Page 21 - News

Person wearing a hat planting seedlings in a garden bed with a watering can and gardening tools nearby.

How to Grow Courgettes: Space, Soil and Sunlight

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

Courgettes may look easy to grow, yet they need plenty of room, fertile soil and long periods of sunshine to...

Person repotting a flowering plant on a wooden table with gardening tools and a green watering can nearby.

Oleander after winter: how to revive the shrub

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

With the right approach, however, the shrub can make a remarkably quick recovery. When gardeners bring their oleander out of...

Hand placing coins in a birdbath with two small birds perched on the edge in a sunny garden.

Copper cent in the bird bath: does the algae trick really work?

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

Anyone with a bird bath in the garden will recognise the issue: no sooner has it been refilled than the...

Scientist in protective gear examining test tube near caged raccoons in a market with a laptop and notebook.

Huanan Market Study Identifies Animals Likely to Have Carried SARS-CoV-2

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

The virus responsible for COVID-19 seems to have made its initial jump into people from captive wild animals at Wuhan's...

Man inspecting box and spray bottle while kneeling by damaged tomato plants in a garden at sunset.

Bicarbonate of Soda in the Garden: The Hidden Risk for Vegetable Beds

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

A kitchen powder celebrated for years as an all-purpose weapon against stains, odours and household grime has quietly found its...

Man and woman discussing garden plans beside a low wall with maps, a trowel, and a spirit level outside houses.

Can a neighbour refuse to render “your” side of the wall?

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

Many homeowners know the situation: a neighbour builds a wall directly on the boundary line, leaving the garden-facing side of...

Person harvesting leafy green vegetables from a raised wooden garden bed on a rooftop.

Pak Choi: The Fast-Growing Vegetable for Your Garden

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

While tomatoes, peppers and cabbages take their time to grow, one vegetable can take over the beds and fill the...

Underwater image of five humpback whales swimming near the surface with sunlight filtering through the water.

Humpback Whales’ Bubble Nets Should Be Classified as Tools

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

The bubbles that humpback whales blow to bewilder and trap their minute prey should be regarded as tools. That is...

Scientist wearing gloves examining a snake in a forest with a laptop displaying DNA strands on a wooden table.

Brown tree snake DNA explains Guam invasion

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

An invasion can begin with only a handful of individuals yet still reshape an entire ecosystem. That is what happened...

Young woman pruning a potted houseplant on a table with watering can and spray bottle nearby.

Spider Plant Leaves Bent or Broken: Causes and Solutions

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

You often only spot what is really going on at second glance. Many owners notice a problem only once the...

European robin perched on a terracotta pot on a wooden garden table beside gardening tools and plants.

How an Old Terracotta Pot Helps Robins Nest in Your Garden

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

But anyone who genuinely wants to help robins needs to understand their nesting secret. Many gardeners put up expensive nest...

Agriculture robot with screen analysing orange trees in an orchard during daytime.

Irrigation Robot Maps Water Needs for Citrus Trees

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

A compact robot designed for irrigation has demonstrated that two citrus trees growing side by side may require markedly different...

Person holding soil and earthworms over a garden bed with plants, a trowel, and gardening supplies nearby.

What Earthworms in Garden Soil Mean

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

Earthworms in garden soil generally indicate ground that is rich in organic matter, suitably moist and less affected by chemical...

Person pruning tall orange flowers in a garden with bees and a butterfly flying nearby on a sunny day.

Leonotis leonurus: The fiery lion’s ear for spectacular garden beds

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

Many garden beds look perfectly fine, yet still feel a little dull. Anyone craving a real showstopper often turns to...

Person in a straw hat spreading blue fertiliser near a flowering hydrangea bush in a sunny garden.

Hydrangeas: The crucial late-winter fertiliser mistake

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

The crucial mistake is often made weeks earlier, in late winter. Anyone who only pays attention to their hydrangeas in...

Close-up of a small desert hare running across sandy dunes with sparse vegetation in bright sunlight.

Long-Eared Jerboa: The Tiny Desert Rodent With Enormous Ears

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

With enormous ears, long legs and a body small enough to fit comfortably in the palm of a hand, the...

Yellow and black spider on a web with glowing fireflies flying around at dusk in a meadow.

Araneus ventricosus Spiders Manipulate Male Firefly Signals

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

A seemingly ordinary orb-weaving spider found throughout China, Japan and Korea appears capable of remarkable manipulation. Researchers have seen Araneus...

Woman gardening, planting flowers in a sunlit garden bed with a watering can nearby.

Fast-growing perennials: 10 robust long-flowering plants for the garden

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

Many amateur gardeners know the frustration: the beds have just been laid out, everything has been planted beautifully, yet the...

Person covering a blossoming tree with protective white cloth in a garden at sunrise.

Protecting Fruit Trees from Late Frost in Spring

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

If you have apple, cherry or apricot trees in your garden, you will know the problem: the trees are covered...

A detailed animated bird walking on a tropical island with a ship and palm trees in the background.

The Dodo Was Not Stupid, New Research Shows

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

Depictions of dodos often make them appear absurdly witless, and the bird's name has become associated with insults such as...

Underwater view of a snorkeller communicating with a manatee in seagrass near orange buoys.

Dugong: the gentle giant linked to mermaid legends

Gareth Whitfield • October 1, 2026

With its sturdy body, downward-facing snout and unhurried movements near the surface, the dugong might seem like a creature from...