Spring Onions & Salad Onions

Sow: March to July, every few weeks.

Aspect: Will cope in partial shade.

Water: Weekly in dry weather to keep plants growing rapidly.

Harvest: When stems are 1cm thick. Most varieties need 17 to 19 weeks to mature.

Co-planting: Can plant alongside carrots to deter carrot fly.


Don't grow by: Beans, peas and parsley.

Insect Bites

• Wasp, bee and hornet stings cause immediate pain. Wasps and hornets don't leave a sting behind but bees do. Scrape rather than pluck the stinger out as soon as possible with the edge of a credit card or knife.
• Bites from midges, gnats, mosquitos or flies may not be noticed at the time but your body can react to their saliva up to 24 hours later with irritation, itchy lumps or fluid-filled weals that leave a lump behind.
• Use antihistamine or steroid cream as soon as you notice a sting or bite.
• For multiple bites, a pharmacist can advise on a sedative antihistamine which may help you to sleep.
• Applying a cold compress will help reduce pain and swelling.

And if you have ever had an anaphylactic reaction (a very severe allergic reaction that causes an immediate blotchy rash, bbreathing problems, dizziness, light-headedness and possibly collapse) after a bee or wasp sting, any future sting by the same insect is a medical emergency. Always carry an adrenaline injector and dial 999 as soon as you are stung.

February 2016: Avon brand Skin So Soft cream is reported to work well as a midge repellant.

Specialist Search Engines

Stands4 is a leading provider of free online reference resources, financed via advertising and it's been online since 2001. The company specialises in niche databases. You will really only want to use each one for a very specific purpose, but when you need its services, it shouldn't let you down.

The search sites than you can visit include databases on Abbreviations, Conversions, Definitions, Lyrics, Phrases, Quotes, References, Rhymes, Symbols, Synonyms and Zip Codes. Each site has its own URL, so rather than try and list them all, I'll simply point you to their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/STANDS4). The reason that I like these search engines is that they are very simple to use and very fast and effective.

If you need to know what a red ribbon might symbolise, the Symbols search engine will tell you. Need to find words that rhyme with 'library'? The Rhymes engine will not only tell you, but it breaks the results down into 1-5 syllables and links across to the Definitions search engine.If you're in need of quotes, try the Quotes website - one that I liked from that site about libraries was from Groucho Marx: 'I find television very educational. The minute someone turns it on, I go to the library and read a good book'. (As an aside, if you find a great quote, use the Quozio site (http://quozio.com/) to make it really attractive, then you can pop it into Pinterest to share with everyone else and you'll find my example over at http://bit.ly/11hX8fa.

The collection of engines link together when appropriate, and you can move from one to another really quickly from the menu bar at the top.

Phil Bradley in CILIP Update, July 2013

Christmas Trees

Potted trees with roots will keep their needles better, but are never as full or tall as pre-cut trees. To keep pre-cut trees looking their best, here are some tips.

• Buy a tree that is as fresh as possible: look for one with soft, flexible branches, few broken needles and a trunk that's tacky to touch.
• Saw a few centimetres off the truck (the retailer may do this for you) then soak in water before bringing indoors.
• Once inside, position the tree away from direct heat and light. Radiators and heavy lights are a no-no; low energy and LED lights are fine as they emit less heat.
• Don't use too small a stand, which will force you to whittle down the trunk and lose moisture in the process. Use a waterproof container or stand that allows you to top up the base with more water.

Good Housekeeping, December 2013

Leeks

Sow: Will germinate at 7 degrees C. No point in sowing after mid-spring as they will not grow to any size. can be multi-seeded, no need to separate the seedlings.

Aspect: Like sun and do badly in shade. The flowers are attractive to bees.

Care: When transplanting, water the row before easing out of the soil. Transplant when around 7" to 8" tall and pencil thick, and before end of July. Make a hole, trim roots and drop in plant, water well. Plant 6" apart; the deeper the hole, the longer the white stem.

Water: Only in very dry spells.

Harvest: When large enough to use.

Don't grow by: Peas or beans.