Vegetables As winter comes closer, the opportunities for growing vegetables are reduced but garlic and shallots should go in from now until early spring. Plant small sections of bulbs, pushing them down to half their depth in rich, well-cultivated soil. Keep an eye on them as growth starts, checking bulbs to make sure they have not been pushed out by developing roots. If they have, push them back in. Winter is also the time for planting rhubarb and asparagus crowns, so prepare the ground now. Rhubarb needs very rich soil with lots of compost and animal manure, while asparagus being of seaside origin does well if a layer of seaweed is put under fertilised soil. Compost bins and heaps need protection from winter rains, as cold heaps stop decomposing. Cover heaps with plastic stretched tightly over a frame or corrugated iron. This is a good time to start a herb patch or rejuvenate an existing one. Thyme is easily propagated from seed or by dividing mature plants.…