Page 30 - News

Person spraying water on vegetable plants in a raised garden bed with gardening tools nearby.

Rhubarb Liquid Feed: The Natural Bodyguard for Tomatoes

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

While everyone talks about nettle liquid feed, an old household remedy is quietly returning to vegetable beds: a brew made...

Person wearing a hat planting seeds in a garden bed surrounded by colourful flowers and gardening tools.

Early April: Sow Annual Flowers for Bees and a Colourful Summer Garden

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

Early April, little time, big impact: with just a few packets of seeds, amateur gardeners can now lay the foundations...

Potted lavender and basil plants on a windowsill with an elderly person tending to them and a spider on the glass.

Keep Spiders Away with Lavender, Mint and Basil on the Windowsill

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

When the spring sunshine grows stronger, many people fling open their windows – but fresh air often brings unwanted visitors...

Person pruning rose plants in wooden raised garden beds in a sunlit backyard garden.

Rose Pruning: The Nursery Gardener’s Simple Technique

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

An experienced nursery gardener demonstrates a remarkably straightforward technique that can transform the result. Rather than indiscriminately cutting everything back,...

Hands measuring soil depth in a raised vegetable garden with tomatoes, lettuce, and a basket of fresh produce nearby.

The 15-Centimetre Trick for More Vegetables and Fewer Weeds

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

A seemingly tiny gap in the vegetable bed often determines whether weeds take over – or whether you end up...

Person planting flower bulbs in soil with illustrated flower markers in a garden bed on a sunny day.

Plant Four Bulbs and Tubers in March for Continuous Garden Colour

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

Many amateur gardeners are surprised by the same pattern each year: daffodils and tulips shine first, then very little happens...

Person covering potted plants with a protective mesh in a garden at sunset.

April Frost: Protect Your Garden With Protective Fleece

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

Days are becoming milder, yet cold April nights can quietly cause total devastation in many gardens – despite the sunshine...

Person adding white powder to soil near ripe tomatoes in a garden, with a moisture meter and water bowl nearby.

Bicarbonate of Soda for Sweeter Tomatoes: Does the Garden Trick Work?

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

The fruits glow red and look plump and healthy, yet they lack what you have looked forward to for months:...

Hands propagating a basil plant in a glass of water on a sunlit windowsill with potted herbs nearby.

How to Propagate Basil From a Single Healthy Cutting

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

Propagating basil from a single cutting is a convenient way to keep the herb readily available in the kitchen without...

Child examining a blue globe thistle plant surrounded by bees and watering cans in a garden.

Gilia capitata: the blue globe flower that attracts bees

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

Spring has arrived, but your garden is still silent? One little-known flower could transform that completely within just a few...

Person kneeling on grass weeding a garden with lawn mower and gardening gloves nearby in daylight

Mowing the lawn in March: the one-third rule for a healthy spring lawn

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

Many amateur gardeners feel the urge at the first mild weekend of spring: bring out the mower, cut everything short...

Person watering growing sweet potato plants in a garden bed with soil moisture gauge nearby at sunset.

Sweet potatoes: the watering mistake that costs up to 60 per cent of the harvest

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

Many amateur gardeners dream of plump, sweet sweet potatoes, only to end up disappointed by thin little roots in the...

Woman planting flower bulbs in garden bed surrounded by colourful flowers and gardening tools.

Plant Summer-Flowering Bulbs in April for a Garden Full of Colour

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

Get your hands dirty briefly in April – and your garden will burst into colour all summer long. With no...

Person kneeling in a garden picking yellow dandelions near a basket of apples and gardening tools.

A Neighbour Stops a Gardener Weeding Dandelions – and Is Right About Bees and Fruit Trees

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

A neighbour stops a gardener while they are weeding – and turns out to be right: the inconspicuous yellow flowers...

Woman kneeling in garden writing in notebook beside young tomato plants and seed packets on wooden bed edge.

Tomatoes: Why You Should Rotate Your Beds Every Year

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

Many amateur gardeners plant their tomatoes in the same spot year after year – then wonder why fungal disease appears,...

Woman planting seedlings in a garden bed on a sunny day with flowers and seed packets nearby.

Fast-Growing Flowers: Create a Colourful Garden from March

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

Winter may still be lingering in your bones and the beds might look tired, yet you are itching to get...

Hands placing decorative snail shells in a garden bed with plants and a gardening trowel nearby.

Snail Shells in the Garden: A Valuable Resource for Tomatoes, Courgettes and Fruit Trees

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

Amateur gardeners are throwing away a surprisingly valuable resource. In spring, when the first seeds are being sown, tender young...

Man kneeling in garden tending to a lilac bush under a large tree on a sunny day.

Asiatic Lilies and Juglone: How Risky Is It Really?

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

Anyone with a black walnut tree in the garden may know the issue: certain plants become stunted, wilt and simply...

Person planting seeds in a garden bed beside a calendar and clock during daylight.

Sow peas and carrots in April for a better harvest

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

The clock is ticking in the vegetable garden: anyone who misses the right moment will be frustrated by sparse beds...

Hand adding soil to a terracotta pot with pink flowering plant, with watering can and jar in garden setting.

Oleander and Coffee Grounds: The Right Dose for Rich Flowers

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

The Mediterranean oleander is considered a hardy container plant that thrives in sunshine and heat. For years, online advice has...

Hand placing a seedling in a biodegradable pot on soil in a wooden planter box outdoors.

Toilet Rolls in the Garden: Free Protection for Young Plants

Gareth Whitfield • September 27, 2026

In spring, just a handful of nights can decide whether a vegetable garden thrives or becomes a source of frustration....