With the arrival of the New Year seed potatoes can be chitted now ready for planting the early varieties in March. There is a great range available these days from the traditional early favorites such as ‘Maris Bard’ and ‘Lady Christi’ to salad varieties ‘Charlotte’ and ‘Nicola’ to main-crops like ‘King Edward’. 

How to Chit!
'Chit' your chosen varieties by laying out in a cool light place to encourage the growth of the eyes. Some people suggest removing a number of these developing sturdy little shoots but you can leave them all intact if you prefer, as rubbing off often causes

Keep poinsettias looking good this season and through the next year, says Amateur Gardening’s Michelle Wheeler.

Now that Christmas day is just a memory, poinsettias can be seen in many homes. Their colourful bracts (modified leaves) are a delight.

Often thrown away when they lose their colour or wither away, poinsettias actually make a rather stunning houseplant with their green shapely leaves in the summer. And it is possible to get the plant to turn itself back into the Christmas beauty we love from November onwards, by carrying out some simple care. Poinsettias are known as short day length plants; this is the title given to a group of plants, which