preparing the lawn for winter and potting up cuttings taken in summer. Prune ■ Blackberries ■ Hedges ■ Hybrid berries ■ Summer-flowering shrubs – after flowering ■ Summer-fruiting raspberries Plant ■ Autumn-flowering heathers ■ Fruit trees and bushes ■ Ornamental cabbages ■ Potted cyclamen ■ Spring bulbs ■ Strawberry runners Sow ■ Hardy annuals ■ Japanese onions ■ Oriental leaves ■ Spinach ■ Winter lettuce Harvest ■…

Plant November-March Harvest August-November Autumn is a good time to plant apple trees, which take off quickly in the cool, damp weather, and bare-root trees are easier to handle than trees that have been grown in pots. They often establish more quickly because the roots don’t need to change from potting compost to soil. Whether planted in the ground, or in a pot on a patio, an apple tree will provide you with an annual harvest of delicious, healthy, homegrown fruit. Apples are rich in vitamin C, especially the skin. Natural chemicals in apples are also beneficial in aiding the digestion of fatty acids. HARVESTING Harvest will begin in late summer to mid-autumn, depending on the variety. Apples are eady to harvest when they break off easily in your hand…

Key task Gather foliage and berries, such as ivy, pyracantha berries and crab apples to make a Christmas wreath on a birch twig loop. This month’s round up… If you’re outdoors pruning this month, keep an eye out for buff-tailed bumble bees feeding on winter clematis or honeysuckles, while birds such as blackbirds and robins will be searching for the last of the berries. Prune ■ Apples and pears ■ Autumn-fruiting raspberries ■ Blackcurrants ■ Climbing roses ■ Deciduous trees ■ Gooseberries ■ Greenhouse grapevines ■ Wisterias Plant ■ Amaryllis (hippeastrum) bulbs – indoors ■ Bare-root roses ■ Deciduous shrubs and trees ■ Evergreen shrubs in containers ■ Tulips ■ Winter bedding Sow Indoors ■ Corn salad (lamb’s lettuce) ■ Mustard greens Outdoors (under cloches) ■ Hardy broad beans Harvest…

Key task Leave flowerheads of plants such as Hydrangea paniculata to stand over winter and add impact to your borders in colder weather Monthly round up… Although it’s January there’s still pruning to do and seeds to sow. It’s also a good month for bird spotting – look out for waxwings feeding on berries and brambling, a winter migrant from Scandinavia that looks similar to a chaffinch. Prune ■ Autumn-fruiting raspberries ■ Climbing roses ■ Fruit bushes – gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants ■ Grapevines – before sap starts rising ■ Wisteria Plant ■ Bare-root fruit trees and bushes ■ Bare-root hedging and trees ■ Bare-root roses ■ Evergreen shrubs ■ Garlic ■ Shallots (under cover) ■ Winter bedding (violas, cyclamen, heathers) Sow Indoors ■ Begonias ■ Cabbages ■ Chillies ■…

Key task Move spring containers into centre stage as daffodils such as ‘Moonlight Sensation’ and Tulip ‘Vaya con Dios’ (above) start flowering this month This month’s round up… When you’re busy in the garden this month, keep an eye out for the first tadpoles in ponds and red mason bees, as well as the first swifts arriving into the UK. It’s also a good time to mulch, while the soil is still moist from winter. Prune ■ Fig trees ■ Hardy evergreens ■ Hydrangea paniculata ■ Ornamental quince (chaenomeles) – after flowering ■ Penstemons ■ Untidy ferns Plant ■ Potted perennials ■ Potatoes – early and maincrop varieties ■ Summer-flowering bulbs ■ Sweet pea seedlings Sow Indoors ■ Courgettes ■ Cucumbers ■ French beans ■ Pumpkins ■ Runner beans ■…

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Sow February-May / October-November Harvest May-July Rich in fibre and protein, broad beans pack a nutritional punch. They’re also a good source of vitamin B5, which helps the body convert food into energy. Broad beans can be sown in autumn for an early crop, which is useful when little else is ready for harvest, or between February and May. Top and tail very young pods and cook the whole thing, then serve lightly steamed. Peel the outer skin from mature beans before adding to soups and salads. HARVEST Pick immature pods when 5-7cm long. Otherwise, leave until pods fatten in early summer. To store them, blanch the beans in boiling water for one minute, chill in ice water, then bag and freeze them. OUR CHOICES ‘Aquadulce Claudia’, ‘Crimson Flowered’, ‘Red…

Key task Stake your dahlias to stop them keeling over in the border and look out for earwigs (see p88). Deadheading keeps the flowers coming. This month’s round up… As you go about your gardening tasks this month, deadheading and pruning back overgrown plants, such as wisteria, look out for butterflies including red admiral and painted lady, as well as dragonflies and damsonflies. Prune ■ Early summer-flowering shrubs ■ Hedges ■ Honeysuckle (climbing) ■ Lavender – after flowering ■ Rambling roses ■ Wisteria Plant ■ Autumn-flowering bulbs ■ Heathers ■ Potted chrysanthemums ■ Salad seedlings ■ Strawberry runners ■ Winter brassicas, such as kale Sow ■ Corn salad ■ Hardy annuals ■ Onions ■ Oriental vegetables ■ Radishes ■ Rocket ■ Spring cabbages Harvest ■ Beetroot ■ Chillies ■ Courgettes ■…

Sow February-June Harvest June-September Crinkly or smooth, fat or slim, wonky or straight: there’s nothing better than a crunchy home-grown cucumber picked straight from the plant. Cucumbers are rich in potassium and fibre, despite being more than 90 per cent water. There’s so many varieties to choose from and even small spaces are ideal for growing them–as long as a climbing support is provided. Properly pickled, this summer fruit can also serve as a kitchen favourite for a few weeks once harvesting is over. Many varieties are bred specifically to grow either in a greenhouse or outdoors, so choose carefully. ‘All-female’ F1 hybrids do best under cover, but check for male flowers regularly, because pollinated fruits taste bitter (female flowers have a tiny cucumber behind each bloom). Male flowers can…

Key task November is the month of National Tree Week, so why not add impact to your garden by planting a bare-root tree in a pot or your border. This month’s round up… With fewer tasks to do in the garden in November, it’s a good month for wildlife spotting. While tidying up, keep an eye out for blue tits searching for food, and hoverflies and bats flying on mild nights before hibernating. Prune ■ Autumn-fruiting raspberries ■ Bare-root roses (before planting) ■ Climbing roses ■ Deciduous trees and shrubs (except cherries and plums) ■ Fruit bushes – once dormant ■ Grapevines Plant ■ Bare-root fruit bushes, hedging, roses, trees and shrubs ■ Garlic ■ Hellebores ■ Indoor hyacinths ■ Tulip bulbs ■ Winter-flowering heathers ■ Winter pansies Sow ■…

Sow April-June Harvest August-February The colder it gets, the nicer it is to have hot, spice-infused meals. This winter vegetable, known as daikon radish or mooli, has raw, crunchy heat that’s perfect for winter salads. Mooli (or daikon) radishes are an oriental radish with long white roots that can be enjoyed raw or cooked. HARVESTING Mooli radish can be harvested from August through to February in free-draining soil, or eight weeks after sowing if you grow an early variety. Lift when 10cm long or leave in the ground until needed. OUR CHOICES ‘Neptune’ has mild white roots and is good for an autumn/winter crop; ‘Dragon’ has pink roots and is good for winter salads, while ‘Mino Early’ can be harvested from August. Mooli (daikon radish) wraps The colder it gets,…

Key task March is a good month to plant new shrubs and trees, which will provide cover for birds and help attract them to your garden WILDLIFE FRIENDLY This month’s round-up… This month we will get equal lengths of day and night on 20 March. As the days get lighter, you should also notice birdsong getting louder, as breeding couples begin to pair up. Look out for chiff chaffs arriving this month to breed. Prune ■ Damaged branches on trees & shrubs ■ Dogwoods (cornus) ■ Elderberry ■ Hardy fuchsias ■ Lavender ■ Mahonia ■ Roses (last chance) Plant ■ Asparagus ■ Jerusalem artichokes ■ New roses ■ Strawberries ■ Summer bulbs ■ Trees, shrubs and climbers Sow Indoors ■ Basil ■ Beetroot ■ Celeriac ■ Cucumbers ■ Lettuces ■…

Plant October-April Harvest April-July Rhubarb, a perennial plant, produces delicious stems from April to July when it is well watered and mulched around the crown of the plant. It is high in vitamin K and rich in antioxidant polyphenols that could help stop the development of cancerous cells – cooking boosts the polyphenol levels. Cut stems into chunks, add sugar to taste, and stew, poach or roast. Slice stringy ribs off older rhubarb with a knife. Rhubarb goes well with ginger, strawberries and lime juice. Rhubarb leaves contain poisonous oxalic acid so cut them off and put them on the compost heap. HARVEST Don’t harvest in the first year and take a light crop in the second. Pull, don’t cut, and always leave at least four stems per plant. To…

Sow March-July Harvest June-September Unlike other Mediterranean herbs, basil thrives in moisture-retentive, peat-free compost and you can add a little slow-release fertiliser to the compost as the basil grows. To create bushy plants, pinch off the main growing tip as soon as the plant reaches 15cm tall, to trigger sideshoot growth. The leaves are delicious with tomatoes and in pesto and the flowers are tasty eaten raw in salads. Leaves are best torn rather than cut, to stop the edges browning and losing flavour. Basil needs a warm, sunny, sheltered spot and is best watered before midday because it doesn’t like sitting in wet compost overnight. HARVESTING Leaves can be harvested around eight weeks after sowing. Pick as you need it and take the tips first because this will help…

Key task Keep ponds topped up during hot weather for wildlife including frogs and birds. Frogs will also seek out damp shady spots under logs and foliage This month’s round up.. If July is a hot month, keep bird baths topped up and leave water out for hedgehogs, whose babies should be emerging any day. Cool down the greenhouse by damping down (pouring water on the floor) and move pots into shade. Prune ■ Apples and pears ■ Cherry trees – after fruiting ■ Gooseberries ■ Rambling roses – after flowering ■ Redcurrants and white currants Plant ■ Bedding plants ■ Calabrese ■ Courgettes ■ Herbs ■ Leeks ■ Winter brassicas Sow ■ Biennial flowers ■ Calabrese ■ Carrots ■ Chicory ■ Chinese cabbages ■ Florence fennel ■ French and…

Sow April-June Harvest August-September Edamame beans are so easy to grow and definitely fall under the ‘undemanding’ category. Sow seeds from April and once the plants reach six true leaves tall, the slugs will keep away from their slightly hairy leaves, stems and pods. Plants thrive in summer heat and the more pods that are picked, the more flowers are produced. HARVESTING The beans all mature together, so harvest the whole plant in one go, cutting off the root. Strip the pods from the stem and cook whole in salted, boiling water. Whole fresh pods, lightly fried in oil and tossed with salt and chilli flakes, is simply heaven. But another way to enjoy the bean is to turn it into this edamame hummus dip. OUR CHOICES ‘Elena’, a good…

Key task If you see a hedgehog out during the day it could be ill or need help. Contact the nearest Wildlife Rescue Centre for advice. WILDLIFE FRIENDLY This month’s round up… October is a good month to gather plant debris for compost and make leafmould, but be careful before disturbing leaf piles because this month hedgehogs will be getting ready for winter hibernation. Look out for them moving around. Prune ■ Blackberries and hybrid berries ■ Blackcurrants (young plants) ■ Cotton lavender (santolina) ■ Lavatera – to tidy up uneven growth ■ Rosemary ■ Roses – to avoid windrock Plant ■ Autumn bedding ■ Conifer hedges ■ Containerised roses ■ Garlic cloves ■ Onion sets ■ Spring cabbages Sow Indoors ■ Hollyhocks ■ Oriental poppies ■ Sweet peas Outdoors…

Sow February-April Harvest October-March Parsnips may be something you associate exclusively with Christmas dinner, but they’re worthy of more regular use. There’s nothing like a homegrown crop if you’re after taste as well as perfect texture. Parsnips are at their best roasted, slightly caramelised and sticky. They can also be used grated raw in salads or in warming winter casseroles. Parsnips are an excellent source of dietary fibre as well as containing healthy levels of vitamins C, E and K. They are also rich in B complex vitamins including folic acid and have good levels of potassium, calcium and iron. HARVESTING Parsnips can be left in the ground until you’re ready to eat them – in fact, lightly frosted parsnips tend to have a more intense flavour. Alternatively, lift and…

Sow April-August Harvest March-December Turnips are an easy crop, so long as growing conditions are cool and moist. Ideally grow on fertile soil enriched with plenty of organic matter, in sun or partial shade. Baby turnips can be ready in as little as six weeks. From spring, sow little and often for a steady supply. Turnip flesh is rich in vitamin C. The edible leaves contain good levels of calcium, as well as vitamins C and K. HARVEST Lift before the first hard frosts. Harvest baby roots from around golf-ball size to eat raw, and allow others to grow larger for winter. Pick outer leaves as required. Roots keep well in the fridge for a week or two, while leaves keep for several days. For longer storage, place roots in…